HCG pregnancy tests
The hCG, technically called human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone which appears in a woman’s body only when she gets pregnant or when she takes some medicines which contain it, like: anti-Parkinson’s medicines, anti-convulsives, some diuretics or some tranquilizers. This hormone, also known as the, is produced by the placenta after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining, implantation which does not occur until 6 days after ovulation.
There are two types of pregnancy tests, blood tests and urine ones, and both of them work by the same principle: the detection of the presence and levels of the hCG in a woman’s body. The big difference between the two ones is the way they detect it: blood tests, as their name suggests, are using the woman’s blood to detect the hCG, and urine ones are using her urine. Other differences, which are very important for women and which influence them to choose home tests are: their price – urine tests are far cheaper than blood tests; the place you can take them is another major difference – the blood tests can only be taken in a clinic, but the urine ones can be taken in their own homes, offering them the possibility to find out if they are pregnant or not in a private atmosphere.
Home pregnancy tests also have some very important features: most of them have an accuracy of 99%, are easy to use, easy to read etc. However, this accuracy level is maintained only if you take the test at a proper time: 2 weeks after the moment you think you have conceived(by the doctors’ recommendation), or the day you have missed your period(by the tests instructions). You can also take it earlier than that with the possibility to get an accurate result, but not earlier than 6 days after ovulation because you will surely get a negative result(which could be a false one).
The hCG pregnancy tests are very easy to use and to read. All you have to do is to remove the test stick cap and then to hold the stick under your urine stream for 5 seconds; that’s all you practically have to do and then wait for 2-3 minutes so that your result will show up in the results window: one line – means that you are not pregnant, two lines mean that you are pregnant. If the test you are using it is a digital one, the result will be spelled out in words: “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant”.
As a conclusion, hCG pregnancy tests represent the best way to find out if you are pregnant or not, no matter if we’re talking about the blood or the urine ones.
Related posts:
- The accuracy of pregnancy tests
- Preganancy tests results
- How to test for pregnancy?
- Pregnancy test at home
- Can pregnancy tests be false positive?
