Home Pregnancy Test Risks
There are no medical risks associated with testing for pregnancy.
You may obtain inaccurate results that are either falsely positive or falsely negative. Errors can result depending on how you collect the sample. You may be too early in pregnancy for the hCG levels to be high enough to confirm pregnancy. If the urine is not collected the first thing in the morning, it may be too dilute to return positive, even if you are pregnant. Medications may cause the test to give an erroneous result
One study showed that women had difficulty following the instructions on the package insert. In this study, many results returned negative in patients who were subsequently determined to be pregnant.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy Tests
If I get a positive result on a home pregnancy test, does that mean I am pregnant?
A positive result from a home pregnancy test shows the presence of the hormone hCG in your system. When an egg is implanted in a womans uterine lining, hCG hormones begin to develop and multiply. This is a sign that you have become pregnant.
If I get a negative result on a home pregnancy test, does that mean I am not pregnant?
A negative result can mean that you are not pregnant, you took the test too early, or you took the test wrong. Pregnancy tests vary in their sensitivity , and you may not have given your body enough time to produce enough hCG hormones that will show up on the test.
Also, if you let a test sit for too long , the test is invalid. It is best to follow the instructions and wait until you have missed a period before taking the test. Most pregnancy tests come with two in a box, and it is a good idea to take both.
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If youre wondering whether or not youre pregnant, an at-home pregnancy test can ease your mind, even days before your missed period. The best pregnancy tests are reliable, easy to take, and wont break the bank.
When choosing a test, think about the day youd like to test , and how youd like to read the results. Digital readers can make things more simple by translating your results to text, like Not Pregnant or Pregnant. If you have more experience with pregnancy tests, test strips with line results are typically cheaper and come with more in the package.
Here we discuss the pros and cons of our top picks for at-home pregnancy tests.
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Best Pregnancy Test Strips
Price: $Pros: These come 20 per pack for under $10, so theyre extremely affordable. They also contain a control display alongside the results to make for easier interpretation.Cons: Strips make for messier testing.Results time: Under 5 minutesDisplay method: Colored linesWhile not quite as user-friendly, test strips tend to be much less expensive and just as accurate when used correctly.Pregnancy test strips are smaller and flimsier than test sticks, and typically designed to be dipped into a cup of urine. You can also hold them under the stream, but theyre a little more difficult to handle and may not absorb the urine properly, which in turn may not give an accurate result. If youre fixated *raises hand* on finding out if youre pregnant and want to test every single day after you ovulate these strips are a great way to go! Inexpensive, accurate, and fairly easy to use are the big pros for the ClinicalGuard test strips.
What If Its Positive
You will probably experience an overload of mixed feelings once you see that positive result. You may be overjoyed especially if youve been trying for a long time. You might be feeling frightened, scared, or even disappointed. All these feelings are totally normal, and its common to experience several or all of them at once.
Talk to someone about how youre feeling your partner, a friend, a parent, or your doctor. It helps to have someone to share your experience with.
Here are nine more things you should do once you find out youre pregnant:
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Best Overall: First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test 3 Tests
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Early detection
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App converts line results into words
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Various test types
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Expensive
This bestselling pregnancy test can provide results up to six days before your missed period so you dont have to sit around wondering. Data shows that the First Response Early Result manual tests findings are especially accurate because it can detect all forms of the different types of hCG, the pregnancy hormone, found in urine. Studies show that First Response tests are able to detect hCG in 76 percent of users five cycle days before their expected period and detect 100 percent of the hormone on the day of the missed period.
Reviewers say that this brand is the gold standard of pregnancy tests, and many add that they wont use any other brand. They also liked that you get three individually wrapped sticks in a pack, so you can try again if need beor just hold onto the extras for the next time you need to take a test.
Number of tests: 3 | Display method: Line test | Result time: 3 minutes
Can You Get A False Positive Pregnancy Test What About A False Negative Pregnancy Test
Yes, you can get both a false positive pregnancy test and a false negative. But false positives are much less common than false negatives. So if your home pregnancy test is positive, it’s likely that you’re pregnant.
If you get a false negative pregnancy test result, it’s likely either because you’ve taken the test too early or you haven’t taken it correctly as outlined on the label.
It is possible to get a false positive result on an early pregnancy test before a subsequent test comes back negative. In some cases, that’s because very early testing detected a chemical pregnancy an egg that was fertilized but for some reason never implanted. These very early miscarriages are actually extremely common, accounting for around 3 in 4 of all pregnancy losses .
If it turns out that you likely have experienced a very early pregnancy loss, its natural to feel confused or upset. Knowing the odds are in your favor to conceive again and give birth to a healthy baby can help. No matter what, its always best to see your medical practitioner to get a more definitive pregnancy test result.
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How To Use Pregnancy Tests
A person might have a pregnancy test in a clinic or doctors office. Depending on the test, this involves giving either a urine or blood sample. Healthcare professionals may test this immediately or send it to a laboratory for testing. The lab usually takes a day or two to return the results.
Home pregnancy tests are simple to use, but it is crucial to follow the instructions carefully. In general, they involve:
- urinating directly onto the testing stick
- urinating into a clean cup, then dipping the testing stick into this for a specified amount of time
- urinating into a clean cup, then using a dropper to apply urine to an area of the testing stick
A persons hCG levels change rapidly throughout pregnancy. It is often best to take a pregnancy test
Many home pregnancy tests claim to be accurate up to 99% of the time. A positive result is typically correct. A negative result is more likely to be incorrect.
However, these accuracy claims assume that the person has used the test correctly.
Most tests can produce accurate results on the first day after a missed period, but to ensure accuracy, it is advisable to start testing 1 week after a missed period.
For around of pregnant people, a home pregnancy test does not accurately detect the pregnancy on the first day of their missed period. This might result from a person having irregular periods or miscalculating when their period was due.
But various other factors can influence the accuracy of pregnancy tests, including:
How Much Time Does An Egg Live
An egg lives averagely around 24 o 28 days after it`s released. In these conditions, your partner`s sperm needs to fertilize the egg during this period for you to become pregnant.
On the other hand, the sperm can live up to 7 days in your organism, so if the ovulation happens in up to 7 days from the sexual contact, there are high chances to become pregnant. Read more!
Also, if you want to become pregnant, experts claim that the best solution is to have sex once every few days during an entire month. It`s not really necessary to follow your ovulation calendar, but only to maintain the rhythm.
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What Are The Advantages Of Using A Home Pregnancy Test
There are quite a few advantages to using a home pregnancy test, including:
- Pregnancy tests are inexpensive.
- Theyre easy to use.
- Home tests provide results quickly.
According to pregnancy kit manufacturers, most at-home pregnancy tests are 97% to 99% accurate when you use them as instructed. Positive results can be trusted, but you can get a falsely negative result very early in pregnancy.
Blood tests tend to be more expensive and, for many women, the wait for an appointment can be difficult. Home tests allow you to quickly know if youre pregnant shortly after conception.
Can Medications Affect The Result
Some medications can affect a pregnancy tests accuracy.
- Infertility medication
- Diuretics
Alcohol in the blood stream does not affect the pregnancy test because it does not interfere with the measurement of the hormone levels.
However, anyone who is trying to or expecting to become pregnant should avoid alcohol, as it can affect fetal development. Drinking during early pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight.
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Does The Day I Take The Test Affect Pregnancy Test Accuracy
The earlier you test, the more likely you will get a false negative. Implantation usually occurs about nine days after ovulation, and periods usually start about 14 days after ovulation, says Schram. That means that if you test too soon before your expected period, you will get a negative test result, even if you are pregnant. From a results perspective, the best time to test is the day of your expected period or afterwards.
Home Pregnancy Test Kits
Home pregnancy test kits are available from pharmacists. These kits offer accurate readings if performed strictly according to the manufacturers instructions. However, many women who use home pregnancy test kits get inaccurate results.The most common mistake is to test for pregnancy too soon after the missed period. The manufacturers instructions will tell you when is the best time to use the kit. It is very important to follow the manufacturers instructions exactly.
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Pregnancy Tests How To Get Accurate Results
A pregnancy test is designed to tell you if you are pregnant or not, however how they work is important to understand so that you know which test to use and when its too early to tell.
Home pregnancy tests are extremely accurate, so if it says you are pregnant, you are almost certainly pregnant. If it says you are not pregnant, it might be too early to tell, or you are not pregnant.
The urine or blood test is to detect a specific hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin . This hormone starts being produced immediately after a fertilised egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, which usually happens about six days after fertilisation of the egg.
When youre pregnant, hCG levels double every couple of days.
When Is The Best Time To Take A Pregnancy Test
The best time to take a pregnancy test is when your period is late. But some at-home pregnancy tests say they can detect if youre pregnant or not up to five days before your period is due to start. How do they do it? At-home pregnancy tests use the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin to detect pregnancy, and some are more sensitive to hCG than others. So thats why some tests work earlier when you have less of the hormone, while others wont show a positive until later when you have a higher amount.
The best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning. Your urine is more concentrated in the a.m., so theres more of that hCG in it. You can take a pregnancy tests at other times of the day, though theres more of a chance of an inaccurate result. Also make sure not to drink a lot of water or other liquids, as youll dilute your urine.
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Accuracy By Day Of Early Pregnancy Tests
Early result pregnancy tests give you an answer before you’ve even missed a period. FIRST RESPONSE Digital Pregnancy Test detected pregnancy hormone levels in 60% of pregnant women 5 days before their expected period. By 4 days before their expected period, the test was accurate at detecting pregnancy hormones for 86% of pregnant women, and the number increased to 96% of pregnant women 3 days before their expected period and more than 99% of pregnant women 2 days before, 1 day before, and on the day of their expected period. The closer you are to the expected start of your menstrual period, the more accurate early pregnancy tests become.
Dont Take An Expired Test
Yes, you read that rightâpregnancy tests can expire. If you take an expired test, the chemical used in the test may no longer accurately detect the presence of elevated hCG in your body. An expired test can present inaccurate results, so itâs worth buying a new test to confirm your pregnancy if you have an expired test.
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Dont Take A Pregnancy Test Too Soon
If you had unprotected sex or think you might be pregnant, itâs tempting to consider taking a pregnancy test before your missed period. Resist the temptation. HCG or Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone produced by cells that are surrounding a growing embryo, which eventually forms the placenta after implantation. The elevated presence of hCG is used to signal pregnancy. However, hCG takes time to build up in the body. So, even if implantation of an embryo occurred on a Monday, if you take a pregnancy test on Wednesday, it may still give a negative result.
Donât take a test too earlyâwait until at least 10 days after a missed period to take a pregnancy test otherwise you might get an inaccurate result. If you think you might be pregnant and already missed your period, wait 3 days and take another test.
How To Take A Pregnancy Test
Take the test in the morning right when you get out of bed since this is when your hCG levels are at their highest.
Tip: Catch a midstream sample for the most accurate results. This basically means peeing a little bit into the toilet before peeing on the test.
You can either pee directly on the test for up to 5-10 seconds or you can pee in a cup and put the pregnancy stick inside for no longer than 10 secondswhichever is more comfortable for you. When you pee on the stick, make sure to keep the results window facing you. Pregnancy tests typically only take a couple of minutes, but its important to read the directions to determine how long test results take to process.
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What Do The Results Mean
A positive result typically indicates pregnancy, while a negative result tends to mean that the person is not pregnant. It is more likely for a negative result to be incorrect.
It is important for anyone using a home test to follow the instructions carefully and understand what each color change or symbol indicates.
If a person takes a clinical test, a healthcare professional explains the results.
What Can Cause An Inaccurate Pregnancy Test Result
Inaccurate test results do occur sometimes. A false-negative pregnancy test result is more common than a false-positive test result.
A false-positive pregnancy test is quite rare but happens . It can happen with a very early miscarriage, also known as a chemical pregnancy. A false-positive pregnancy test can also occur if you still have hCG in your system from fertility medications or a recent pregnancy. It takes about four to six weeks for your hCG levels to drop after miscarriage, abortion, or giving birth.
A false negative pregnancy test occurs when you are pregnant, but the pregnancy test reads negative . There are several reasons this can happen, including:
- Testing too early
The most common reason for a false negative pregnancy test is taking the test too early for hCG to be detected in your urine. You may have miscalculated when your next period was due, so recheck the calendar for accuracy. Its also possible that something caused a delay in ovulation. This delay would also cause conception and implantation to occur later than expected in your menstrual cycle. When this happens, you wont get an accurate test result until later in your cycle.
- Making a mistake performing the pregnancy test
You can also get a false test result if you made a mistake on the pregnancy test directions. They are all a little bit different, so even though you are anxious to get answers, take the time to read the directions thoroughly before you test.
- A defective pregnancy test
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