How to Conduct a Home Pregnancy Test
November 3, 2009 by uttoransen
Filed under Home and Family
How to Conduct a Home Pregnancy Test – Can you hear the flapping of a Stork’s wings? Do you have food cravings? Are you feeling fatigued all the time? Have you recently missed a period? Perhaps it’s time to think about imminent motherhood. But before you go shouting it from the rooftops, it’s best to take a Home Pregnancy Test.
Home Pregnancy Tests – Home Pregnancy Tests these days are quite accurate for most women and can be taken within a week of the suspected date of conception. There are some Home Pregnancy Tests that can even be taken 48 hours from the time of conception, to provide tentative results, for over-eager mothers-to-be.
The mechanism behind the Home Pregnancy Test is that it detects hCG or human Chronic Gonadotropin, which is also called the “pregnancy hormone”. This hormone exists in the urine of a woman only during the period of pregnancy. This hormone is formed in the body in the first 6 days from conception and increases rapidly in the body.
Conducting the Home Pregnancy Test – Basically, the test is conducted by urinating on a Test Strip which is provided in the Home Pregnancy Test Kit. The Test Strip is then left for a minute or two to mix with a chemical in the strip. You can interpret the results afterwards based on the number of lines on the Test Strip or the color of the lines on the Test Strip, depending on which brand you have purchased. The entire test only takes a few minutes.
Purchase only FDA approved Kits – Now before you conduct a Pregnancy Test, make sure you purchase only an FDA approved Home Pregnancy Kit. These devices are the safest, and are tested to give the most accurate results. Do not purchase kits that are not FDA approved or require insertion into the body. Ideally, most Pregnancy Test Kits are external devices.
Read the instructions manual carefully – Also, read the instructions given on the pamphlet provided along with the Test Kit carefully for any precautions to be taken. These explain the correct method for testing and are most important to ensure the accuracy of the test results.
Use the device at Room Temperature – If you have stored the device in cold storage (or if you have just purchased the device from a chemist, where it was most likely stored in the refrigerator), make sure that you bring the device to room temperature before using it for best results.
Take the test a second time – If the test results came back negative, but you are showing signs of pregnancy or suspect that you are pregnant, try taking the test again after a few days to make sure. Since the hCG in the body increases rapidly if you are pregnant, the test may come out positive the next time around.
Consult a doctor – No matter what your test results indicate, it is always best to consult a gynecologist to make absolutely sure that you are pregnant. Certain times, the test results may not be accurate due to a defective device or an improper method of testing.
So, if you suspect that you are pregnant, buy yourself a pregnancy test and put your mind to rest in only a few minutes. Most test results are accurate if the instructions are carefully followed. Is it time to start painting the nursery yet?
