Sample collection

General rules

• Confirm your name, the type of test and the correct container.
• Write the date and time of collection when requested.
• Do not touch the inside of the container or of the lid.
• Tell the staff about medicines, antibiotics and topical treatments — do not stop them yourself.
• The laboratory's specific instructions always take precedence over this general advice.

Blood

• Fasting is required only for some tests (e.g. fasting glucose; sometimes triglycerides). It usually means 8–12 hours without food.
• Water is allowed while fasting, unless you are told otherwise.
• Some tests require a specific time (e.g. morning cortisol) or a specific time in relation to a drug dose.
• Tell the staff if you tend to faint during blood draws — you will be asked to lie down.

Urine for analysis and urine culture

Midstream sample:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Clean the genital area with water (no strong soap or antiseptic).
3. Start urinating into the toilet.
4. Collect the middle part of the stream in the sterile container, without touching the inside.
5. Finish urinating in the toilet and close the container immediately.

• First-morning urine is useful for some tests, but is not always required.
• For a urine culture, the sample is preferably taken before starting the antibiotic. There is no universal rule that you must wait 7 days without an antibiotic; in a severe infection, treatment is not delayed. Tell the staff the name and time of the last dose.
• Deliver the sample within 2 hours. If you are delayed, ask the laboratory whether you can keep it in the refrigerator (2–8°C). Do not freeze it.
• During menstruation the sample may be contaminated — tell the laboratory, but do not delay an urgent assessment.

24-hour urine

1. Use only the container provided by the laboratory (some contain preservatives — do not pour them out).
2. At the starting time (e.g. 07:00), discard the first urine into the toilet and note the time.
3. After that, collect all urine during the day and night.
4. The next day at the same time (07:00), urinate one last time into the container.
5. Keep the container in a cool place or in the refrigerator, as instructed.

If even one urination is missed, tell the laboratory — the collection may need to be repeated.

Stool

• Collect it on a clean, dry surface (e.g. a plastic container or paper), without mixing it with urine or toilet water.
• Put the requested amount into the container using the lid spoon.
• For parasites, 2–3 samples from different days may be requested — each in a separate, labeled container.
• The preservative and transport time depend on the test.

Helicobacter pylori stool test

Acid-lowering medicines, antibiotics and bismuth can give a false negative result. For a check after treatment, the test is done at least 4 weeks after antibiotics and usually 2 weeks after stopping PPIs, as instructed by the doctor. See Helicobacter pylori.

Vaginal and urethral samples

• Vaginal self-collection is done only when the test and kit are validated for this method and you are given clear instructions.
• The urethral swab is taken by trained staff.
• For some infections (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhea) the first-catch urine is used — the opposite of the sample for a urine culture. Ask if you are not sure.

When there is a problem with the sample

If the container leaks, the sample is contaminated, delayed or the collection is incomplete, tell the laboratory. A new sample may be needed. Do not delay assessment of severe symptoms because of laboratory preparation.