The urinalysis is a direct means of assessing these changes.
In truth, that is just one of the ways urinalysis is performed in clinical practice.
It can even be performed using the same urine sample.
Illustration by Cindy Chung, Verywell
Risks and Contraindications
A urinalysis is considered a safe and non-invasive form of testing.
The only risk it may pose is for those who require catheterization to obtain a urine sample.
The risks of urinary catheterization include infection, bleeding, or pain.
The collection itself only takes a couple of minutes.
(If performing a 24-hour urine collection, ask your healthcare provider when samples should be dropped off.)
Food and Drink
Typically, no fasting is required before the collection of a urine sample.
The test is obviously easier with a full bladder, so some like to drink liquids beforehand.
Medications
Most routine medications can be taken before a urinalysis unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise.
Examples include:
Ask your healthcare provider if you gotta stop any of these before taking the test.
The clean-catch technique prevents bacteria or fungus from the penis or vagina from accidentally getting into the urine.
Some facilities may ask you to deposit the cup in a designated cabinet.
Speak with the lab to ensure this is okay.
If it is, place the sealed cup in a sealed plastic bag to prevent contamination.
Visual Examination
During the visual exam, the lab technician will characterize the color and clarity of the urine.
Any variations may be signs of an abnormality.
Examples include:
Urine clarity refers to how reset the urine is.
Under normal circumstances, urine is expected to be relatively clear or only slightly cloudy.
The technician dips each strip into the urine.
A drop or two of the sediment is then placed on a slide under the microscope.
Other, smaller substances may be reported as few, moderate, or many.
This includes urine studies, imaging, and cystoscopy.
Reference Ranges
Your healthcare provider should review the results with you.
The RR delineates the numeric values between which a test result is considered normal.
The RR differs for each substance being tested and is based on the expected value within a specific population.
In reviewing your results, your healthcare provider will explain which values are normal, borderline, and/or abnormal.
Oftentimes, a healthcare provider can explain an abnormality based on your medical history and offer a treatment plan.
In other cases, further testing will be needed.
The findings may help direct prenatal treatment and care.
(Negative urine culture results are sometimes suggestive of a less common viral UTI).
Beyond that, there are limitations as to what can be interpreted from the test.
It simply means that the lab was unable to detect any abnormalities based on this one test.
Similarly, a urinalysis with abnormal values could mean any number of things, both consequential and inconsequential.
A urinalysis is almost never used as the sole form of diagnosis.
Try not to make assumptions until an experienced clinician is able to review your results in their entirety.
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