Pregnancy Tests: Types and Results Pregnancy tests. You can often tell if you’re pregnant by noticing at least one common symptom. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of pregnancy, you should take a home pregnancy test or visit your doctor to confirm the pregnancy. You’ll likely get accurate results from a pregnancy test one day after your first missed period. However, it’s best to wait at least a week after your missed period to be sure that you get the most accurate test results. Home tests Home pregnancy tests. A home pregnancy test (HPT) can be used on the first day of your missed period. Some very sensitive tests can be used even earlier. These tests work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (h. CG) in your urine. This hormone is only found in the body during pregnancy. ![]() A chemical in the stick changes color when it comes into contact with this hormone. Waiting times will vary depending on the test, but most take about 1. Most manufacturers recommend that HPTs be taken twice, since results may vary if you take a test too soon after your first missed period. In some cases, your h. CG levels are too low to catch early on. Applicators vary from brand to brand, but the tests are generally inexpensive. Pregnancy tests are accurate when they’re used correctly. It's possible to have a false negative, which happens when you’re pregnant but the test says you aren't. If you missed your period and it doesn’t arrive after a few days, repeat the test or check with your doctor. Clinical test Clinical urine test. You can get a clinical urine test at your doctor’s office. Your diet and nutrition in pregnancy are vital elements of a healthy pregnancy. The healthier you eat, the healthier your body is and the higher the likelihood that. WebMD explains how pregnancy tests work, when to take one, and how accurate they are. How do home pregnancy tests work? Home pregnancy tests can tell you if you're pregnant by detecting the presence of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG.
These tests aren’t necessarily more accurate than an HPT. However, your doctor may be able to help eliminate any possible errors that might affect the accuracy of the test. Depending on your health insurance plan, a clinical urine test may cost more than an HPT. Results of a clinical urine test can vary depending on the medical facility that you visit. However, you can usually expect your results within a week of taking the test. Blood test Blood test. ![]() These tests are taken at your doctor’s office. A laboratory tests your blood to detect h. CG. There are two types of pregnancy blood tests: Qualitative h. CG blood test: This test checks to see whether any h. CG is being produced in the body. It gives a simple yes or no answer as to whether you’re pregnant. Quantitative h. CG blood test: This test measures the specific level of h. CG in the blood. If your h. CG level is higher or lower than expected based on how far along you think you are in the pregnancy, your doctor may order further tests. They can include an ultrasound or repeat the h. CG test in a couple of days. The most common reason for the h. CG level to appear abnormal is being unsure about your dates. This would mean you are either further along in the pregnancy or not as far as you thought. Quantitative h. CG blood tests are very accurate because they measure the exact amount of h. CG in the blood. They can detect smaller amounts of the hormone than a qualitative h. CG blood test or a urine test. Blood tests can detect h. CG earlier than urine tests. Blood tests are usually more expensive than home tests, and you have to wait longer for your results. Blood test results can take more than a week, and sometimes two, to be delivered. Early symptoms Early symptoms of pregnancy. Some symptoms of pregnancy are especially noticeable early on, including: a missed periodfeeling exhausted urinating more than normalsensitive, swollen breastsnauseavomiting If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor, especially if you’ve recently had unprotected sex. Positive test results What’s next if the results are positive. Your next steps depend on two things: whether you're pregnant and whether or not you planned to get pregnant. If your test results are positive and you’ve been planning to have a baby, take another test (or two) to make sure you’re pregnant. Then, see your doctor before you reach the 8- week mark. You can ask them about prenatal care options or specialists who can help guide you through your pregnancy. Ask your doctor about any changes you need to make to your lifestyle, medications, or diet to keep yourself and your baby healthy for the next nine months. If your test results are positive but you didn’t plan to get pregnant, ask your doctor about available options, including: ending your pregnancycarrying the pregnancy to term for adoptionwhat to do if you want to continue your pregnancy. You can also receive help from a clinic or health center that specializes in reproductive health and child care, like Planned Parenthood. Read more: Unplanned pregnancy »False positive. A false positive can occur for several reasons: See your doctor if you suspect any of these factors might have given you a false positive. Negative test results What’s next if the results are negative. If your test results are negative, but you want to have a baby, keep trying to get pregnant. Also make sure that you begin taking folic acid supplements, if you haven’t already. You won’t always get pregnant from sexual intercourse depending on your menstrual cycle, so use an ovulation calculator or track your cycle on a calendar to decide when the best times are for you to get pregnant. Learn more: Ovulation: When am I most fertile? It can reveal whether either of you might have fertility issues that are affecting your ability to get pregnant. If you’re infertile, consider other options for becoming pregnant, such as artificial insemination. If your test results are negative and you didn’t plan to get pregnant, take a second test to make sure the results are accurate. If you took the test because you were concerned that you might have gotten pregnant after unprotected sex, make sure to use any birth control necessary to prevent any future pregnancy scares. If your results are negative but you’re still experiencing pregnancy symptoms, such as a missed period, see your doctor to find out if another condition is causing your symptoms. Symptoms such as exhaustion, nausea, and vomiting are common to other conditions. Heavy exercise or excessive stress can cause missed periods as well. False negative. A false negative can happen for several reasons, including: If you are using certain medications, such as tranquilizers or anticonvulsants. If you take the test when your urine is diluted from food and liquid intake. Take the test in the morning when your urine is least diluted. If you take the test too early after a missed period. Taking the test a few days to a week after your missed period will usually give you the most accurate results. If you didn’t wait long enough after taking the test. If you’re using an HPT, follow the instructions to make sure you give the test enough time to give you the results. Takeaway Takeaway. Home pregnancy tests are generally very accurate and will usually give you sufficient results if you follow their instructions. However, you should get blood or urine tests to confirm if you think you got a false positive or negative. Depending on the results, talk to your doctor or your partner about the steps you need to take next. Pregnancy is an exciting time for many women. Learn as much as you can about how to take care of yourself and your health, regardless of your next step. Pregnancy Tests, Symptoms and More. Pregnancy occurs when a sperm fertilizes an. The fertilized egg. A successful. implantation results in pregnancy. On average, a full- term pregnancy lasts 4. There are many factors that can affect a pregnancy. Women who receive an. Knowing what to expect during the. If you would like to prevent pregnancy, there are also effective. Pregnancy Prevention and. Birth Control. Women who are sexually active with male. Some methods of pregnancy prevention work better for some. Talk to your doctor about birth control that is right for you. Condoms. Using a condom to prevent pregnancy is known. However, that statistic is based on “perfect” use. This means that there are a handful of factors that may go. These include: using expired condomsstoring condoms improperlycondoms tearing during use. If you’re relying on condoms to avoid getting. The Pill. Hormonal birth control pills are a popular. Available by prescription, these pills work by. Birth control pills work in. They prevent ovulation. They thin cervical mucus to. They thin the uterine lining to. Birth control pills vary in their success. They are considered 9. Natural Family Planning. Natural family planning (NFP) is a method of. It works by tracking the. There are many variables that. According to Planned Parenthood, the failure rate of the NFP method is 2. Emergency Contraception. There are several “morning after” pills that are. These pills. are not intended as regular forms of birth control. Instead, they act as a. They must be used. Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are small devices. IUDs are. currently the most effective form of birth control, with a 9. How Will I Know if I’m. Pregnant? Before you take a pregnancy test, you may. Some of the most notable signs of early pregnancy. Some women may also experience cramps and. This light bleeding is called implantation bleeding, and most. Spotting may follow, but. In some cases, implantation. Symptoms vary between women. Some women may. experience different symptoms between pregnancies. For example, you might. Early. pregnancy symptoms should not be your sole source of pregnancy confirmation. The. Mayo Clinic points out that many of these signs are. PMS. How. Can I Confirm a Pregnancy? Pregnancy is diagnosed by measuring human. CG) levels in the body. Also referred to as the pregnancy. CG is produced upon implantation, but it may not be detected until. Levels of the hormone increase rapidly after your. The hormone h. CG is detected through either a. Urine tests may be provided at a doctor’s office, but. When taking a home pregnancy test. Repeat the test after a few days if you get a. The biggest advantage to. A blood test is another option. The hormone h. CG. The results are about as. The difference is that h. CG is detected. through the blood more easily, even in miniscule amounts. A blood test may be. Pregnancy. Care Plans. Home pregnancy tests are very accurate after. If you get a positive result on a home. The timing of your. Doctors may give. This includes women. The sooner you find out you’re pregnant, the. Regular checkups are essential to. However. the details of these prenatal care provisions differ greatly between healthcare. Once you know for sure that you are pregnant, call your insurance. If you do. not have health insurance when you find out you are pregnant, speak to your. Things to Keep in Mind. For the most part, women can go about their. However, there are some. Your doctor will give you tips for healthy. A. prenatal vitamin can help provide the folic acid and other nutrients your baby. While you are pregnant, it’s also critical. Drugs not specifically approved as. Certain exercises and foods. Research on what creates a healthy pregnancy. What. Are the Risk Factors? You are most likely to get pregnant if you. It’s. important to remember that even having sex once is enough to get pregnant. Most women in their early 3. According to the National Institutes of. Health (NIH), women. High- risk pregnancies are monitored more closely to. Other risks that can affect an otherwise. Prognosis. A healthy pregnancy typically lasts for 4. Premature births can result in many health problems, from low birth. First Trimester. Every pregnancy is different, but there are. More than 1 in 4 pregnancies result in miscarriage before the 1. After 1. 2 weeks, the odds of miscarriage drop dramatically. Also during. the first trimester, your doctor will check to make sure the developing fetus. Doppler machine. Second Trimester. During the second trimester of pregnancy, an. This milestone checks the. This. test also can reveal the gender of your baby, if you wish to find out before. Somewhere in the middle of the second trimester, you will. Third Trimester. At 2. During the third trimester. As labor. approaches, you may feel pelvic discomfort. Excess blood and water retention. Contractions that do not lead to labor, known as Braxton- Hicks. While you may. be anxious to meet your baby, induced labor should generally only be used if a. Preparing for Labor. There are many ways to mentally and. Many hospitals offer birthing classes prior to. You may also want to prepare a “ready to go bag” of toiletries, sleepwear. This bag would be ready. During the third trimester, you and your. Knowing when to go.
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