Today’s home pregnancy tests are almost as reliable as a doctor’s blood test. Usualy you will find yourself peeing on a stick, waiting for 5 minutes, and watching the indicator strip reveal the big news.
How do Home Pregnancy Tests work?
Modern HPT's will use urine or blood to measure the presence of a hormone called ‘human chorionic gonadotropin’ (hCG). hCG is produced only after an egg connects itself to your womb, after that happens hCG levels elevate doubling its concentrations in the blood stream every two to three days. It is important to look for a HPT that will detect the smallest amount possible, which is about 25mlU/ml for some test kits.
Avoiding False Readings
The two most common reasons you'll get a false negatives occur are testing too early, or doing the test improperly. You should also do a “trial run,” meaning you buy two of the same test and practice on one first. You can also use two different brands of tests and make sure you always read the indicator immediately after the suggested reaction time has taken place.
As for your urine make sure you use mid-stream urine, this is done by peeing a little bit and then placing the testing stick in the stream. Also use concentrated urine, this can be done by testing your urine when you first pee after waking up.
A false positive can also show in women who have taken hCG - as part of an infertility treatment program, or for any other reason. In a case like this, it can take two weeks for the hormone to completely clear your system. Another reason for a false positive is when a woman has recently experienced a miscarriage.
