Sunday, May 06, 2012

Home Pregnancy Tests-Are they Really Accurate?

By Bernard Bowers


Times have changed and the anxiety of waiting to find out of you are pregnant is almost a thing of the past. To ensure maximum privacy and to eliminate anticipation, a home pregnancy test is idea for many women. Offered at inexpensive prices and found at almost any store or online, women have many options for purchasing pregnancy tests.

How do home pregnancy tests work?

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone released during conception. As the pregnancy goes on the hormone will show a significant increase. The egg attaches to the uterine wall and becomes fertilized after the release of HCG.

Sometimes if the test is used a couple of days prior to the time the period should begin the HCG hormone will show but for greater accuracy it is best to wait until the time for the first period has passed. The more of the HCG that is present the more accurate the test will be. The size and length of a home pregnancy test is almost identical to thermometer. Test your urine in the early morning by submerging the stick in a cup. Each test will have its own set of instructions. The tests are similar in nature but have different things about them. A few home tests might require a combination of substances to determine pregnancy.

Can a negative test more than likely be wrong?

It is possible, but not guaranteed. When the test was taken it may have been too early in your pregnancy. The test should be retaken if your period is still missing. The result can be marked negative if it is positive and has protein or blood in the sample. Many medicines can effect the result of a pregnancy test.

If you are still not satisfied then it is time for a trip to your physician for a test done using a blood sample. Physicians will have the best results.

Clearing up some confusion:

Home pregnancy tests often boast that they are almost completely accurate even if done on the day that the period was to begin. Early pregnancies often cannot be detected by home pregnancy tests.

Accurate results are better produced when following directions. Timing is everything with home tests and if the results are suppose to happen after waiting five minutes or just one minute then these are the results you need to consider. If you look too soon or wait too long then you will be seeing incorrect results.

If the HCG hormone is active, it will show better with the first urine of the morning.




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