I just had a repeat urinalysis because i was menstruating on the first one. first one showed negative occult blood +3 and the second urinalysis a couple of weeks later showed negative occult blood +1, no bacteria seen. what could be the causes?

Hematuria.: Your initial investigations are not complete. If a CT scan of the abdomen is negative, should the hematuria be persistent, i.e. not just due to a treatable infection or a kidney stone that may pass, you'd need a cystoscopy wherein they put a camera into the bladder via the urethra and look at the bladder under direct visualization.

See below: All laboratory results need to be interpreted in the clinical context and the doctor who ordered the tests is usually in the best position to do that. Talk to the doctor who ordered the tests. Having said that, the 3+ in the first test may be due to contamination with menstrual blood. The 1+ in the second one may not be significant. Wish you good health! - Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products, nuts, beans, legumes, lentils and small amounts of lean meats. Avoid saturated fats. Drink enough water daily, so that your urine is mostly colorless. Exercise at least 150 minutes/week and increase the intensity of exercise gradually. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, weed or street drugs in any form. Practice safe sex, if you have sex.