If you’ve booked a test with us, you may be wondering how you should prepare and what you should expect. We hope this short guide helps!

Fasting

You should aim to fast for 6 hours before the following tests:

• Full blood profile
• Extended full blood profile
• Fasting glucose test
• Cholesterol test
• Any Wellman (see also advice for PSA test) or Wellwoman health screening

Fasting will impact primarily your fasting glucose level and your triglycerides level. If neither of these concerns you, it is up to you whether or not you choose to fast.

Hydration

Even if you are fasting, you must still drink plenty of water. You can also drink black tea and coffee with nothing else in. Coming to your blood test dehydrated will make your blood test more difficult.

Prostate-Specific Antigen Test

If you are having a PSA test, you should:

• Avoid exercise for 48 hours before your test
• Avoid ejaculation for 48 hours before your test
• Not have a digital rectal examination or anal sex for 48 hours before your test

If you have a urine infection or have had a prostate biopsy within the last 6 weeks, this can distort your result.

Male hormone screen

If you are having a male hormone screen, this should ideally be conducted before 10 am. Please contact the clinic if this applies to you.

Cervical Smear Test

Menstrual cycle: It is advisable to have a smear test mid-cycle. For most women, mid-cycle is about 2 weeks from the first day of their period.

Pregnancy: It is advisable to have cervical screening 3 months after giving birth. However, if there was an abnormality on your previous screening, you should attend smear or colposcopy as scheduled even if you are pregnant at the time.

Abortion/miscarriage: Cervical screening can be done at least 12 weeks after an abortion or a miscarriage.

Pelvic infection: It is not advised to have a cervical screening if you are having or receiving treatment for any pelvic infection.  

Please also remember to avoid any vaginal pessary or cream before your smear. Avoid any over-douching as it might also affect the result.

Sexual health

If you are having a sexual health test that requires a urine sample, please avoid going to the bathroom for two hours before your test for the most accurate result.

COVID-19 PCR swab test

For a COVID PCR swab test, you should:

• Avoid nasal sprays or any other solution in the nose for 24 hours before your test
• Avoid eating salty meals or drinking alcohol for 2 hours before your test

You do not need to fast.

The swab site is the throat and both nostrils.

You will receive one of three outcomes:

• Negative
• Positive
• Indeterminate / Unclear

Indeterminate results are quite rare and they usually mean that you may be at the end or start of an infection. You will need to retest. We do not charge you if you need to test again. An indeterminate result is a standard feature of PCR testing when a clear positive or negative result cannot be reported and it does not mean that your test is invalid.

If you have tested positive in the last 90 days, there is a possibility that you will test positive again due to the virus  RNA shedding, even if you have do not have a new infection. In this case, we will correlate the result with your clinical information and advise you on the next steps. If you test again after 90 days, government guidance suggests that this is likely a new infection.