Urine pH
What it measures, and what changes the number.
Urine pH describes how acidic or alkaline a urine sample is. It is one of the standard dipstick readings in a routine urinalysis and reflects how the kidneys are balancing acids and bases.
It is read in the context of the other urinalysis results, such as specific gravity, ketones, nitrites and protein, partly because pH can affect how some of those dipstick pads react.
Urine pH varies with diet, time of day and recent meals. Samples left standing tend to become more alkaline as carbon dioxide escapes and bacteria break down urea, so prompt testing gives the most accurate reading. Dipsticks give an approximate value in steps, while a pH meter is more precise. Reports usually print it simply as pH.
Often read alongside: Urine specific gravity, Urine ketones, Urine nitrites, Urine protein