Using home pregnancy tests can be an emotional and
confusing process. Is that a faint pink line or is it just my imagination? Am I
testing too early after my missed period? Read on to find out how and when you
can tell if you're pregnant.
Pregnancy tests look for a
special hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant. This hormone,
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), can also be called the pregnancy hormone.
The pregnancy hormone, hCG, is made in your body when a fertilized egg
implants in the uterus. This usually happens about 6 days after conception. But
studies show that the embryo doesn't implant
until later in some women. The amount of hCG increases drastically with each
passing day you are pregnant
.
Many home pregnancy tests claim they can tell if you're
pregnant on the day you expect your period. But a recent study shows that most
don't give accurate results this early in
pregnancy
. Waiting one week after a missed period will
usually give a more accurate answer.
What's the difference between pregnancy tests that check urine and those that test blood? Which one is better?
There are two types of pregnancy tests. One
tests the blood for the pregnancy hormone, hCG. The other checks the urine for
this hormone. You can do a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test. You
need to see a doctor to have blood tests.
These days, most women first use home pregnancy tests (HPT) to find out if
they are pregnant. HPTs are inexpensive, private, and easy to use. Urine tests
will be able to tell if you're pregnant about 2 weeks after ovulation. Some more
sensitive urine tests claim that they can tell if you are pregnant as early as
one day after a missed period.
If a HPT says you are pregnant, you should call your doctor right away. Your
doctor can use a more sensitive test along with a pelvic exam to tell
for sure if you're pregnant. Seeing your doctor
early on in your pregnancy
will help you
and your baby stay healthy.
Doctors use two types of blood tests to check for
pregnancy. Blood tests can pick up human chorionic gonadotropin ( hCG) earlier
in a pregnancy than urine tests can. Blood tests can tell if you are pregnant
about 6 to 8 days after you ovulate (or release an egg from an ovary). A
quantitative blood test (or the beta hCG test) measures the exact amount of hCG
in your blood. So it can find even tiny amounts of hCG. This makes it very
accurate. Qualitative hCG blood
tests just check to see if the pregnancy hormone is present or not. So it gives
a yes or no answer. The qualitative hCG blood test is about as accurate as a
urine test.
There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others include breast swelling and tenderness, nausea and sometimes vomiting, fatigue and bloating. Second trimester symptoms include backache, weight gain, itching, and possible stretch marks. Third trimester symptoms are additional weight gain, heartburn, hemorrhoids, swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face, breast tenderness, and trouble sleeping. Read more to learn about recommended procedures and tests for each stage of a healthy pregnancy.
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy located outside the inner lining of the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. Symptoms include abdominal pain, amenorrhea, and vaginal bleeding. Treatment options include observation, medication, or surgery.
Pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman. There are some symptoms that are more frequent in some women. These symptoms include a missed period, nausea, vomiting, bloating, weight gain, headaches, food cravings, and mood changes.
Amenorrhea is a condition in which there is an absense of menstrual periods in a woman. There are two types of amenorrhea, 1) primary and 2) secondary. Treatment of amenorrhea depends on the type (primary or secondary). In prmiray, surgery may be an option and in secondary amenorrhea medication or lifestyle changes may be treatment options.
The female reproductive system is designed to carry out several functions, including producing the female egg cells, conception, and producing female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle. During menopause the female reproductive system gradually stops making the female hormones necessary for the reproductive cycle to work.
Pregnancy planning is important to help prevent exposure of the mother and fetus to potentially harmful medications and substances during the early days, and throughout the pregnancy. Nutritional planning, prevention of birth defects, conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease need careful monitoring. Gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and pregnancy induced hypertension are conditions that may arise during pregnancy. Immunizations, inherited disorders, exercise, air travel, intercourse, and birth control are important factors to consider when planning a pregnancy.
Trying to get conceive, or become pregnant can be challenging, frustrating, and an emotional rollercoaster for some couples. There are things you can do to chart progress, which may ultimately lead to a successful healthy pregnancy, or, when necessary, lead to discussions with a fertility specialist. Being aware of your menstrual cycle, charting your fertility pattern, knowing the reasons for infertility, and treating infertility are key points to discuss with your partner and physician.
Sexual health information including birth control, impotence, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, staying healthy, women's sexual health concerns, and men's sexual health concerns. Learn about the most common sexual conditions affecting men and women.
Amenorrhea is the medical term for the absence of menstrual periods, either on a
permanent or temporary basis. Amenorrhea can be classified as primary or
secondary. In primary amenorrhea, menstrual periods have never begun (by age
16), whereas secondary amenorrhea is defined as the absence of menstrual periods
for three consecutive cycles or a time period of more than six months in a woman
who was previously menstruating.
The menstrual cycle can be influenced by many internal factors such as
transient changes in hormonal levels, stress, and illness, as well as external or
environmental factors. Missing one menstrual period is rarely a sign of a
serious problem or an underlying medical condition, but amenorrhea of longer
duration may signal the presence of a disease or chronic condition.
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