Pregnancy Test (cont.)
How do you do a home pregnancy test?
There are many different types of home
pregnancy tests, or HPTs. Most drugstores sell HPTs over-the-counter. They cost
between $8 and $20 depending on the brand and how many tests come in the box.
Most popular HPTs work in a similar way. The majority tell the user to hold a
stick in the urine stream. Others involve collecting urine in a cup and then
dipping the stick into it. At least one brand tells the woman to collect urine
in a cup and then put a few drops into a special container with a dropper.
Testing the urine first thing in the morning may help boost accuracy.
Then the woman needs to wait a few minutes. Different brands instruct the
woman to wait different amounts of time. Once the time has passed, the user
should inspect the "result window." If a line or plus symbol appears, you are
pregnant. It does not matter how faint the line is. A line, whether bold or
faint, means the result is positive.
Most tests also have a "control indicator" in the result window. This line or
symbol shows whether the test is working or not. If the control indicator does
not appear, the test is not working properly. You should not rely on any results
from a HPT that may be faulty.
Most brands tell users to repeat the test in a few days, no matter what the
results. One negative result (especially soon after a missed period) does not
always mean you're not pregnant. All HPTs come with written instructions. Most
tests also have toll-free phone numbers to call in case of questions about use
or results.
How accurate are home pregnancy tests?
Home pregnancy tests (HPTs) can be
quite accurate. But the accuracy depends on many things. These include:
- How you use them - Be sure to follow the directions and check the expiration
date.
- When you use them - The amount of hCG or pregnancy hormone in your urine
increases with time. So, the earlier after a missed period you take the test the
harder it is to spot the hCG. If you wait one week after a missed period to
test, you are more apt to have an accurate result. Also, testing your urine
first thing in the morning may boost the accuracy.
- Who uses them - The amount of
hCG in the urine is different for every pregnant woman. So, some women will have
accurate results on the day of the missed period while others will need to wait
longer.
- The brand of test - Some home pregnancy tests are more sensitive than
others. So, some tests are better than others at spotting hCG early on.
Many HPTs claim to be 99% accurate on the day you miss your period. But research
suggests that most HPTs do not consistently spot pregnancy that early. And when
they do, the results are often very faint.
In a 2004 study, researchers tested the accuracy of 18 HPTs sold in retail
stores. They found that only one brand consistently detected the low levels of
hCG usually present on the first day of the missed period. This was the First
Response, Early Result Pregnancy Test. The other tests missed up to 85% of
pregnancies on the first day of the missed period. Most tests accurately
confirmed pregnancies one week after the missed period.
Next: Which brand of pregnancy test is the most accurate? »
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