Increased Urinary Urgency in the First Trimester

There is often a lot of talk about the nausea, food aversions, and fatigue in the first trimester, but does anyone else feel like they need to pee every time they stand up? This is my second pregnancy, and the second time I have experienced this increased urgency. Luckily, now I know that it is more common than you think and will likely reduce as I transition into my second trimester.

Urinary urgency in the first trimester can be caused from a multitude of different factors, but are mostly hormonal in nature. In the first trimester, the hormone HCG, which is crucial in supporting early fetal development, can cause an uptick in the amount of blood that is filtered by your kidneys. This causes an increased rate of filling your bladder which can result in increased urgency. 

You may also notice increased thirst in early pregnancy as your body increases its blood volume to support fetal development. This increased fluid intake can be another source of increased urinary urgency.

Another hormone that increases to support a healthy pregnancy, is progesterone. While progesterone is important in maintaining pregnancy, one side effect is decreased GI motility. This causes your digestive system to absorb more fluid from the food in your intestinal tract and can often cause constipation. Constipation, regardless of pregnancy, can often cause increased urinary frequency & urgency due to the excess pressure in the pelvis. One of my favorite supplements to help with constipation is Magnesium Plus by Seeking Health because it also has B6 in it which can help with nausea. If you need something stronger, Magnesium Citrate by XYMOGEN is a great option. Both can be found in my Fullscript store which you can access here.

Speaking of increased pressure, while your belly likely won’t show it right now (other than maybe some bloating) your growing uterus can also cause the bladder to have less space than normal. The lack of space for your bladder to expand upwards can result in increased urinary frequency and urgency. This pressure should be relieved somewhat around 12 weeks once the uterus expands out of the true pelvis and into the abdominal cavity, before worsening again in the third trimester as baby grows.

If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into your urinary urgency, check out my previous blog post “Stop the Urge” to learn lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your symptoms.