• 4th February 2019

How do pregnancy tests work?

woman-holding-pregnancy-test

How do pregnancy tests work?

How do pregnancy tests work? 809 540 Original Window to the Womb

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Pregnancy tests are an easy and accurate way to find out if youโ€™re pregnant – you just pee on a stick. They are inexpensive and available at Chemists and most superstores.

How accurate are pregnancy tests?

Pregnancy tests are very accurate when you use them correctly. The pregnancy tests you get at the Chemists work 99 out of 100 times. Theyโ€™re just as accurate as a urine pregnancy test that youโ€™d get at your Health Centre.

Pregnancy tests work by checking your urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).ย  Your body only makes this hormone if youโ€™re pregnant. HCG is released when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of yourย uterusย .If your pregnancy test results are positive, it means you’re pregnant. If theyโ€™re negative, it means youโ€™re not pregnant.

pregnancy test

Accurate Pregnancy Tests

Pregnancy tests are most accurate when you take them after youโ€™ve already missed your period, with the first pee of the day

A pregnancy test will be less accurate if itโ€™s expired or if you donโ€™t use it the right way. So always check the expiration date on the package, and carefully read the directions that come with your pregnancy test.

How soon can I take a pregnancy test?

You can take a pregnancy test anytime after your period is late thatโ€™s when they work the best. Itโ€™s a good idea to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible if you miss your period or think you might be pregnant. The earlier you know youโ€™re pregnant, the sooner you can start thinking about yourย care..

Many pregnancy tests say they work a few days before a missed period, but the results are usually less accurate then. Read the label on your pregnancy test to find out when to take a pregnancy test and how accurate itโ€™ll be.

Sometimes a pregnancy test is able to find pregnancy hormones in your urine as early as 10 days after unprotected sex. But these results arenโ€™t super reliable, and you may get a false positive or false negative test result.

If your periods are very irregular, or you donโ€™t get periods at all for one reason or another, your best bet for accurate results is to take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after sex.

Donโ€™t worry about your due date, this will be confirmed by an Ultrasound scan Your 12 wk Dating scan, takes measurements of baby to predict due date.

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