All About The Home Pregnancy Test

Detecting pregnancy is easier these days. You can get a home pregnancy test done within minutes to know if you have conceived or not. Now, you don't need to take doctor's appointment just to check if you are pregnant or not. A home pregnancy test detects hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine. This hormone is secreted in the urine and home pregnancy tests detects the hCG and provides you with results.

What is a home pregnancy test?

The home pregnancy test measures the presence of hCG in the urine. It is secreted when the fertilised eggplants go into the formation of the placenta. Usually, the home pregnancy test picks up the hCG in your urine the day when you miss your period. Even small traces of hCG can be detected by these home pregnancy tests. The hCG is counted in milli-International Units (mIU) or amounts equal to 1/1000th of an IU per millilitre.

How to use the home pregnancy test?

Home pregnancy test kit can be purchased from any pharmaceutical store and tested at home. The test can be done at any time of the day. Ideally, the pregnancy test is done with the first urine of the day. Avoid drinking lots of fluid before the test. This can dilute the urine and make it difficult to track the hCG. You can take the home pregnancy test at the earliest (the first day when you miss your period). Use the instructions given with the pregnancy kit to test effectively.

How long does it take to show the result?

The best thing about home pregnancy tests is, you get to know the results within 5 minutes. Depending on the test kit brand, the result will appear either in pink or blue lines. Even few brands pop up saying you are 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant'.

Are the home pregnancy tests accurate?

This is one of the most common questions asked by women. If you follow the given instructions inside the kit, you can trust home pregnancy tests. These home tests are 97% accurate. However, it depends on the situation. For example, if you take the test few days before the period's date, your body might not have too much hCG to get detected. Moreover, in few cases, the result comes after two tests. If the test shows negative, it can be due to two reasons; you might not be pregnant or the hCG amount is not normal in the body.

If you have irregular periods or recently stopped taking contraceptive pills, then it might be difficult to race the menstrual cycle. In such cases, you should take a home pregnancy test after 3 days to become sure. While women prefer for these home pregnancy tests, they are not always cent percent accurate. Few defective instruments can even give you wrong results. So, if you have a doubt, you can visit a doctor to get the suggestions.