Pregnancy test

The answer to the question "Am I pregnant?" it can completely change a woman's life. Therefore, if she suspects that she is pregnant, she does not want to wait long for an answer to this question. 

Modern pregnancy tests are almost 100% reliable and very easy to use. However, you should pay attention to certain points when choosing a pregnancy test.

Pregnancy tests for home use

The manufacturers of these tests claim that, provided that the instructions are followed, the reliability of the test is about 99%, which is no less accurate than urine test performed by a doctor to establish pregnancy. The tests are available without a prescription in pharmacies.

In order to do a pregnancy test at home, it is necessary to place a few drops of urine on a special strip soaked in a certain chemical, or place the strip in a urine stream. The strip determines the presence of a hormone – human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG).

HCG is produced by the placenta if a woman is pregnant. This hormone is also responsible for the manifestation of some of the first symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast sensitivity and nausea.

HCG levels can usually be detected in urine approximately 10 days after fertilization. If you take a pregnancy test at home earlier than 10 days after conception, the test may give a false negative result. That is, in this case, the test may show a negative result in actual pregnancy.

Blood test to establish pregnancy

A blood test to determine pregnancy is more often done under certain circumstances, for example, if a woman is undergoing infertility treatment, or if the doctor suspects that complications may occur.

A blood test is much more sensitive to HCG than urine test, and can detect a very small amount of it. This means that the blood test is more accurate and can give the correct result in the early stages of pregnancy – within 7-12 days after fertilization.

The doctor may also prescribe a blood test to determine the HCG level during pregnancy, since it doubles every 2 days during the first few weeks of pregnancy. If the HCG level does not increase, this may indicate the presence of any abnormalities. An excessively high HCG level indicates that a woman is pregnant with twins.