Home Pregnancy Test

Introduction and necessity

If a woman thinks that she is pregnant, she must want to test herself at home with home pregnancy test. One can buy test kits at drug store and this is available as OTC product, a product that does not need any doctor’s prescription. These home use kits detect something called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone that is present in the urine of a pregnant woman. These home tests are considered as qualitative tests that result either negative or positive.

The most sensitive test for pregnancy is excellently performed in laboratory using the blood sample. These tests not only detect hCG but they also tell you the amount of the hormone that doubles every second or third day during the first few weeks of pregnancy.

These tests can tell you the pregnancy period and can even detect the possible problems that occur commonly during pregnancy. Most of the pregnant women prefer the privacy and therefore choose these home pregnancy tests. However, home pregnancy tests are not as accurate as the blood tests in the laboratory, but still they are favorite among women across the world.

The hormone hCG can be detected in the urine of a pregnant woman about two weeks after the conception, the condition when the female egg is fertilized by the male’s sperm. With the home test kit, a drop of the urine is to be placed on the specially prepared chemical strip (pregnancy test strip) and keep it for a minute or so for the strip to show the result.

The preparation for home pregnancy tests

It is important to prepare yourself when you are looking forward for pregnancy test. A pregnant woman should read the label and instructions given on the pregnancy test strip very carefully. The instructions can give you better idea to understand about the test. The information includes what the test is for and what it is not for. it will also show how to collect and store the urine sample? When and how to run the pregnancy test? How to read the results and what precaution is to be taken etc.

The test instruction will help you to get the accurate results. Almost all the home pregnancy tests require specific timing, material and sample amounts. One should also be careful about the expire date

During the procedure of pregnancy test

For almost all the home pregnancy tests, one can either hold test strip in urine stream she passes the urine or can collect the urine in a clean container or dip the pregnancy strip into it. Most of the pregnancy tests strips show colored line but again, this will depend upon the brand you have purchased. One should therefore read the instructions properly as it might differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Some tests also give you levels of hCG that indicates the pregnancy. To get most reliable results, test 1-2 weeks when the menstrual period is missed. Some of the most advanced tests can get you the idea of pregnancy even though your have not missed any period.

For more accuracy, get the test done with the first morning urine, the urine that is accumulated in your bladder overnight. If a woman is pregnant, the urine will have more hCG as compared to the urine collected later in the day.

If your test comes negative, that does happen sometime, then you should again for the test few days later as the amount of hCG increases rapidly when you are pregnant. That is why; some of the test kit will contain enough material to repeat the pregnancy test.

Types of home pregnancy test kits

The common kit that is used worldwide is the test strip or dipstick. This is to be hold in the flow of the urine or can be dipped into the collected urine sample. A section of the strip changes the color if hCG is detected that confirms the pregnancy.

Some of the latest kit contains a urine collection cup that has built-in testing. An expecting woman should put few drops of her urine into the cup and the test strip changes the color if the pregnancy is positive.