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Frequently Asked Questions about Pregnancy Tests
By Diane Downey of pregnancyornot.com
How do pregnancy tests work?
Pregnancy tests detect a special 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. When a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, the pregnancy hormone, hCG, is created in your body. This usually happens about 6 days after conception. However, studies show that the embryo doesn't implant until later in some women. The amount of hCG increases dramatically each day you are pregnant. Many home pregnancy tests claim they can tell if you're pregnant on the day you expect your period. But a recent study shows that most don't give accurate results this early in pregnancy. A more accurate answer will be given after waiting one week after a missed period. What's the difference between pregnancy tests that check urine and those that test blood? Which one is more accurate?
There are two types of pregnancy tests. One tests the blood for the pregnancy hormone, hCG. The other checks the urine for this hormone. The home pregnancy test enables you to do a urine test at home. The blood tests need to be done by a doctor. Most frequently, women use home pregnancy tests first to find out if they are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests are private, inexpensive and easy to use. About 2 weeks after ovulation, urine tests can tell if you're pregnant. Some more sensitive urine tests say that they can tell if you are pregnant as early as one day after a missed period. Once a home pregnancy test says that you are pregnant, you should make an appointment with your doctor right away. You doctor can use a more sensitive test along with a pelvic exam to tell for sure if you're pregnant. Keep you and your baby healthy by making an appointment with your doctor early on in your pregnancy. To check for pregnancy, doctors use two types of blood tests. 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). A quantitative blood test (or the beta hCG test) measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. So it can detect even tiny amounts of hCG. This makes it very accurate. Qualitative hCG blood tests just check to see if the pregnancy hormone is present or not. So it gives a yes or no answer. The qualitative hCG blood test is about as accurate as a urine test.
My home pregnancy test showed a "negative" result. Could I still be pregnant?
Yes. Most home pregnancy tests suggest women take the test again in a few days or a week.
The accuracy of home pregnancy tests result depends on the woman. Every woman ovulates at different times in her menstrual cycle. Also, embryos implant in the uterus at different times. Other things can also affect the accuracy. Sometimes women can get false negative results when they test too early in the pregnancy. Other times, pregnancy problems can affect the amount of hCG in the urine. Can anything interfere with home pregnancy test results?
Most over-the-counter and prescription medications, including birth control pills, should not affect home pregnancy test results. Only medicines that have the pregnancy hormone hCG in them (which includes some infertility medications) can give a false positive test result.
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Contributor's Note
Information for this article taken from womenshealth.gov
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This intel first appeared on: http://pregnancyornot.com
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This intel was contributed by DLDowney
DLDowney
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May, 2012
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