A home pregnancy test might be nerve-wracking if you don’t know whether the findings are accurate. You should be aware of the risks and benefits of doing a home pregnancy test, as well as how to avoid common errors.
What is the best time to take a home pregnancy test, and when should I do so?
As early as the day after a missed period, several home pregnancy tests promise to be accurate. After the first day of your missing period, you are more likely to acquire reliable results.
What’s the harm in waiting? Placentas begin to develop and generate human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) once a fertilised egg adheres to the uterine lining (implantation) (HCG). Your blood and urine are injected with this hormone.
The HCG concentration doubles every two to three days in the early stages of pregnancy. Home pregnancy tests may be more difficult to detect HCG if you take them too soon.
A woman’s cycle may change from month to month, and the fertilised egg can enter the uterus at any moment throughout the cycle. Because of this, the timing of HCG synthesis and detection may change. If your periods are irregular, you may not know when your next period is due.
Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, your healthcare practitioner may suggest that you have an ultrasound, repeat a urine test at a lab, or have a blood test to determine your HCG levels.
Do home pregnancy tests come in a variety of forms?
Using a dipstick, you dip the end of the stick into your urine stream or into a container of collected urine for most tests. Pregnancy or infertility is indicated by a positive or negative sign, one or two lines, or the phrases “pregnant,” “infertile,” or “not pregnant.”
Wait the specified amount of time after the exam has ended before reviewing the results, which is normally at least two minutes. Most tests include a control indication, which is a line or symbol that shows in the result window. The test will fail if the line or symbol does not exist. You may always try another test.
Some home pregnancy tests have a higher level of sensitivity. To put it another way, certain tests need a lower level of HCG in urine to achieve a positive test result. Before taking the exam, be sure to verify the expiry date and read the instructions thoroughly.
How accurate are home pregnancy tests?
Many home pregnancy tests claim to be 99 percent accurate. However, home pregnancy tests differ in the ability to diagnose pregnancy in women who have recently missed a period. If you have a negative test but think you might be pregnant, repeat the test one week after your missed period or talk to your health care provider.
