Home pregnancy tests - best early and accurate detection

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Home pregnancy tests are a discreet and affordable way of confirming your hopes and suspicions that you might be pregnant. And pharmacy shelves are bulging with a variety of tests that can be done, all of them claiming to be the best accurate and early detection method.

In general, home pregnancy tests are 97-99% accurate if used correctly. However, between a quarter and half of women using the tests do not follow the instructions correctly and get false results. This can be because of testing too soon, misinterpreting the results or contaminating the sample through carelessness. It's also always worth checking the expiration date of the home pregnancy test before buying it - an out of date test will not give accurate results.

Home pregnancy tests usually involve testing your urine for the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced only in pregnancy. This may involve collecting urine in a cup or special container or testing urine midstream with the detector stick provided. Most detector sticks either change colour or have a plus or minus symbol on them.

Home pregnancy tests are not as accurate as blood tests and require a certain level of HCG present in the urine in order for them to work. The more sensitive the home pregnancy test the earlier it will detect the presence of HCG. Discernable levels of the hormone should be present about two weeks after fertilization.

The levels of HCG double every two to three days in pregnant women and most manufacturers recommend that you take a second test within a week of the first to confirm the result.

The best time to take a home pregnancy test is first thing in the morning when your urine is at its most concentrated. Positive results should be indicated by a distinct band of color or symbol on your test.

It's crucial to follow the written instructions carefully in order to get a true result. And always read the test result within the allotted time; after this the result won't be accurate. Don't test too early after ovulation as HCG levels will not be high enough and don't test after drinking lots of water when your urine will be more diluted.

Use a home pregnancy test initially to see if you are pregnant but if you have a negative results and still suspect you might be pregnant it is worth seeing a doctor for a blood test. Conversely if you have a positive result you should visit a health professional for confirmation and advice.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Home Pregnancy Tests