On my third week, i had experienced changes in my physical body, initially i was skeptic on the idea that i am pregnant. My husband insisted to have confirmation so he bought a pregnancy test kit at the pharmacy. Thank God that i,m already pregnant after gotten married less than a month! ;)
I do my research about pregnancy test at babycenter.com.my.. I'm now their members. ;)What is a home pregnancy test?
A home pregnancy test measures the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine. This hormone is first secreted at the time the fertilised egg implants in the uterus (about six days after fertilisation) by the cells which go on to form the placenta. Levels of the hormone build up rapidly in your body in the first few days following implantation. Usually, home pregnancy tests should be able to pick up the hCG in your urine by the first day you miss your period. Levels of hCG peak between the 60th and 90th days of pregnancy (about the ninth week of pregnancy).
If you have a negative result when you first test, it may be that the levels of hCG have not yet reached a level where they can be detected by a test, even by the day your period is due, so you may want to wait a few days then test again.
Not all pregnancy tests are the same. Some are more sensitive and usually more expensive as a result. The more sensitive tests can detect pregnancy even if you have only a small amount of hCG in your system. Concentrations of hCG are reported in milliInternational Units (mIU) or amounts equal to 1/1000th of an IU per millilitre. A test with a sensitivity of 20 IU/L is more sensitive than one with 50 IU/L. You should be able to find this information on any pregnancy test box.
How do I use a home pregnancy test?
You can test any time of day, and as early as the first day of your missed period for most tests. More sensitive tests may be able to detect low levels of hCG a few days before your period is due but testing this early may give you an inaccurate result (see below). Avoid drinking too much fluid just before testing as this could dilute the pregnancy hormone in your urine. Over-the-counter medicines, such as paracetamol, should not affect the result, but fertility drugs containing hCG may do so.
First, read the directions carefully, because the instructions will vary with different brands. Some require you to urinate in a pot and then, using a dropper, place a small sample into a testing well. Others let you pee directly onto a stick. But, fundamentally, all pregnancy tests work the same way; they measure the amount of hCG in your body. What's different is how they display results (positive or negative). Some change the colour of the urine sample, others show pink or blue lines on the test strip, reveal a red plus or minus sign, or the actual words "pregnant" or "not pregnant", in a window.
How long does it take to see the results?
You can check the results in about five minutes; the longest five minutes ever. If you're testing in the bathroom, you may want to go to another part of the house and find something else to do. A watched pot never boils, and a watched pregnancy test is just excruciating.
Are home pregnancy tests accurate?
If you follow directions to the letter, home pregnancy tests are 97 per cent accurate. But mistakes do happen, which is why some kits come with two tests. There are several reasons why a home pregnancy test may be negative: you may not be pregnant, or your body may not be making a normal amount of hCG. If you test too early (before the first day of your missed period), you may get a false negative result because not enough of the hormone has built up in your system. If the test comes back negative but you still suspect you're pregnant, wait a few days, read the directions carefully, and try again. False positives, when the test says you're pregnant but you're not, are rare.
If you have irregular periods, it may be harder to calculate when your period is due. Allow for your longest cycle in recent months before testing. If you have recently stopped taking the contraceptive pill, you may not know how long your natural cycle is so you may end up testing either too soon or too late. If your test is negative in either of these situations, you should test again in three days.
BabyCenter tip: Perform the test first thing in the morning when your urine is most concentrated.
Where can I buy one?
Home pregnancy tests may be purchased without a prescription at most pharmacists. You can also buy them online by mail order.
How are home pregnancy tests different from ones performed by doctors?
Many clinics use home pregnancy tests to verify pregnancies, in which case, they're exactly the same. Occasionally, women are given blood tests, but they aren't all that different from home pregnancy tests, either. Both types look for hCG in your body. A blood test is much more sensitive than any over-the-counter kit, which means it can determine whether you're pregnant just six to eight days after you ovulate.
Resources from : http://www.babycenter.com.my
No comments:
Post a Comment