Pregnancy tests: types, when you take one, and results accuracy

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on May 26, 2022

What are pregnancy tests?

Pregnancy tests will help you to know whether you are stepping into pregnancy. This test helps to check HCG hormones in the pee or in the blood. This hormone can be found in your body after 10 days of conception. Pregnancy test need to be done either in the hospital or at home.

What are the types of pregnancy tests?

Mainly, there are two types of pregnancy tests available to confirm a pregnancy.

1. Blood tests: In the case of blood tests (Beta HCG Test), you need to visit the healthcare centers. Blood tests can determine your pregnancy earlier in comparison to the at-home tests. But blood tests usually are expensive and also take longer to show results than at-home tests. Pregnancy blood tests can be categorized into two different types for pregnancy.

• a qualitative HCG blood test is used to check whether you have hcg hormone in blood or not.
• A quantitative HCG blood test can measure The complete quantity of HCG hormone present In the blood .

2. Urine tests: Urine test require to be done at both home and healthcare centers. At-home tests are really inexpensive, deliver fast results and are very easy to use at home. They can provide 99% accurate results, if used correctly. They might give you false-negative test results sometimes in the early pregnancy, but the positive results are trustworthy.

When should you go for a pregnancy test?

When you have missed your period then you can take a pregnancy test. At-home tests can give you results after 10 days of conception, but it might give you false-negative results. To get a more accurate test result, it is better to wait the missed period.

How accurate are the at-home test results?

In the case of an at-home pregnancy test, the result would come up as lines, colors, and symbols such as “+” or “_”. Digital pregnancy test kit would show positive or negative words. Regardless of how faded the line, color, or word is, a positive test result means you are stepping into pregnancy.

Besides, a negative test result indicates that you are probably not pregnant. Sometimes they can give false-positive or negative test results for certain reasons including:

• if the test kit date is expired
• if have not followed the instructions well
• you are testing too early
• You have consumed too much fluid just before the test
• If you are taking certain medicines

Nevertheless, you should do a double-check test within a week. If you get different results each time, then it is more suitable to visit a doctor.