Q) My child has red coloured urine, What does it signify?
A) Red coloured urine suggestive of blood in the urine. However, every pink/red/brown coloured urine not be due to blood in urine. Ingestion of coloured sweets, beetroot, drugs (Rifampicin, anantituberular drug causes orange coloured urine; Multivitamins may cause yellowish colour of urine), hemoglobin or myoglobin can cause red urine.

The colour of the urine may give a clue to the cause:-



Q) How do you determine that the red coloured urine is due to presence of blood in urine?
A) A simple urine test can determine the cause of red urine. Either a microscopic examination of the urine in a pathology laboratory or a strip test can determine whether red urine is due to bleeding. However, the strip test may also be positive in case of presence of myoglobin or hemoglobin in urine. Red urine due to other causes will have a negative strip test.

Hence, the best way to determine the cause would be a simple urine examination under the microscope.

Q) What are the causes of blood in urine?
A) The presence of blood in urine signifies bleeding from the urinary system. It can be from anywhere right from kidneys ureters (tubes that connect kidneys to the urinary bladder), urinary bladder and the urethra (tube that transmits urine from the bladder to the urinary opening on the body). Rarely, bleeding may be due to a bleeding disorder (eg Hemophilia etc).

Last updated on 6-11-2000