A pregnancy test is usually used by people who want to have a baby or who suspect they are pregnant to find out if they are pregnant. There are two different types of pregnancy tests: One is a urine pregnancy test and the other is a blood test. Urine tests are small kits available from pharmacies. The test result can be obtained with a few drops of urine. In blood tests, the blood taken from the person suspected of pregnancy is analyzed under laboratory conditions and the test result is obtained. Both tests are among the methods frequently used by people who suspect pregnancy. It is important to perform these tests at the right time, under the right conditions and in the right way. In addition to the classical urine test, there are also test kits that detect pregnancy at an early stage.
What is a pregnancy test?
A pregnancy test is a test that provides certainty of the possibility of pregnancy by measuring the amount of Beta-HCG hormone, also known as pregnancy hormone, in the blood and urine with the increase in the hormone Beta-HCG in the body with the onset of pregnancy. Beta-HCG is not only a hormone associated with pregnancy. An increase in this hormone can also be seen in any woman or man due to other diseases. For this reason, although the possibility of pregnancy is high in people with high Beta-HCG hormone levels, further diagnostic tests should be performed and the investigation should continue. While blood tests are more reliable because they measure the Beta-HCG level directly, urine tests are more preferred because they provide convenience such as no need to go to the hospital.
How is a pregnancy test performed? It is done by dropping a small amount of urine onto a pregnancy test kit. This kit measures the Beta-HCG ratio in urine and gives single line, i.e. negative or double line, i.e. positive results. In a non-pregnant and healthy woman, the Beta-HCG hormone level is in the range of 0-10 mlU/mL. With the onset of pregnancy, the rate of this hormone increases rapidly. Although the reliability of urine tests plays a big role in the preference of the method, it would be right to get support from blood tests, as they can give false results from time to time.
What is an Early Pregnancy Test?
Early pregnancy tests are test kits in which the result is obtained by dripping urine like classical urine pregnancy tests. However, early pregnancy test kits are more sensitive than other kits and can detect the early pregnancy period that classical tests cannot detect. In other words, early pregnancy test kits measure the Beta-HCG hormone level more precisely and are sensitive enough to detect the ups and downs of the level more clearly. In conventional pregnancy tests, a delay in menstruation and observation of the process is required for the test to be applied. In conventional tests, the rise of the Beta-HCG hormone may not be detected even on the first day of menstruation. Therefore, even if the person is pregnant, the test may be negative because the hormone is slightly elevated. However, early pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy within a week of fertilization.
How is a blood pregnancy test performed?
The best and most reliable method that can be recommended to people who want to take a pregnancy test is a blood pregnancy test. In this test, the level of the Beta-HCG hormone can be measured with a single tube of blood sample taken from the arm. The results are usually available on the same day. Generally, a high level of Beta-HCG hormone in people of reproductive age, who are healthy and have an active sex life, indicates pregnancy.
Beta-HCG hormone levels may increase due to some diseases. In some types of cancer, Down syndrome, liver tumors, etc. it can be seen that this hormone is high in some diseases. However, the hormone level may be high in pregnancies that occur under unhealthy conditions such as ectopic pregnancy, empty pregnancy. To detect a healthy pregnancy, an ultrasound analysis and monitoring of the heartbeat pattern are necessary. If the pregnancy test is positive, the test can be repeated after a few days. The hormone has a wide range of values and it does not matter whether it is close to the lower or upper limit. What is important is that the hormone level rises regularly. As the pregnancy progresses and the baby grows large enough to be observed by ultrasound, Beta-HCG hormone levels do not need to be monitored.
How is a urine pregnancy test performed?
Apart from the blood pregnancy test, another method that can be applied is the urine pregnancy test. Urine pregnancy test is an affordable and convenient test kit available from pharmacies. Like blood tests, the urine pregnancy test analyzes whether there is a pregnancy by measuring hormone levels. The instructions for use of the test should be read for safe administration. Urine pregnancy tests can be performed in two different ways. The urine sample is filled into a container and the test strip is dipped into the container. The other method is to hold the test strip under the flowing urine for the time specified in the instructions. The test requires about 15 minutes to give a definitive result. A urine sample can be collected at any time of the day. However, it will be more effective to apply the test during the first urine in the morning. A single line on the kit indicates a negative result, i.e. no pregnancy. If there are double lines, it is positive, meaning there is a pregnancy. If the lines are faint and not clearly visible, the test may need to be repeated. There are instructions in the package insert of the pregnancy test kit.
When is a urine pregnancy test obvious?
The best time to take a pregnancy test is when your period is late. Even if there is a pregnancy in tests performed before the delay in menstruation, the hormone level may be too low. This can lead to erroneous and negative results. The margin of error is very low in tests performed after a delay in menstruation. After a week or so after sexual intercourse, information about pregnancy can be obtained by applying early pregnancy tests. If a positive result is obtained after the test, a physician should be consulted; the tests are repeated at the time recommended by the physician and according to the result, when the pregnancy reaches the 4th-5th week, an ultrasound examination is performed.
If you want to have a baby or are experiencing symptoms of pregnancy, you can consult a health care provider and undergo an examination. If you have taken a urine pregnancy test or an early pregnancy test and received a positive result, you should see a doctor as soon as possible to have a blood test and be examined.