Pregnancy test: results, when and how to use it?

During her lifetime, a woman may be led to take a pregnancy test. Either because she is trying to have a child or because she notices that her period is late, or even when certain pregnancy symptoms appear. To do this, she generally first performs a urine pregnancy test. This test detects the presence ofbeta-HCG hormone, which indicates whether or not you are pregnant. When to take a pregnancy test? How to use ? How to read the results? Here is all the information you need to know about the pregnancy test.

When to take a pregnancy test?

It is recommended take a urine pregnancy test on the first day of your expected period, if possible as soon as you wake up. Because in the morning, the first urine is more concentrated in hormones. In effect, urine pregnancy tests measure the concentration ofhormone chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Also, if a pregnancy is in progress, this hormone begins to be produced only after the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. It is therefore only detectable ten to twelve days after fertilization.depending on the sensitivity of the test, knowing that for fertilization to take place, you must first have ovulated… Moreover, the date of ovulation also varies from one woman to another, but it is considered that on average it takes place around the fourteenth day of the menstrual cycle. These two elements are to be taken into account when deciding to take a pregnancy test.

Can you take a pregnancy test at night?

Today, with the technology of some new tests, which are more sensitive and precise, it is possible to take a pregnancy test in the evening or at any time of the day. However, remember that the hormones that we want to detect during a pregnancy test are more concentrated in the morning.

THE urine pregnancy tests are easy to use at home. Unpack the “tester”, remove the cap on the “foam” tip, called the deposit wick, then usually just place the “tester” in a vial of freshly collected urine or hold it “under the jet” for a few seconds while you urinate. Then you can put it down or keep it in your hands. All you have to do is wait a few minutes to read the result, often 3 minutes depending on the tests.

How long can you keep your urine for a pregnancy test?

If you want to get ahead, you can keep your urine cool, between 2 and 8° degrees for 48 hours before doing the urine pregnancy test.

After performing the pregnancy test, comes the time to read the result. The reading may be different from one test to another. Reading the instructions for use is therefore useful beforehand. Generally, on most tests, the result is visible on the small reading window at the center of the test.

• If the result shows two parallel lines or a positive symbol, it means you are pregnant.
• Otherwise, if only one line appears, it means you are not pregnant.

The intensity of the color of the line on a pregnancy test depends on the concentration of HCG hormone in the urine. If the line that appears seems clear or pale to you, it shows that you are probably pregnant, but that your HCG level is still low. Unlike the positive line which is generally darker and therefore more visible. To be sure of the result of the pregnancy test, complete it with a blood test which will precisely determine your HCG level.

Can a pregnancy test reveal a bad result?

Yes, it is possible for a pregnancy test to “go wrong”. These are then referred to as “false negative” or “false positive” results. Most urine pregnancy tests are 99% accurate, but there is still a 1% margin of error.

What do “false negative” or “false positive” results mean?

THE “false negatives” (the test claims that you are not pregnant even though you are) are the most common: very often, they are due to using the test too early, which could not detect the HCG, because it was produced in too low a quantity… To be sure, wait a few days, then do another test. As to false positives (they show that you are pregnant and not expecting a child), they have really become very rare these days. Generally, special conditions are needed for this to happen: this can especially be observed after a miscarriage or termination of pregnancy. For what ? Because the HCG level remains elevated for several more weeks, which may cause the test to react incorrectly.

Can denial of pregnancy falsify the results?

A denial of pregnancy cannot falsify the results of a pregnancy test. Even if the pregnancy is not physically visible, and the woman has no pregnancy symptoms, a urine pregnancy test can detect the HCG hormone and indicate if there is a pregnancy. The blood test is also used to confirm or not the pregnancy. However, pregnant women who deny pregnancy do not realize that they are expecting a child, and therefore do not seek pregnancy testing.

If your urine pregnancy test is positive, talk to your doctor or gynecologist. He may order a blood test to confirm your pregnancy. 100% reliable, this blood pregnancy test, carried out in the laboratory, also provides information on the date of fertilization. and therefore the progress of your pregnancy. It is based on the same principle, namely that it measures the HCG hormone levels, secreted from the start of pregnancy and reaching its maximum between the 7th and 12th week of pregnancy (it then gradually decreases until the end of pregnancy). In addition, there are two types of blood tests:

• The qualitative test simply indicates a positive or negative result.
• The quantitative test assesses the amount of HCG hormone.

The so-called pregnancy hormone, HCG, or chorionic gonadotropin hormone, is secreted by the cells at the origin of the placenta from conception. Present first in the blood, HCG hormone is then evacuated via the urine. This is the reason why blood tests and urine tests allow it to be detected. Its quantity doubles approximately every two days until the 12th week of pregnancy before falling, but remains however detectable in blood and urine throughout pregnancy. In normal values, the HCG level is between 200 to 8,000 IU/l from the second week of pregnancy, reaching at the end of the first trimester up to 250,000 IU/l.