Why should the urinary meatus be cleaned with disposable antiseptic wipes before collecting a urine specimen?

• A. To prevent contaminants from the skin and urethral opening from causing a false-positive infection result.
• B. To sterilize the bladder before collection.
• C. To increase urine volume for testing.
• D. To speed up the collection process.

Answer: (A)

Cleaning the urinary meatus with disposable antiseptic wipes is part of proper aseptic technique to reduce contamination of the urine sample. Bacteria from the skin around the urethral opening can be carried into the specimen during collection, which can create a false impression of a urinary tract infection. By cleansing the area, you minimize this skin flora contamination, helping the sample reflect bladder urine more accurately. This step isn’t about sterilizing the bladder, increasing urine volume, or speeding up collection; it specifically reduces the chance that surface bacteria will contaminate the specimen.