Archive for June, 2007

All the pregnancy kit advertises that they give 99% accuracy. You might miss the fine print on the box that says something about the pregnancy hormone and how it differs from woman to woman. It is easy to understand about the pregnancy test accuracy and every woman should understand that.

Almost all the pregnancy tests are accurate unless something happens with the tests. All the home pregnancy tests are made similar and the home pregnancy test accuracy of each test might vary slightly. Some of the kits might detect even the slightest hcG present and some might not detect this.

Knowing the pregnancy test accuracy

The pregnancy test accuracy depends on the type of home pregnancy kit that is used for testing the pregnancy. The products that are available in the market to detect pregnancy can detect levels of hCG present. This level of detection could vary with the pregnancy kit used. Some of the kits I the market are not designed to detect levels that are less than 100 mIU. Some of the lowest level detection are done up to 25 mIU. However there are products that can detect the lowest hormone level of up to 6.5 mIU.

You should know that not all the products tell about the sensitivity level that they can detect. Only a few products would advertise the levels. If you want this information you can find it in the internet for all the products available in the market. Some of the brands in the market have different products that have different sensitivity level.

Understanding the Sensitivity Ratings

One of the Wal-Mart’s brand of home pregnancy kit is the Equate home pregnancy kit. This kit come with two differnet detection levels. One of the kit can detect hCG levels up to 25 mIU and the other kit can detect only hCG levels above 100 mIU. If you want the sensitive one you can go for the 25 mIU kit.

There are chances for misunderstanding the pregnancy test accuracy. It is possible that you might a negative result while using one kit. Then you might try the other brand the next day and you might get the result as positive. This doesn’t mean that the first kit was not good. It is the time lag that made the result positive and not the kit. During the first test the level of hCG might have been low enough that it is not detected by the pregnancy kit.

hCG the pregnancy hormone is produced only after the placenta is attached to the uterine. This might happen at different time for different women. It is not possible to predict when that would happen. Until then no pregnancy test can detect the hCG level. The pregnancy test accuracy studies conducted reveal this. The time at which the pregnancy test is taken is responsible for the pregnancy test accuracy.

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When a woman suspects that she is pregnant she has a tendency to get a pregnancy test taken immediately. Sometimes you may not get an accurate result and that might cause a lot of confusion. There are many home pregnancy tests advertised in the market and you can use one to perform a test. If you know how it is done you migh not be in a hurry to do that pregnancy test.

Knowing the hCG

The placenta produces the hormone called hCG. This hormone is produced after the embryo attaches itself to the wall of the uterine. A typical pregnancy test detects this hormone and gives the result as positive. Home pregnancy tests done might have different sensitivity level to this hormone and so the detection might also be at different levels.

It will not be the same as the embryo is attached to the uterine wall. Sometimes the embryo may not be equipped to grow and it might detach from the uterine wall and is eliminated by the menstrual cycle. So it might be possible to get a positive result at one time and then when the embryo gets detached the result might be negative. This might lead to a confusion.

Knowing the False Negative result

It is possible for the pregnancy test to be negative even when the embryo is attached and the hCG has not entered the woman’s system. In such cases the pregnancy test would be negative even though in reality it is positive. Thus it is also possible to get a false negative result.

So you have to be patient to get the pregnancy test done. wait until you miss your period and at least for a few days after it stops. Only then you will get an accurate result. You should know that a pregnancy test will not detect what is not present there in our body.

Getting a false positive result is very rare. Some people take the pregnancy test even before they miss the period. In such cases you might be required to take the test again to confirm pregnancy. It is usual to get a false negative and if you feel that you might be pregnant then you have to repeat the test again.

It is better to wait for a long time to take the first pregnancy test. This would help you to avoid a lot of frustration and anxiety.

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Once you heard the term “online pregnancy test”, don’t think you’re going to wet your computer. The term is a misnomer because checking up of pregnancy online is an obscure. It is nothing but a test with predictability on pregnancy.

Online pregnancy testing

Online pregnancy testing is game of gambling. There are many websites to make attempts. In a questionnaire, you should enter your last period’s first day and the probable date of your conceiving is also to be entered. Subsequently, examine the list of symptoms well and submit them. Then, a number will be given mentioning the possibility that you are pregnant by the website.

You should not take this pregnancy testing as a serious one and is just an easy mathematics related calculation. Online pregnancy test in no way will reveal about your pregnancy. If you understand that this is only a game, then there is no problem. However, you should not take these predictions so critically.

Physician’s Consultation

Don’t waste time by the online pregnancy test when you seriously think to test your pregnancy and in such occasion, you need to consult your doctor immediately without any delay. However, to find out whether you are pregnant or not, even you can attempt for a home pregnancy test.

To the surprise, these tests have accuracy since they work precisely in the same manner like the urine test done in doctor’s office. Chemicals are used to react with urine of a woman for the tracing out of the pregnancy hormone HCG.

When you are not pregnant or when there is no detectable level of HCG, the test doesn’t find the hormone and is so simple. When the test has detected the hormone, then you are pregnant. This can’t be achieved by an online pregnancy test.

Although urine test confirms your pregnancy, the blood test only authenticates your pregnancy. The problem here is the high cost factor and perhaps, you need to approach a doctor for this test. Further, two different techniques are there with regard to the blood test and you will surely be willing to know what type to be asked.

The qualitative blood test will function effectively in the manner at some level to identify HCG in the blood. Like the urine test, when you are pregnant, this identifies the hormone and you are not pregnant it won’t.

The quantitative test is the other pregnancy blood test and this can trace any quantity of HCG in your system. Hence, if this is present at all, then this blood test is capable of finding HCG.

There are some methods to recognize your pregnancy easily, even when you determine to go for an online pregnancy test. However, never let any factor as a substitute for a doctor’s visit. When you think you are pregnant, approach your doctor.

Technorati Tags: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Test, Blood Test