Have you been missing your periods and are wondering if you’re pregnant? Is the anticipation killing you?
You might want to start by testing yourself with pregnancy test kits at home. Before you become even more confused, here’s everything you need to know about home pregnancy test kits, from what they are to how and when to use them.
What Is Pregnancy Test?
A typical pregnancy stick test is frequently included with a pregnancy kit, including a small vial or dropper, depending on the manufacturer.
A pregnancy test can confirm the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), also known as the pregnancy hormone, in a pregnant woman’s urine.
What Is A Pregnancy Test Kit?
As the name implies, a pregnancy test kit uses a simple test to determine whether you are pregnant or not. These kits can be found in any local chemist shop or internet. These test kits can be purchased without a prescription (thus the name “over the counter pregnancy test kits”) and used to check for pregnancy in the privacy of your own home.
You can measure the hormone known as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine with these test kits. Unlike laboratory pregnancy tests, these tests are qualitative tests that only evaluate the presence of the hormone and show whether the test is positive or negative.
When Do You Need A Pregnancy Test Kit?
Missing your period, cramps, nausea, and a feeling of fullness or tingling in your breasts could all be indicators of pregnancy.
To determine whether you’re pregnant, you can use a pregnancy test kit at home.
Types Of Pregnancy Test Kits
There are many types of pregnancy kits in India, which can be divided into test strips and test sticks. These tests can be purchased for between Rs 50 and Rs 100. You don’t need to spend more than necessary on pregnancy strips because you’ll be discarding them after a single-use.
Pregnancy Test Strips: These are the most readily available and used pregnancy test kits.
How To Use It: The pregnancy test strip comes with a test cassette and a dropper in each packet. Collect your urine in a disposable cup to test yourself. Put a few drops in the well of the strip using a dropper and wait 3-5 minutes before reading the result.
Pregnancy Test Sticks: These aren’t as popular as test strips, but they’re easy to come by on the internet.
How To Use It:
A pregnancy test stick packet includes a stick with one end for holding the test and the other for urinating.
To put it to the test, you need to remove the cap from the absorbent side of the bar. From the other end, firmly hold the test. Allow the first few drops of pee to fall naturally, then hold the device in the middle of the stream. If having the stick and peeing on it makes you uncomfortable, you can collect the urine in a disposable cup and dip the stick in it for a few minutes to see the results.
Keep in mind: Always buy two pregnancy strips at once so that if you get a false negative result, you may double-check with the second test 2-3 days later.
How To Check The Results Of A Pregnancy Test Kit?
Always test yourself with the first urine when you get up in the morning, regardless of which pregnancy test kit you purchase. The rationale for this is that it is the most intense, and your chances of getting a positive response are higher if you take the test during this time. The test findings are displayed in the middle of the stick/strip.
A single pink line indicates that the test was negative and you’re not pregnant. If both pink lines appear, the test is positive, and you are expecting a child. When the second line is faint in color, it still holds positive. If there isn’t a line, your test is invalid, and you must retake it. There are various reasons for a test to be invalid, including using the incorrect procedure, using an expired kit, spilling too little urine, or simply because the test was defective. In this scenario, retake the test using a new kit.
If your test shows a faint second line, you may be pregnant. Because you are still early in your pregnancy, a light line could be caused by a low hormone level. Take the test again after a few days have passed. If you’re still unsure, see a doctor and have a blood test done to be cautious.
Tips for Taking a Pregnancy Test
Although taking a pregnancy test appears to be simple, we all make some frequent errors. The most common errors which people make while using a pregnancy test could be understood by the below-mentioned pregnancy tips.
Taking the test too soon: Only when you take the test approximately 2 weeks after you conceive can you get a positive result on a pregnancy test. If you take a test too soon, you will get negative results. If you have regular periods, the optimum time to take the test is one day after you haven’t had one in a while. However, if you have irregular periods, three weeks following your sexual intercourse is the optimal time to take the test.
Taking the test later in the day
Pregnancy tests should be performed first activity in the morning using the first urine sample of the day. Because your urine is the most concentrated, during this time of the day. As the day goes on, your urine becomes more diluted, increasing the chances of a false negative.
Waiting for less time for the results to appear
Wait at least 5 minutes before reading the results. That’s how long it takes your urine hormones to respond to the test strip. If you read the test too soon, you can get a false negative result.
After taking certain medications, take the test
Hormone levels rise due to some fertility treatments. When you take a test while taking these medications, you risk getting a false positive. Before taking the test, talk to your doctor to see if your medication will alter the results.
After the home test, there was no follow-up:
- Always keep track of your pregnancy test results.
- If you get a negative result, retake the test in 3-4 days to determine the situation.
- If the test comes up positive, see your doctor for a blood test to confirm your pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
1. When should I use the pregnancy test kit?
You can carry out the test as early as the first day of a missed period. If you are still unsure when your next period will arrive, take the test at least 21 days after your last unprotected sex. Even if you haven’t missed a period, you can use some more sensitive pregnancy tests.
2. Could I take a pregnancy test at night or day?
In short, yes. You can take a pregnancy test at any time of day or night. The question of whether you should acquire an accurate result, on the other hand, is a little less apparent. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) levels in urine-based pregnancy tests are designed to respond to specific amounts of hCG.
3. What if the pregnancy test is negative but still has no period?
Wait a few days if you think you’re pregnant after missing a period, but your pregnancy test returned negative. After that, retest. If you continue to miss your period, talk to your doctor to rule out any complications.
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