How Do Pregnancy Tests Work? - Birthright of Greater Hartford

July 31, 2023

Are you experiencing common pregnancy symptoms such as a missed period, nausea, fatigue, or cramping? All of these point to a potential pregnancy. Find clarity with a simple pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests work by reading either your urine or blood and have a 99% accuracy rate.

Pregnancy Tests Detect hCG

HCG stands for a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin which is naturally produced by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG is found in both urine and blood around 10 to 11 days after conception.

Pregnancy tests help to confirm pregnancy by measuring hCG. A woman’s hCG levels are the highest around 10 weeks of pregnancy and decline for the remainder of her pregnancy.

Types of Pregnancy Tests

There are two main types of pregnancy tests — urine tests and blood tests. A home pregnancy test is a urine test offered at your local drugstore and is very inexpensive.

Next, there is a blood pregnancy test which involves giving a sample of blood to determine your pregnancy, done at your local healthcare office. Blood pregnancy tests are slightly more sensitive than normal urine pregnancy tests.

Why Timing Matters

According to the Mayo Clinic, getting a false pregnancy test result is possible if taken too early. The best time to take a pregnancy test is the first day of your missed period but if the home pregnancy test is negative and your period doesn’t begin, you should take it again in a few days or in one week. Home pregnancy tests claim to be 99% accurate but they differ in their ability to find a pregnancy in people who have recently missed a period.

Another important note is what time of day to take a pregnancy test. First morning specimens generally contain the highest concentrations of hCG and are recommended for early detection of pregnancy. However, any urine sample is suitable for testing.

Medical-Grade Pregnancy Tests

Get the clarity you need today about your pregnancy with a medical-grade pregnancy test at Birthright. You deserve answers.

Make a free and confidential appointment to begin. Our compassionate team is here to help you along the way.

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