Home Pregnancy Tests- The Accurate and Complete Guide

Waiting to know whether you are pregnant is a stressful process. With the development of home pregnancy tests (HPTs), women no longer need to wait to see a doctor to know whether or not they are pregnant- they can do it themselves from the comfort of their homes. And how reliable are such tests? At what point do you take one? And how do you employ them correctly?

This ultimate guide by Mannat Fertility Centre will take you through what you should know about home pregnancy tests; how they work, how and when to take them and the meaning of the results.

How Do Home Pregnancy Tests Work?

Home pregnancy tests are performed to determine the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is the hormone that your body begins to produce when a fertilised egg attaches to the uterine lining. This typically occurs between 6 and 10 days post-conception, and the hCG level keeps increasing at high rates in the first trimester of pregnancy.

HPTs are those that work by using a chemical strip which responds to the hCG in your urine. In case of the hCG presence, the test will show a positive outcome (in most cases, as a line, plus sign, or the word pregnant).

When Should You Take a Home Pregnancy Test?

A home pregnancy test should be done:

• A missed period + 1 week to get the most accurate result.
• In case you experience irregular periods, take a pause of at least 14-16 days after unprotected intercourse.

Other very sensitive tests assert that they can identify pregnancy as far as 5 days before the missed period; however, a low level of hCG may yield a negative result during early testing.

How to Use a Home Pregnancy Test Correctly

This can be obtained by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Scan the Instructions: Various brands might differ in the way the test is administered minutely.
2. First Morning Urine: It has the highest level of hCG.
3. Dip in Urine: Put the stick in a urine sample cup or urinate on the strip, depending on the product.
4. Wait as long as it takes: In most cases, you get the results within 1 to 5 minutes. Check neither too early nor too late.
5. Read Results According to Indication: Negative = one line, positive = two lines (in the majority of brands).

How Accurate Are Home Pregnancy Tests?

• Most HPTs have greater than 99 per cent accuracy when used correctly following a missed period.

• False negatives are more prevalent than false positives and typically happen when:
  • You test prematurely
  • The urine becomes diluted
  • You failed to listen to the instructions

In case your result is negative, yet you suspect pregnancy, repeat it after 3-5 days.

What If the Result Is Positive?

Congratulations! When the result is positive, it is a strong indicator that you are pregnant. You should do the following:

• Make an appointment with your gynaecologist/ fertility specialist.
• Have a blood test (beta hCG) to make sure of the pregnancy.
• Your first prenatal scan should be at 6-8 weeks to check that the pregnancy is viable.

What If the Result Is Negative?

Negative outcome could imply:

• You are not pregnant.
• You have been testing prematurely.
• Your ovulation was later than it should have been.
• The test had a problem.

In case you do not experience your period within a week, retest or go to a fertility clinic to be examined.