What causes frequent urination at night during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, many women notice an increase in how often they need to urinate at night. As your baby grows, your uterus gets larger and puts extra pressure on your bladder, which reduces how much it can hold. This means your bladder fills up more quickly, even overnight.

Additionally, hormonal changes in pregnancy cause your kidneys to work more, making extra urine. When you lie down at night, the extra fluid that built up in your legs during the day can move back into your bloodstream, which the kidneys then filter into urine. This process also contributes to the frequent need to get up and use the bathroom.

While these changes are a normal part of pregnancy, if you experience pain, burning, or develop a fever when urinating, these may be signs of a urinary tract infection. You can use our free symptom checker to help identify what might be causing your symptoms, and it's important to let your healthcare provider know so they can check you out and give you the right care.