Pregnancy Test (PT/HCG)

What is pregnancy test? It is a test that can be done at home or at a medical laboratory. The test tells whether you are pregnant or not. Also it is known as: human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test.

When to do the test

Dear Lady! If had unprotected sex , and your period is missed , you may be pregnant. how to know? The most reliable way to know is pregnancy test , which can be done few days after the missed period or 21 days after last unprotected sex.

When you can do a pregnancy test?

– Anytime after you realize your period is missed , you can do it.
– Or , do it after 21 days (at least) , from your last had unprotected sex.
– If you had unprotected sex , you can do the test even before the next expected period , where some tests are sensitive enough to detect the pregnancy early. If the test result is negative , you can repeat the test after one week.

What is the required sample for pregnancy test?

• At home test is done using a urine sample. Urine can be collected at any time of the day. It doesn’t have to be in the morning.
• Blood test is done the laboratory

How does a pregnancy test work?

All pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), which starts to be produced around 6 days after fertilizations. Most pregnancy tests come in a box that contains 1 or 2 long sticks. The woman urinates on the stick , and the result appears on the stick after few minutes.

What is the difference between a home pregnancy test and blood tests?

Blood tests (at a laboratory) , can detect if you are pregnant earlier than a home urine test, about 6 to 8 days after ovulation. It takes longer to get the results than with a home test. There are two types of blood pregnancy tests: A qualitative HCG test simply checks for HCG. It gives a “positive ” or “negative” result. another is the quantitative HCG test.
A quantitative hCG test (beta hCG) measures the exact amount of hCG in the blood. These tests may help track problems during pregnancy. They are used , (along with other tests) , to rule out an ectopic pregnancy , or after a miscarriage, when hCG levels fall quickly.

Are PT results accurate?

Home pregnancy tests are accurate as long as you follow the instructions correctly. A positive test result is almost certainly correct. However, a negative test result is not 100% accurate.

Why negative test result is not so accurate? Doing the test at home , you may get wrong result , which is not common. The following may affect the result::
– You do not follow the instructions properly
– Or the test is done too early
– Some medicines can also affect the results.

What to do after a negative result? If you still think you are pregnant, then , wait repeat the test after one week.

Where can you get a the the home test?

You can buy a pregnancy test kit from any pharmacy. You may find it in some some supermarkets. At home pregnancy test kits can give a result within 10 minutes.

Other option is to visit any medical laboratory or clinic , where you can undergo for pregnancy test in blood. Blood sample is taken from your vein. Result can be available within 30 to 60 minutes.