Introduction
Your GP/nurse has asked you to provide a MSU sample for testing at the surgery. Please use a sterile container to collect your urine sample. These can be bought from local chemist. These instructions tell you how to take a MSU sample.
What is a mid-stream urine sample?
A MSU sample is the middle portion of a stream of urine that you produce. Urine is normally sterile (no bacteria are present). If bacteria are found in the sample, it means the urine is infected. A MSU sample is best as the first portion of a stream of urine may be contaminated with bacteria normally present on the skin.
Timing of the sample
You can collect the urine sample at any time of day, unless your GP/doctor/nurse has advised otherwise. Because of the potential to contaminate urine with bacteria and cells from the surrounding skin, it is important to first clean the genitalia:
- Women: Hold open your lavia (entrance to the vagina) and clean from front to back.
- Med: Pull back you foreskin and wipe the tip of the penis
How to collect a mid-stream sample of urine?
- Use the sterile container:
- What do I do if I’m finding it difficult to use the sterile container provided?
- If you are unable to fill the sterile container directly then you can use a different container (e.g. a glass jug or jar) and then pour the urine into the sterile container. Make sure the container you choose to use is very clean: wash it thoroughly and use boiling water to rinse it out before use.
- Women: Hold open your lavia (entrance to the vagina) and clean from front to back.
- Med: Pull back you foreskin and wipe the tip of the penis
- Start to pass some urine directly into the toilet, wait for a second or two, and without stopping the stream of urine collect some urine in the container.
- Finish passing the rest of your urine into the toilet.
- Tightly screw the lid back onto the container and wipe off the outside of the container if required.
Where do I deliver the sample to?
After collecting the sample, it should be delivered to your GP surgery. Opposite the Treatment Room doors there is a box on the wall to leave the sample in. Please ensure all relevant information is attached to the sample, including:
- your name
- date of birth
- address
If this information is not included, your sample may not be tested. Please note, samples cannot be accepted after 3.30pm.
Click below to download this patient leaflet: