PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT – Specimen labelling and delivery:
- Ensure full first and last names and date of birth (dd/mm/yy) are clearly written on the specimen tube
- Ensure date and time of collection is written on the request form and specimen tube
- It is important to take your urine specimen to your nearest Awanui Labs collection centre as soon as possible (within 2 hours); if there is a delay please keep the urine in the fridge.
Almost 90% of midstream urine specimens from pregnant women are contaminated with vaginal cells and bacteria due to natural changes associated with pregnancy.
If possible, it is best to collect your midstream urine immediately after taking a shower, following the below instructions:
- Wash your hands
- Have a plastic urine collection container ready
- Hold labia (lips of vagina) apart – important to reduce contamination of sample
- Pass a small amount of urine into the toilet – do not collect any of this 1st part of the urine
- Pass a small amount of urine into the collection container (the middle part of the urine)
- Pass remaining urine into toilet (last part of urine)
- Pull top off urine specimen tube
Date Issued: 19/08/2020 PCS-PI-024
Authorised by: HOD, Patient Services