Urine pH

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Female urinary tract

Male urinary tract

PH urine test

A urine pH test measures the pH (acidity) of urine. See also acid loading test.

pH - urine

Collect a "clean-catch" (midstream) urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well.

As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. Give the container to the health care provider or assistant.

For infants, thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. For boys, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For girls bag is placed over the labia. Place a diaper over the infant (bag and all).

Check your baby frequently 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. The urine is drained into a container for transport back to the health care provider.

Your health care provider may advise you to stop taking certain drugs that can affect the results of the test. Eat a normal, balanced diet for several days before the test.

Submit a urine sample to the laboratory. If the specimen is contaminated by vaginal discharge or bleeding, then collect a clean-catch sample. If the collection is being taken from an infant, a couple of extra collection bags may be necessary.

The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a fluid is, like blood or urine. The pH in blood is maintained within the narrow range of 7.35 to 7.45. Your body maintains this narrow range by using buffers -- chemicals that can switch back and forth between 2 forms, a weak acid or weak base. The buffers are only temporary "stop gaps" to avoid dramatic changes in blood pH.