If you and your partner are eagerly trying to get pregnant, then the home pregnancy test kit is definitely on your shopping list this month. Easily available off the pharmacy shelves, home pregnancy tests are the most popular early pregnancy detection tests for couples. However, follow home pregnancy test instructions carefully to avoid the possibility of inaccurate results.
So, how do you ensure you are using the pregnancy test kit the right way? For one, follow the instructions on the pregnancy test, step by step for more accurate results. Also, it helps to learn a bit more about how the pregnancy detection kit works for precise usage.
A home pregnancy test is a urine test that detects the presence of a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), which is present only in a pregnant woman. The placenta present in women produces this HCG hormone as soon as a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall.
If you are in a hospital for a pregnancy test, your doctor may recommend a blood test to detect the presence of the HCG hormone. On the other hand, home pregnancy tests, if done properly, easily identify HCG in urine.
To avoid the chances of false positives or false negatives, it is advisable to follow home pregnancy test instructions to the letter. Also, understand important do’s and don’ts while using an at-home pregnancy kit.
The first important home pregnancy test instruction is not to be too enthusiastic and test too early. HCG increases in your urine over time. So, when’s the right time to use the urine pregnancy kit? Wait at least a day after you miss your first period to use the kit. Also, for more accurate results, test your early morning urine sample as soon as you awake because the HCG concentration is at its peak.
Although all urine pregnancy tests have the same working principle, various kit brands may suggest different methods of testing your urine for HCG. For example, some kits may require you to place the test stick directly under your urine, while other kits may provide a cup and dropper to collect urine. So, for more accurate results, it’s important to read the instructions carefully.
Consuming excessive too much water before the test can dilute the urine sample and consequently lead to inaccurate results.
Certain medications or testing too late can also lead to false negative results. How? Certain medications like fertility medicines containing HCG can provide false negative results. Also, home pregnancy tests are most accurate in the initial stages of your pregnancy. It detects a particular type of the HCG hormone in your body that is present in the formative stages of pregnancy. So, testing too late can give you a false negative result. Further, using an expired kit or reading results later in the day can give you false negative results.
Home pregnancy tests are quite accurate. However, clinically confirming your pregnancy is important to ensure early pregnancy care for a healthy and safe pregnancy. Visit Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Hospital, the leading fertility hospital in Bangalore, for your first pregnancy test in hospital. At Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, we have a team of the best gynecologists ensuring your pregnancy care from the start. Our state-of-the-art facilities and advanced technology make us one of the best fertility hospitals in Bangalore. Schedule your appointment today.
