Most urine tests require little or no preparation. The physician may instruct the patient to restrict exercise and to reduce or stop taking certain medications or vitamins at some point prior to the test. Infection, fever, dehydration and other physical stress can cause inaccurate results. Patients should notify their physician of these conditions when scheduled for a urine test. Menstruation, too much fluid intake and failure to fully empty the bladder on the previous trip to the bathroom can also interfere with test results.

Urine tests can be performed at home, in a physician’s office or in a clinic. Patients conducting at-home urine tests, such as pregnancy tests, should refer to package instructions about factors that can alter test results and positive results should always be confirmed by a physician.

Generally, urine tests take only minutes to complete. Many involve only a spot (single) sample in which one to two ounces (30 to 60 milliliters) of urine are collected in a cup. The urine sample should not be brought from home because the urine needs to be as fresh as possible. The sample should be a midstream, or clean catch sample. To collect a clean catch sample, the patient should:

1. Clean the exit area. Women should wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soap and water and rinse well. Cleansing wipes may be provided.
   
   
2. Allow a small amount of urine to fall into the toilet bowl. This will clear the urethra of contaminants.
   
   
3. Catch the required amount of urine in the provided collection cup.
   
   
4. Remove the cup from the urine stream and place the provided lid firmly on the cup. Caution should be made not to contaminate the inside of the container before it is capped.
   
   
5. Return the sample to the physician or physician assistant with the correct name and date on the container.

Patients should not use the first urine sample upon awakening. Rather they should wait a minimum of three hours after the previous void before collecting a urine sample.  

Some urine tests require a 24-hour sample rather than a spot sample. To collect a 24-hour urine sample the patient should:

1. Get up in the morning of the first day of the test and empty the bladder.
   
   
2. Collect all subsequent urine in the provided container for the next 24 hours.
   
   
3. Cap the container and keep it in a refrigerator or cool place during the collection period.
   
   
4. Get up in the morning of the second day of the test and urinate into the container.
   
   
5. Return the container with appropriate labeling to the physician’s office or a laboratory for analysis.

It typically takes two or three days for a laboratory to complete a urinalysis. A pathologist will use a microscope to examine the sample for signs of disease, such as abnormal epithelial cells (which may indicate cancer), excessive numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells or other abnormal cells. Treatment depends on the condition that is diagnosed.