Health Encyclopedia

Urine collection - infants

Definition

Urine collection is a method of getting a urine sample from an infant for testing purposes. It can be performed at home.

How the test is performed

Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. If your health care provider gave you cleansing wipes, use these to clean the infant. Clean from the front to the back on a female infant, and from the tip of the penis down on a male infant.

Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on the infant. For males, place the entire penis in the bag and attach the adhesive to the skin. For females, place the bag over the labia.

Put a diaper securely over the bag. Check your baby often and remove the bag after the infant has urinated into it. For active infants, this procedure may take a couple of attempts -- lively infants can displace the bag.

In children under age 3, the discovery of a urinary tract infection is very important, as it may indicate anatomical problems. In these cases, a catheterized urine sample is better because it is more accurate.

Drain the urine into a container to take it back to the health care provider.

How to prepare for the test

There is no preparation for the test. If you collect the urine at home, you might need a couple of extra collection bags.

How the test will feel

There is no discomfort.

Why the test is performed

The test is performed to get a urine specimen from an infant.

Normal Values

Normal values depend on what tests will be performed on the urine after it is collected.

What the risks are

There aren't really any risks. Rarely, the infant might get a mild skin rash from the adhesive on the collection bag. Bag urine specimens aren't best for urine cultures because they can become contaminated.

Special considerations

Try to return the specimen to the health care provider as soon as possible.

Review Date:8/15/2007
Reviewed By:Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.