What you can expect

During the microalbumin test, you simply need to provide a fresh urine sample. This may be done in several ways:

• 24-hour urine test. Your doctor may ask you to collect all of your urine in a special container over a 24-hour period and submit it for analysis.
• Timed urine test. Your doctor may ask you to provide a urine sample first thing in the morning or after a four-hour period of not urinating.
• Random urine test. A random urine test can be taken at any time. But to improve accuracy of the results, it's often combined with a urine test for creatinine — a waste product usually filtered by the kidneys.

The urine sample is sent to a lab for analysis. After you provide the urine sample, you can return to your usual activities immediately.