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Original poster

Help! Urine sample...

20 replies

Skeppers · 02/03/2015 18:19

I have an appointment with the midwife tomorrow afternoon (17+2) and I've been asked to take a urine sample. Now, I've heard mixed things about whether it needs to be a morning sample or whether I can collect it before my appointment; it's at 2.30pm. I'm worried that testing after I've eaten might mess with my blood sugars and skew any results.

I don't need to worry about carrying it around with me because I can pop home & pick it up before I go. I've tried contacting my midwife a few times now to ask but can't get hold of her and she's not replied to any of my messages.

Any ideas? TIA.

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AnythingNotEverything · 02/03/2015 18:21

I always take FMU. Never been advised otherwise.

Skiptonlass · 02/03/2015 18:22

We're you asked to take a fasting sample? If you weren't specifically asked to do that, then just fmu is fine.

Original poster
Skeppers · 02/03/2015 18:24

Nope, no mention of fasting.

Think I'll just take a nice beefy FMU sample for her...that'll be a pleasant surprise when she cracks it open...is it the done thing to keep it in the fridge!? (I've seen too many films)

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ELA88 · 02/03/2015 18:26

I had this same thought recently after leaving my urine sample in the car for quite a few hours before I went to my appointment! I don't think it did it any harm!

Wishart87 · 02/03/2015 18:29

I was told 2nd 3rd of the day.

MuddyWellyNelly · 02/03/2015 18:31

I wasn't told anything about which pee of the day, but that it should be "mid-stream" for some reason.

VikingLady · 02/03/2015 18:32

Any time. And if you forget you can do one there!

Foggymist · 02/03/2015 18:39

Well where I am we just bring a sample or give on there, so it could be fmu, afternoon, 1st/3rd/5th of the day, they've never said it matters at all. It's just to check if there's protein in your urine mainly, that will be there regardless of the time of day.

Original poster
Skeppers · 02/03/2015 18:45

Okay. Thing is I'd rather wee in a pot at home than at work, so realistically the only time I'll get to do it is first thing in the am. Oddly enough I don't actually wee that often for a pregnant lady! Maybe 2-3 times a day? I drink plenty. Think that weekends of binge drinking in my early 20s must have trained my bladder well...Wink

Thanks for the advice!

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Foggymist · 02/03/2015 18:52

I don't go that often either, at 32 weeks I still don't have to get up at night to pee woop. Does it matter where you wee in a pot, home, work, hospital?? I've brought samples from home when I've thought of it, one had quite the day out shopping with me before the appointment, or like my most recent appt I lied when asked if I had a sample and went and did one asap, or I'd miss my place in the line.

seaoflove · 02/03/2015 18:58

I don't think it matters. I've never been told to bring FMU. They're looking for glucose and/or protein which would be present whether it was FMU or not. My MW actually said a "clean catch" is more important, and recommends collecting the sample after a shower.

DebbieFiderer · 02/03/2015 19:08

Its best to do it as close to the appointment time as possible, so that it is nice and fresh :) First wee of the day is more concentrated so more likely to show up something untoward unnecessarily IYSWIM. Glucose (can indicate diabetes) and protein (can be an indication of pre-eclampsia - unlikely at 17 weeks) are the main things looked for, but leukocytes (white blood cells) and nitrates can show a UTI and ketones would show dehydration.

blackwidow74 · 02/03/2015 20:03

I always go close to appointment time and always wash the bottle first ... too many samples have come back with protein traces causing a worry only to find its a contaminated sample! Drink a half pint of water before your appointed time and you should need to go just beforehand

applecore0317 · 02/03/2015 20:19

I just do it when I get to the appointment and always mid stream as that was the only request.

MissTwister · 02/03/2015 22:06

Surely if you wash it with water its then not sterile!!

seaoflove · 02/03/2015 22:10

It doesn't need to be sterile. I had to reuse the same pot of the entirety of my first pregnancy Grin

Caterina99 · 02/03/2015 23:36

I'm in the US and we have to use the bathroom while we're waiting for the appointment and provide a sample. Then you put it in a little hatch in the bathroom and they collect it from the other side!

So based on that, I don't think it matters what time of day the sample is taken, unless they've specifically told you otherwise.

figginz · 03/03/2015 00:31

I just did mine when I remembered. Make sure it's mid stream and you, um, splay properly so you're testing the urine only not whatever delicious things are hanging about down there too. Also had the one bottle for whole pregnancy thing. My mw told me when she issued it that she expected me to return it after the birth. I kept it for a month after DD was born before deciding that must have been some sort of joke and chucking it away... Confused

Bondy83 · 03/03/2015 07:26

I always did a sample just before I went in to midwife, I'd ask at reception for a sample bottle and nip to the toilet before going into my appointment this was always ok didn't need to be 1st wee of the day

Original poster
Skeppers · 03/03/2015 08:29

Thanks everyone!

I'm at work with my (empty) sample pot tucked surreptitiously in my bag.

I was a bit funny about filling it at work as I work in a University so all of the loos are in communal areas and full of students and I didn't want to emerge clasping a piss pot/wee on the floor/all over my hands/make a funny noise trying to get the right 'angle', etc...

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