Urine Blood / Hemoglobin
This dipstick test detects blood or hemoglobin in your urine, including amounts too small to see with the eye. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells.
Blood in the urine can arise anywhere along the urinary tract, from the kidneys to the bladder, and has many possible causes ranging from harmless to important. Detecting even trace amounts gives your clinician an early prompt to look closer. Because the causes vary so widely, this finding is a starting point for investigation rather than a diagnosis.
A positive result means blood or hemoglobin is present. Causes range from benign (vigorous exercise, menstruation, minor irritation) to ones a clinician will want to examine, such as infection, stones, or kidney and bladder conditions.
A negative result means no significant blood or hemoglobin was detected, the normal and reassuring finding.
Negative is the expected result. A positive dipstick is usually confirmed with microscopy and evaluated by a clinician, since the cause can span from harmless to important.
Sources
Educational context only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex; always discuss your results with a clinician.