Pregnancy Test

A pregnancy test looks for a particular hormone in a sample of your blood or urine to determine whether you’re carrying a child. The hormone is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). An elevated hCG level indicates pregnancy. In the first ten weeks following fertilization, when an egg fuses to the uterine wall, hCG levels rise swiftly.

The best results from urine tests for pregnancy come a week or two after the test-taker has missed their menstrual cycle. However, Urine tests may report negative results even when they are positive if you take them too soon after becoming pregnant. This is because your body may not have produced enough hCG to register on the test yet.

An hCG urine test is available at your doctor’s office, or you can use an at-home test kit to perform the test yourself. Many people utilize a home pregnancy test before contacting their doctor because these tests are essentially the same. Proper adherence to the guidelines yields an accuracy percentage of approximately 97–99% for home pregnancy tests. The results can be provided to you in minutes.

Pregnancy blood tests can be performed in a lab or at the office of your provider. These examinations can precisely ascertain if you are pregnant even before you miss your period because they can detect tiny amounts of hCG. However, hCG blood tests aren’t frequently employed to detect pregnancy. This is because, compared to blood tests, urine tests are more affordable, highly accurate, and yield results more quickly. The results of an hCG blood test could take many hours or even days.

Other names for this test include total chorionic gonadotropin, hCG total OB, qualitative and quantitative hCG blood tests, beta-hCG urine test, and human chorionic gonadotropin test.

This test can be necessary if you suspect pregnancy. Pregnancy symptoms differ from person to person. Missed menstruation is the most prevalent indicator of early pregnancy. Other typical indicators of early pregnancy could be:

Tender, swollen breasts

Fatigue Frequent urge to urinate (pee)

vomiting and nausea (sometimes known as morning sickness), Experiencing bloating or puffiness in your body or abdomen

To ensure that you are not pregnant, you might also require a pregnancy test if you require medical care that could endanger the unborn child.

Utilizing a home pregnancy test is quick and straightforward. Without a prescription, a pregnancy test kit for use at home is accessible. Test strips or sticks that react to hCG in your urine are included in the kits. The processes for doing a test vary depending on the brand, so it’s crucial to follow the directions that come with your test. The majority of test kits, either way

In your urine stream, hold the test stick or strip.  

After gathering your pee in a cup, dip the test strip or stick it into the cup.

Following a predetermined amount of time, you will examine your results on the test stick or strip. You will find out what to search for in the instructions. Generally speaking, in order for any at-home pregnancy test to yield the most accurate results, you must:

Before using the test, make sure to check the expiration date.

Test your first-morning urine. Generally speaking, morning pees contain higher hCG than afternoon urine.

Set an intervalometer. It could be necessary to adjust your results if you estimate the timing.

Your provider’s office or a lab performs blood tests. A medical expert uses a tiny a needle to draw blood from an arm vein.   After the needle is placed, small amounts of blood are collected into test tubes or vials. While the needle enters or leaves your body, it could sting a little. Often, this process takes five minutes or less.

Your findings will show whether you’re pregnant.

If hCG was absent from your sample, a negative result suggests that you might not have a baby. However, a negative result does not automatically imply an absence of pregnancy. A home urine test performed too soon could cause your body to need to make more hCG to show up on the test.

It’s a good idea to retake the test a week later because hCG levels climb every day throughout the early stages of pregnancy. Call your provider if you believe you are pregnant despite receiving negative results from two at-home tests (not pregnant). Inquire with your provider about the necessity for a second test if the one they performed yields a negative result.  

If the test is positive, then hCG was detected in your specimen. That typically indicates that you are expecting. It’s essential to see your provider as soon as possible to ensure that you get the proper care. If you used a home test, your doctor might perform an additional test to be sure you are pregnant.

If you’re using medication for fertility purposes, drug ), your test results may show that you’re pregnant when you’re not. To find out if you are indeed pregnant, consult your healthcare provider.

Find out more about reference angles, laboratory testing, and comprehending out omes.

The majority of pregnancy tests ensure that hCG is present in the sample. However, specific pregnancy tests also assess the amount of hCG present. These tests are termed quantitative hCG testing and are typically done on blood samples.

Your body’s level of hCG can provide your doctor with crucial details regarding the condition of your unborn child and your pregnancy. Quantitative hCG tests are sometimes used to help:

If you are very early in your pregnancy, find out the fetus’s age.

If there’s a chance you won’t get pregnant, keep an eye on things.

Verify for  specific problems, such as:

A fertilized egg that tries to row outside of the uterus is called an ectopic pregnancy. The egg cannot develop into a baby when it’s in the wrong place. It needs to go in order to protect your organs. This can be a medical emergency.

Molar pregnancy (hydatid rm mole) is abnormal tissue growth inside the womb. The reason for this is that the fertilized egg has so many severe genetic defects that it is unable to develop into a baby. The development can progress into cancer and must be removed.

Issues with the fetus, such as Down syndrome, chromosomal additional problems, and specific birth abnormalities (hCG testing is typically included in a series of prenatal screening tests known as a “quadruple” or “triple” screening exam.)

Your doctor may also prescribe a quantitative hCG blood test to monitor or help diagnose non-pregnancy-related medical issues. These include conditions that can raise hCG levels, such as testicular and ovarian cancer.