If someone does a search on Google for the term “pregnancy testers” they’ll get the top result as Epigee.com. It doesn’t offer what’s being searched for, literally, but it is a help site. Epigee.com offers a test to see if it’s possible to be pregnant ("Am I pregnant?" quiz). It asks for dates and activity information and mathematically calculates the likelihood of pregnancy as a result. It then says to get a home pregnancy test or see a doctor.
All pregnancy tests look for the same indicator – the hormone hCG (chorionic gonadotropin), often called the pregnancy hormone, or baby hormone. HCG is produced when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine lining (about the sixth day after fertilization), with the hormone doubling every two to three days. The longer someone is pregnant, the more hCG is in their body.
The two tests for finding hCG are blood and urine tests. For the blood test, obviously, a doctor is needed, but a urine test can be done in the privacy of a home bathroom. Gone are the days when the doctor and his staff know someone is pregnant before the new mother does.
Take a Blood Test for Pregnancy Accuracy
The blood test basically is just to detect hCG presence and gives a yes/no answer. But, another blood test can give not only a yes/no answer, but can accurately say how much hCG is in the blood. Even minute traces can be found, detecting pregnancy very early on. It can also detect possible problems with the pregnancy.
The home pregnancy tests all enjoy a different price range, and as with anything else consumers often pay for packaging and brands. Look at ingredients and directions, they’re all just about the same, except some come with two tests in the box.
The home pregnancy test, or HPT is affordable, accurate and widely available. Over time they’ve been perfected to prevent false positives and misread results and someone using one can be confident of the results. The directions must be followed exactly to the letter. Do what it says for best results, some say as soon as two weeks after conception. Having mentioned that, some tests do boast earliest detection (EPT), but about a week after a missed period is the best time to start testing for accuracy.
Pregnancy Test False Positives and Negatives
It is possible to get a false negative, or a test that turns out negative when the person really is pregnant. This can happen if a test is taken too early, so it’s highly recommended to wait a week and test again. It can be hard to wait, but, another test too soon will only give the same results. If it’s necessary to know right now, then make an appointment with a doctor and have a blood test taken.
To read the results, they’re pretty much black and white, it’s yes or no, minus or plus, line or no line, pink or blue line. No matter which test is being read, a positive is a positive, so if it has a very faint line or part of a line, it’s still a line and is reading positive. If it’s part of a plus or a faint plus, it’s still a plus and the reading is positive. There are digital testers now, too, and they’re practically impossible to misread. Also, nothing interferes with the tests medically; prescriptions, illness, illegal drugs and alcohol do not affect the tests, as they merely look for the presence of hCG.
If a negative result happens the second time but the period still hasn’t started, contact a doctor to see if something else could be wrong. On the other end of the spectrum, if the result is positive contact a doctor to start prenatal care. The doctor will likely take a blood test to confirm the HPT results and refer the patient to an OB/GYN.
Don’t Give Up; Becoming Pregnant is Still Possible
Even if the test is negative, there’s still good reason to treat a body as if it is pregnant. Eat well, sleep well, try not to stress, take good care and it could make the body more conducive to making a healthy baby after the test does come back positive.
So, in a nutshell, wait until a week after the missed period and buy an HPT. Follow directions exactly so there’s no false positives or negatives. Recheck in a week or with a doctor. Treat the body well to be of utmost health in the pregnancy. Now, check out this just for fun: thepregnancytest.com. See who the next baby in the family turns out to be!
Sources:
- Baltimoresun.com, “At Home Medical Tests Have Pitfalls” by Richard Asa, page one, published 03/21/10, accessed on 03/32/10 at 2pm.
- womenshealth.gov, “Pregnancy Tests”, no author or publication date, page one, accessed on 03/23/10 at 1:30pm.
- www.emedicinehealth.com, no author or publication date, accessed on 03/23/10 at 1:45pm.
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