Are you wondering if you are pregnant – but you don’t know when it’s best to take the test? When should you do the test so that the results are as accurate as possible? We answer this question and give you a handful of useful tips.
Pregnancy test – how does it work?
Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced in our body during pregnancy. This happens when a fertilized egg nests in the endometrium. At first, hCG is produced by the developing embryo and then by the placenta. HCG’s job is to produce progesterone – a hormone that is necessary to maintain pregnancy – and to maintain corpus luteum function.
When the egg is embedded in the endometrium, the level of hCG in the body begins to increase rapidly. It reaches its highest value around the 10th week of pregnancy. Then this value begins to decrease until it is resolved. How do home pregnancy tests detect hCG levels in urine? Monoclonal anti-hCG antibodies are applied to them, which react to the presence of hCG hormone.
Pregnancy test – morning or evening?
There is a misconception that a pregnancy test should be done in the morning because hCG concentration is highest in the morning urine. It may indeed matter, but only in the case of very early pregnancy. If the pregnancy test is done in a timely manner after the alleged conception, it does not matter if it is done in the morning, afternoon or evening.
After how many days is the pregnancy test best done?
Unfortunately, patience is needed to confirm pregnancy. It is safest to do the test 9-10 days after fertilization – then the result will be reasonably reliable.
Why? Only after this time does the embryo implant in the endometrium, and then – the start of secretion of chorionic gonadotropin. So it’s better to save yourself nerves and take the pregnancy test only after this time after intercourse.
Pregnancy test and false positive result
Is the pregnancy test positive? Congratulations, it’s probably a pregnancy! However, not always a positive result indicates a developing pregnancy. No pregnancy test can give us total confidence, because a false positive result is possible. It can happen when:
- you have recently had a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy is developing
- we take psychotropic and antipsychotic drugs, strong painkillers, hormonal injections, antihistamines, fertility preparations,
- we are struggling with thyroid or kidney diseases, ovarian cysts, cancer,
- the body enters menopause.
Types of pregnancy tests
There are three types of pregnancy tests – platelet, stream and strip – however, each of them informs about the result – positive or negative – by means of a line in the control area (resembling a small window).
- platelet pregnancy tests – a few drops of urine are placed with a pipette on the appropriate test plate
- pregnancy pregnancy tests – the tester’s absorbing tip should be held in the urine stream for a few seconds
- pregnancy test strips – after collecting urine into a clean, dry container, you need to immerse the tip of the test in it.
