Pregnancy can be a
exciting and magnificent part of a woman's life. But, it can
also be a little intimidating. Every woman has questions about
what to do and what not to do, to make sure she has a healthy
pregnancy and a healthy baby. Some women have problem-free
pregnancies, but many women come across some discomforts along
the way.
How do pregnancy tests work?
All
pregnancy tests look for a unusual hormone in the urine or
blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant. This
hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), is also called
the pregnancy hormone.
What's the difference
between a urine and a blood pregnancy test? Is one better than
the other?
There are two type of pregnancy tests -
blood and urine tests. Both tests look for the presence of
hCG, the pregnancy hormone. these days, several women use a
urine test, or home pregnancy test (HPT), to find out if they
are pregnant. HPTs do not cost a lot, are easy to use, can be
done at home, and are personal. When a woman has a affirmative
result on an HPT, she needs to visit her health care provider
right away.
There are two types of blood tests you can
obtain from a health care provider. This means it can pick up
very small amounts There are two types of pregnancy tests -
blood and urine tests. Both tests look for the presence of
hCG, the pregnancy hormone. Today, many women use a urine
test, or home pregnancy test (HPT), to find out if they are
pregnant. HPTs do not cost a lot, are easy to use, can be done
at home, and are private. When a woman has a positive result
on an HPT, she needs to see her health care provider right
away. The health care provider can confirm a positive HPT
result with a blood test and a pelvic exam.
There are two
types of blood tests you can get from a health care provider.
A quantitative blood test (or the beta hCG test) measures the
exact amount of hCG in the blood. This means it can pick up
very small amounts of hCG, making it a very accurate test. A
qualitative hCG blood test gives a simple yes or no answer to
whether you are pregnant. This test is more like a urine test
in terms of its accuracy.
Blood tests can pick up hCG
earlier in a pregnancy than urine tests can. Blood tests can
tell if you are pregnant about 6 to 8 days after you ovulate
(or release an egg from an ovary). Urine tests can determine
pregnancy about 2 weeks after ovulation. Some more sensitive
urine tests can tell if you are pregnant as early as 6 days
after you conceive, or one day after you miss a menstrual
period of hCG, making it a very accurate test. A qualitative
hCG blood test gives a simple yes or no answer to whether you
are pregnantBlood tests can tell if you are pregnant about 6
to 8 days after you ovulate (or release an egg from an ovary).
Some more sensitive urine tests can tell if you are pregnant
as early as 6 days after you conceive, or one day after you
miss a menstrual period.
How is a home pregnancy
test done?
There are many types of home pregnancy
tests, or HPTs, that can be bought over-the-counter at drug or
discount stores. Some involve collecting your urine in a cup
and dipping a stick into the urine, or putting some of the
urine into a special container with an eyedropper. Others are
done by placing a stick into your urine stream. Tests vary in
how long you have to wait for the stick or container to turn a
certain color or have a symbol on it (like a plus or a minus).
How accurate are home pregnancy tests?
Most
brands of HPTs say they are 97% to 99% accurate, but this can
vary with actual use. Each brand varies in how sensitive it is
in picking up the pregnancy hormone hCGAnd, always check the
package to make sure it is not past its expiration date - if
it is, it will not be accurate. Most brands of HPTs tell users
to do the test again in a few days, no matter what the
results.
Most HPTs will be accurate if you test yourself
around the time your period is due (about 2 weeks after you
ovulate, or release an egg from your ovary). You may also have
problems with the pregnancy, which affects the amount of hCG
you have in your urine. If your HPT is negative, test yourself
again within a few days to 1 week. If you keep getting a
negative result and think you are pregnant, talk with a health
care provider right away.
Can anything interfere
with home pregnancy test results?
Most medications,
both over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including birth
control pills and antibiotics, should not affect the results
of a home pregnancy test (such as Profasi, Pregnyl or
Novarel). Drugs that have hCG in them can be used for treating
infertility (not being able to get pregnant). Alcohol and
illegal drugs do not affect HPT results, but you should not be
using these substances if you are trying to get pregnant.
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