How Pregnancy Test Work? Pregnancy tests have been advertised or seen in pharmacies. You could have even taken one in the past. Do you, however, understand how pregnancy tests determine whether you are expecting work?
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How do Pregnancy tests work?
When you take a pregnancy test, it’s looking for the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your body. You can find hCG in your urine or blood. However, this chemical needs time to build up in your body, which can cause very early pregnancy tests to come back negative. Each day of early pregnancy, your body will create more hCG. As the weeks go on, you’ll have more and more hCG in your body, which will make it more likely that a pregnancy test will show as positive.
Pregnancy tests work by reacting to the amount of hCG in either your urine or blood. In a urine test, a piece of reactive paper detects the hCG. This might then show a plus sign, double vertical lines, or even the word “pregnant.” Different tests will show positive results in unique ways. Read the directions that come with the test to know what a positive result will look like. On the test, there will also be a control window that will show up first. Seeing a symbol in this window will tell you that the test is working. Keep in mind that different brands of tests will take different amounts of time to process.
If you take a blood test, your provider will take a sample of your blood and send it to a lab. The lab will determine the amount of hCG in your blood.
What kinds of pregnancy tests are there?
Urine and blood tests are the two major varieties of pregnancy tests. Blood tests are performed by your healthcare practitioner, whereas urine testing is normally performed at home (although you can have a urine test performed at their office).
Ⅰ. At-home pregnancy test
Urine is typically used in an at-home test to check for hCG in your body. Most manufacturers claim that when used as directed, at-home pregnancy tests are approximately 95% accurate. That is comparable to the accuracy rate of urine pregnancy tests performed in the office of your healthcare physician. There is no prescription required for these tests, which can be found at most pharmacies and supermarket stores. Depending on the brand, they can take a variety of times. Before taking these examinations, it’s crucial to read the instructions.
You normally deposit one to several drops of pee on a chemical test strip that has been prepared or insert the strip into the urine stream when performing an at-home pregnancy test. The strip is made specifically to find hCG. About 10 days after conception, hCG can be seen in your urine for several of these tests. It does, however, lessen the possibility of receiving a false negative if you take it after your missing period.
When using a home pregnancy test, you should bear the following in mind:
- When feasible, use urine from the morning. Your hCG levels will be at their highest concentration and most detectable around this time of day. Try to make sure your urine has been in your bladder for at least four hours if you do it at a different time of day.
- refraining from consuming too much fluid before a pregnancy test. Although many individuals mistakenly believe that this can increase urine volume, it can also dilute (thin down) your hCG levels.
- Before beginning the test, carefully read the test instructions and make sure you follow each step.
Ⅱ. Blood test
Blood tests are an additional pregnancy test option. Due to their high cost and propensity to produce results identical to those of a urine test, blood tests are rarely performed. A little blood sample is used for this kind of pregnancy test, which is then examined at a hospital or doctor’s office. This blood test can measure how much pregnancy hormone is present in your body in addition to detecting whether it is present.
In rare cases, such as for women undergoing infertility treatments or when the healthcare professional suspects there may be an issue, a blood test for pregnancy may be performed.
Due to their ability to detect extremely low amounts of hCG, these blood tests are somewhat more sensitive than urine tests. That implies that they can give a more precise response very early in pregnancy – nine to twelve days after conception. Your blood is drawn for this test, and a sample is submitted to a lab for evaluation. Results could appear in as little as a few hours or as long as a day.
A blood test may also be used by your healthcare professional to compare the levels of hCG throughout the pregnancy. During the first several weeks of pregnancy, your hCG levels typically double every two days. The levels can indicate a problem with the pregnancy if they don’t increase. Extremely high hCG levels could indicate twin pregnancies or other problems with the pregnancy.
When should I take a pregnancy test?
It’s a good idea to get a pregnancy test if you suspect you could be pregnant. Prenatal care must be started if you are pregnant. How early a pregnancy can be detected by home tests can vary. An at-home test can frequently yield a positive result as early as 10 days after fertilization. Wait to take the test until after you’ve missed your period for a more accurate result.
Keep in mind that even if you are pregnant, a test you take too soon may come up negative. Take another test or get in touch with your healthcare physician if you obtain a negative result and then miss your period.
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