Which statement about urine output is true in dehydration?

• A. Urine output decreased is a sign of dehydration.
• B. A constant diaper output rules out dehydration.
• C. Dehydration never affects urine output.
• D. Urine color alone diagnoses dehydration.

Answer: (A)

When you’re dehydrated, the body prioritizes keeping water, so the kidneys reabsorb more water and produce less urine that is more concentrated. That drop in urine volume is a common sign of dehydration, especially in infants where fewer wet diapers indicate reduced output. A constant diaper output doesn’t rule dehydration out, because urine volume can vary with intake and illness and dehydration can still be present even if output seems steady. Dehydration can affect urine output, it’s not restricted to normal or increased production. Urine color can become darker as urine concentrates, but color alone isn’t enough to diagnose dehydration since many factors can alter color.