Pregnancy Tests
Copyright 2006 WomanCentric Inc.
Most Women do not realize that pregnancy tests look for a
special hormone in the urine or blood that is only there
when a woman is pregnant. This hormone, human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG), can also be called the pregnancy
hormone.
The pregnancy hormone, hCG, is made in your body when a
fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens
about 6 days after conception. But studies show that the
embryo doesn't implant until later in some women. The
amount of hCG increases drastically with each passing day
you are pregnant.
Many home pregnancy tests claim they can tell if you're
pregnant on the day you expect your period. But a recent
study shows that most don't give accurate results this
early in pregnancy. Waiting one week after a missed period
will usually give a more accurate answer.
There are basically two types of tests. Blood tests and
urine tests. Both tests check for the hGC hormone. Many
women prefer the urine test bacause it can be preformed at
home but to get the most accurate results a blood test is
required.
Do not be afraid of the home pregnancy tests, many claim to
be 99% accurate on the day you miss your period. But
research suggests that most HPTs do not consistently spot
pregnancy that early. And when they do, the results are
often so faint they are misunderstood. If you can wait one
week after your missed period, most home pregnancy tests
will give you an accurate answer. Ask your doctor for a
more sensitive test if you need to know earlier.
When a home pregnancy test will give an accurate result
depends on many things. These include:
How long it takes for the fertilized egg to implant in the
uterus after ovulation. Pregnancy tests look for the
hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that is only
produced once the fertilized egg has implanted in the
uterine wall. In most cases, this happens about 6 days
after conception. But studies show that in up to 10 percent
of women, the embryo doesn't implant until much later,
after the first day of the missed period. So, home
pregnancy tests will be accurate as soon as one day after a
missed period for some women but not for others. How you
use them - Be sure to follow the directions and check the
expiration date. When you use them - The amount of hCG in a
pregnant woman's urine increases with time. So, the earlier
after a missed period you take a HPT, the harder it is to
spot the hCG. If you wait one week after a missed period to
test, you are more apt to have an accurate result. Also,
testing your urine first thing in the morning may boost the
accuracy. Who uses them - The amount of hCG in the urine at
different points in early pregnancy is different for every
woman. So, some women will have accurate results on the day
of the missed period while others will need to wait longer.
The brand of test - Some home pregnancy tests are more
sensitive than others. So, some tests are better than
others at spotting hCG early on. Keep in mind that many
over-the-counter medications can effect the outcome of any
pregnancy test.
About the Author:
http://www.earlysignofpregnancy.net is the most recent
women's resource site from Jacqueline Flynn. She is the
founder and President of WomanCentric.com.
http://www.WomanCentric.com is the webs first FREE women's
home business community.
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