Home Pregnancy Test

How does it work?

A home pregnancy test measures the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadorophin (hCG) in your urine.  Levels of the hormone build up rapidly in your body in the first few days after implantation of the fertilised egg in the uterus.  A home pregnancy test should be able to pick up the hCG in your urine by the first day you miss you period.  Levels of hCG peak between the 60th and 90th day of pregnancy.

How do I use my home pregnancy test?

With most tests you can test any time of day and as early as the first day of your missed period.  However, it is recommended that you perform the test first thing in the morning when our urine is most concentrated.  Over the counter medicines, such as paracetamol, should not affect the result, but fertility drugs containing hCG may give a false positive. 
Read the instructions of your home pregnancy test carefully because the way that you should do it, the waiting time and the way they display the results may differ.

How long does it take to see the results?

You can check the results in about 5 minutes – the longest 5 minutes ever! Staring at the home pregnancy test is just excruciating, rather take a walk through the house to keep you occupied for 5 minutes.

How accurate is a home pregnancy test?

You may get a false negative result because not enough of the hCG hormone has build up in your system.  If the test comes back negative but you still suspect that you might be pregnant, wait a few days and try the test again.

How do the home pregnancy test differ from the test perform by your doctor?

Doctors mostly use blood test to confirm pregnancy because it is much more sensitive for the hormone hCG than any over-the-counter kit.  It can determine whether you are pregnant just 6 to 8 days after you ovulate.  It is also useful in dating the pregnancy accurately.


  Back to the 10 Signs