Test for pregnancy

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a unique hormone that only arises in a woman’s body during pregnancy, is what pregnancy tests seek for. These tests can check for hCG in your blood or urine. Home urine tests for pregnancy are affordable and often used. Home pregnancy tests are quite accurate when done correctly.

What is pregnancy test

By examining the level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in your body, a pregnancy test can tell you whether or not you are pregnant. Your body begins to alter from the very beginning of pregnancy in order to support the growth of the cluster of cells that will eventually give birth to your kid. Production of hCG is one event that takes place extremely quickly.

This chemical is found only in pregnant women and begins to build up as soon as the fertilized egg implants in the womb (womb) — about 10 days after conception.

There are two main types of pregnancy tests – urine tests and blood tests. Often times, you’ll do a urine test at home using a home pregnancy test kit. This type of test can be purchased over the counter (you don’t need a prescription from your doctor) and comes in a range of price points. Blood tests to check for pregnancy will be done in your doctor’s office.

There are several reasons why you might take a pregnancy test. You could be trying to conceive and hoping for a positive result. You may have had a problem with your birth control. You could even be about to have a medical procedure or take a new medication that could be complicated by pregnancy. Whatever the reason, if you ever have questions about your test results, it’s best to consult your doctor. Pregnancy can also be confirmed by an ultrasound. Later in pregnancy, an ultrasound is actually used not only to look at your baby, but to make sure the timeline of development matches the dates of your conception and your missed period.

How reliable are home tests for pregnancy?

Many at-home pregnancy tests make the 99.9% accuracy guarantee. The efficacy of home pregnancy tests to detect pregnancy in women who have just missed a period varies, though. Retest one week following your missing period if your first test came back negative but you still suspect pregnancy, or consult your doctor.

Could medicine affect test outcomes?

Results from home pregnancy tests may be affected by fertility medicines or other pharmaceuticals containing HCG. The majority of drugs, including antibiotics and birth control pills, have no impact on how accurate home pregnancy tests are.

Could a favourable outcome be inaccurate?

Even though it’s uncommon, it is possible to do a home pregnancy test and discover that you are not indeed pregnant. A false-positive is what this is.

If you had a pregnancy loss shortly after the fertilised egg had connected to your uterine lining (biochemical pregnancy), or if you took a pregnancy test too soon after taking an HCG-containing fertility medication, you can experience a false-positive. Misleading test results could also be caused by an ectopic pregnancy, menopause, or issues with your ovaries.

Could a  negative result be incorrect?

When you’re genuinely pregnant, a home pregnancy test could come up negative. A false-negative is what this is. A false-negative could result from:

Take the test too soon. It is more difficult for a home pregnancy test to detect HCG the sooner after a missing period you take it. Repeat the test one week following a missed menstruation for the most reliable results. Ask your doctor for a blood test if you are unable to wait that long.

Examine test outcomes too quickly. Allow the test some time to run. Consider setting a timer in accordance with the directions on the product.