Home pregnancy test use urine to detect the presence of hCG found in pregnant women. The test, if done properly, is up to 99% accurate within two weeks after you conceive, but some tests can detect pregnancy as early as one week after conception.
A Mid-Stream Urine Test uses a small testing stick, usually a plastic wand that you will put in your urine stream. After you have wet the wand in this manner, you close the cover or reapply the cap and wait 2-5 minutes before checking the results. When you check, there should be some kind of change in the test window, like a color change, a plus or minus symbol, or a number indicating that you are indeed pregnant.
For a Test Strip Urine Test, you will collect your urine in a small cup or jar that is usually included with the test kit. You then dip a test strip into the urine for 4-5 seconds and wait five minutes for the results. If the test strip has changed color, it indicates that your hCG levels are on the rise, a likely sign of pregnancy.
The results are also displayed differently. For example, one test may turn blue or pink while another shows symbols such as a plus or minus sign. Several of the more popular tests on the market include EPT, Fact Plus, Clear Blue Easy, and One Step Be Sure.
Read More Here When and How to Take a Pregnancy Test
Home Pregnancy Test Important Tips
There are some important things to remember when performing a home pregnancy test to ensure it is accurate. First, wait until at least a week after conception is likely to have taken place, or at least one day after a late menstrual cycle. Before this time, any change in hCG levels may not be detectable. Second, read all instructions carefully, even the fine print, before you take the test so that you minimize mistakes. Notice that the instructions will tell you that the test is not accurate after the stated waiting period has passed. In other words, if it says 2-5 minutes, but a color change occurs after a half-hour, the color change does not mean anything.
You should also try to perform the pregnancy test when you first go to the bathroom in the morning. This is the most accurate time since hCG levels will be the most concentrated. If you have to take it later in the day, make sure you haven not urinated for at least four hours before performing the test. Also, do not drink a lot of water, as this may dilute the levels and produce a false negative result.
In most cases, medications will not affect the results of a home pregnancy test. Birth control pills, antibiotics, and over-the-counter medications do not alter the hCG levels in the urine or blood. If you have been undergoing fertility treatments, these will affect the results of the tests because they alter the hCG levels in the blood. If you are not sure if medication you are taking will affect the test results or not, check with your doctor or a pharmacist.
If it is still relatively early on, you may want to take the test again in a few days to confirm the results. At this time, you should also make an appointment with your doctor for a laboratory blood test to confirm the results and have a complete physical performed.
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