Have you missed your periods this month and wondered if you are pregnant? Is the anticipation killing you? In that case, you may want to start by testing yourself with pregnancy test kit at home.
Note that all pregnancy tests usually detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – which is only produced around six days after fertilization. Most pregnancy tests come in a box that may contain 1 or 2 long sticks. Once you pee on the stick, you can see the result appearing after a few minutes.
Before you become even more confused, here are a few essential things you need to know about home pregnancy test kits. You should know what they are and when to use them.
What Is a Pregnancy Test?
A typical pregnancy kit will include a pregnancy stick. In addition, it will consist of a small vial or dropper, depending on the manufacturer.
With this pregnancy test kit, you can confirm the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) – also known as the hormone found in a pregnant woman’s urine.
What Is A Pregnancy Test Kit?
As the name implies, a pregnancy test kit generally uses a simple test to determine whether you are pregnant. You can find these kits in any local chemist shop or internet. You can purchase these test kits without a prescription. Thus the name – over-the-counter pregnancy test kits. You can use them to check for pregnancy in the privacy of your own home.
With this test kit, you can easily measure the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine. Unlike lab pregnancy tests, these tests are qualitative tests that will only evaluate the presence of the hormone. At the end, show – whether the test is positive or negative.
During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – which circulates in the blood and is also present in the urine.
The pregnancy test kit will detect the presence of hCG in your urine. It is a qualitative test. Therefore, some pregnancy test kits are more sensitive than others. But be assured that most will be able to detect hCG between the fourth and fifth weeks of your pregnancy. It means that the test should be positive for people with regular cycles once you have missed your period by only a few days.
Most over-the-counter pregnancy test kits detect pregnancy by measuring hCG in the urine. However, you still have to read and carefully follow the instructions for the test kit. The reason being the usage instructions differ from one kit to another.
The indicator in the kit will show if you are pregnant or not. For example, some kits will show 2 bold lines if positive and 1 bold line if negative. However, the indicators differ among pregnancy test kits.
How Accurate Are Pregnancy Test Kits?
A pregnancy test kit is rarely wrong. It means they are very accurate – more than 99 percent accurate. Thus, if your test is negative, it means that you are not pregnant.
It is important to note that the test will not give positive results if you are very early in your pregnancy. You should avoid doing the test far too early. It means there could be insufficient urine hCG for the test to detect positive.
When the test comes back negative but you strongly suspect that you are pregnant, you should repeat the test after a few days.
There have been rare examples when the hCG level is raised positive and then drops to zero. It is known as a biochemical pregnancy. It is a unique cause of a false positive result of the test kit. However, the initial rise of the hCG level will soon drop if it is a case of biochemical pregnancy. Finally, it will result in a negative urine pregnancy test.
When Would You Need A Pregnancy Test Kit?
Did you miss your period or have cramps and nausea? Or do you have a feeling of fullness or tingling in your breasts? All of these could be indicators of pregnancy.
You can use a pregnancy test kit at home to determine whether you are pregnant.
Types Of Pregnancy Test Kits
There are many types of pregnancy kits that can be easily divided into test strips and test sticks. You can easily purchase these kits over the counter. You do not need to spend more than necessary on pregnancy strips because you will discard them after a single use. These kits are simple to use and for one-time use only.
- Pregnancy Test Strips
These are the most readily available in the market and are pretty affordable.
How To Use It: The pregnancy test strip usually has a test cassette and a dropper in each packet. You need to collect your urine in a disposable cup to test yourself. Just put a few drops in the well of the strip using a dropper in the kit. Then wait for 3-5 minutes before reading the result.
- Pregnancy Test Sticks
These sticks are not as popular as test strips, but they are easy to come by on the internet.
How To Use It:
A pregnancy test stick packet typically includes a stick with one end for holding the test and the other for urinating.
While testing, you need to remove the cap from the absorbent side of the bar. Firmly hold the other end for the test. Then allow the first few drops of pee to fall naturally on the stick. You need to hold the device in the middle of the stream.
If having the stick and peeing at the same time makes you uncomfortable, the other option is to collect the urine in a disposable cup. Then dip the stick in it for a few minutes to see the final results.
It is important to note that you should always buy two pregnancy strips at once. So that if you get a false negative result, you can easily double-check with the second test 2-3 days later.
How To Check The Results of A Pregnancy Test Kit?
Remember that you should always test yourself with the first urine when you get up in the morning. It is regardless of which pregnancy test kit you purchase from the market. The reason for this is that it is the most intense – and hence your chances of getting a positive response are higher. Especially if you take the test during this time. The test findings are usually displayed in the middle of the stick/strip.
If you notice a single pink line – it indicates that the test was negative and you are not pregnant. If both pink lines appear, the test is positive. It means you are expecting a child. But when the second line is faint in color, it still holds positive. Remember, this test is only a preliminary one.
If there is no line, your test is invalid, and you must retake the test. Note that there are various reasons for a test to be invalid. It may include using the incorrect procedure or using an expired kit. It may consist of spilling too little urine or simply because the test kit was defective. In any of these scenarios, retake the test using a new test kit.
If your test shows a faint second line, you may be pregnant. The reason being you are still early in your pregnancy. A low hormone level might cause a light line. The best option is to retake the test after a few days have passed. If you are still unsure about your condition, see your doctor and have a blood test done to be doubly sure.
Tips for Taking a Pregnancy Test
You may think taking a pregnancy test might appear to be simple, but all of us make some frequent errors. The most common errors which people often make while using a pregnancy test – could be understood by these pregnancy tips.
Taking the test too soon
It is vital to understand that when you take the test approx 2 weeks after you conceive, you can get a positive result on the pregnancy test. But if you take the test too soon, you might get negative results.
If you have regular periods, the optimum time to take the test is one day after you have not had one. But if you have irregular periods, then take the test three weeks following your sexual intercourse.
Taking the test later in the day
Remember that pregnancy tests should be performed first in the morning. Meaning using the first urine sample of the day. The primary reason is that your urine is the most concentrated during this day. As the day progresses – your urine becomes more diluted. As a result, it increases your chances of a false negative.
Waiting for less time for the results to appear
Wait at least 5 minutes before reading the results. That is when it takes your urine hormones to respond to the test strip. But if you read the test too soon, you can get a false negative result.
After taking certain medications, take the test
Do you know that some hormone levels rise due to fertility treatments? When you take a test while taking these medications – you risk getting a false positive. Before you take the test, talk to your doctor to confirm if your medication will alter the pregnancy test results.
After the home test, there was no follow-up:
- You should always keep track of your pregnancy test results.
- If you get a negative result, you should retake the test in 3-4 days. It will help you to determine the situation.
- If the test comes positive, consult your doctor for a blood test, as it would confirm your pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
1. When should you use the pregnancy test kit?
You can easily carry out the test as early as the first day of your missed period. If you are still unsure when your next period will arrive – just take the test at least 21 days after your last unprotected sex. If you have not missed a period, you can use more sensitive pregnancy tests.
2. Could you take a pregnancy test at night or day?
You can take a pregnancy test at any time of the day or night. On the other hand, the question of whether you should acquire an accurate result is a little less apparent. You should understand that Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) levels in most urine-based pregnancy tests are designed to respond to specific amounts of hCG.
3. What if the pregnancy test is negative but still has no period?
The best option is to wait a few days before getting the test done – if you think you are pregnant after missing a period. But if your pregnancy test returned negative, you should try after a few days. After that, retest. If you continue to miss your period – consult your doctor to rule out any complications.
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