What is the best time to take a pregnancy test? When can I do a pregnancy test? Sign up for an appointment with the doctor

You don’t yet know that you’re expecting a baby, you don’t even think about it, and your body has already begun producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone secreted during pregnancy. It begins to be produced not just in the first days - in the first hours of pregnancy, its amount doubles daily, increasing several thousand times by 7-11 weeks, then gradually decreases until the day of birth. All home pregnancy tests are based on the determination of hCG in urine.

What tests are there?

Determination of hCG in urine is less sensitive, especially during ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the test may become positive a little later. If determining pregnancy in very early stages is very important for you, then you need to contact a medical institution, where they will do a more sensitive and accurate test by analyzing the content of hCG in the blood. For home use, test strips or test cassettes that determine the hormone content in urine are also quite suitable. In any case, they can give a very definite answer to the main question: yes or no?

Many companies produce home pregnancy tests; at the time of publication, the most expensive test that could be found in a pharmacy was offered by the German company Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare - for the jet test (you do not need to lower it into a container for collecting urine, just wet it) Evitest Supreme I'll have to post it 310 rub. 40 kopecks. At the other end of the scale is a test cassette "Know now optima" from the Canadian company "Salyuta" - good news will cost you only 30 rub. 50 kopecks.

How to do the analysis correctly?

In pharmacies you can find two types of tests: jet tests (as the name suggests, you can simply place them under a stream of urine) and test strips, which need to be placed in a container with urine. The instructions for use and development time are different for all tests, so carefully follow the instructions on the package.

” Please note that midstream tests (for use in a stream of urine) can also be used as a regular test (i.e., dipped into a container of urine). But test strips cannot be used in a stream of urine!

Urine should be collected in a clean glass, plastic or waxed container; no preservatives should be added. If the test or urine was stored in the refrigerator, it should be allowed to warm to room temperature before analysis, and frozen samples should be completely thawed, mixed thoroughly and warmed to room temperature (do not use a stove or microwave for this!)

How long should you save urine before taking a pregnancy test?

The concentration of hCG in urine is not constant throughout the day and depends on how often you urinate and how much fluid you drink. The most concentrated urine is the first one in the morning, and it is best to use it. But in principle, even if you are tested early, it is enough not to urinate for 4 hours before the test. The higher the level of hCG in the body, the shorter this time. If for any reason the test cannot be performed immediately after urine collection, the urine should be stored in the refrigerator (no more than 48 hours) or in the freezer (no more than 2 weeks) until the test is performed. When conducting the test for a very short period of time, it is important to take into account the amount of water you drank the day before.

” Let's assume that the urine already contains 10-15 mME/ml necessary for determination, when the test would show at least a weak, but second line. But if you drink half a liter of water in the morning, then hCG will simply be “lost” in the urine: its concentration is already 5 mME/ml and naturally, the test “does not see it”.

And although some tests say that you can do them at any time of the day, it is better to do them in the morning and not drink a lot of liquid.

What mistakes should you avoid when taking a pregnancy test?

• Do not touch the reaction zone of the test with your hands.
• The test must not be exposed to moisture or dirt before analysis.
• The test cannot be used after the expiration date.
• Of course, you should not allow foreign substances to get into your urine sample!
• Strictly follow the instructions included with the test.

Where should the second strip be located? Does its brightness matter?

On test strips of the simplest design, the top strip is a control strip, and the bottom strip indicates the presence of hCG. There are tests in which the control strip forms a minus sign “-”, and the second, in the presence of hCG, forms a plus sign “+” with it. In more complex test designs, each strip has its own window, and it is impossible to make a mistake.

” The brightness of the second strip does not matter; the fact of its presence is important.

The strip, regardless of the intensity of the color, must be located at some distance from the absorbent pad (or the edge of the window) and have clear edges. If instead of a clear line you see a pink spot, the test is invalid and it is better to repeat it in a few days.

Can pregnancy test readings change over time, say an hour after the test?

The positive result will not change: both stripes will remain colored as they were. On a negative result, a faint second line may appear after 10 minutes or more as water evaporates and dye is released (called an evaporation line). This, of course, does not mean that hCG suddenly appeared from somewhere. Therefore, results obtained later than 5-7 minutes are invalid. A negative result will not become positive either after 10 minutes or after an hour; the second strip should appear within the time indicated on the test package (usually 3-5 minutes). However, if you have any doubts, it is better to repeat the test after a few days.

Can alcohol, medications, etc. affect test results?

Alcohol, medications, lactation, menopause do not affect the test results. The only exception is medications containing hCG. After the last use of such medications, you must wait 10-14 days, otherwise the test result will be false positive. Two quantitative determinations of hCG can be done in the laboratory with an interval of 2-3 days: a noticeable increase in the level of hCG in the second analysis compared to the first indicates pregnancy, while a decrease in the level indicates that the hCG administered with the medicine is excreted from the body.

Increased hCG levels in men and non-pregnant women

A number of diseases also cause an increase in the level of human chorionic gonadotropin:

• chorionic carcinoma, recurrence of chorionic carcinoma;
• hydatidiform mole, relapse of hydatidiform mole;
• seminoma;
• testicular teratoma;
• neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract (including colorectal cancer);
• neoplasms of the lungs, kidneys, uterus, etc.

As mentioned above, taking medications containing hCG also affects the test result. The result will also be inaccurateresearch conducted within 4-5 days after abortion.

Reduced hCG levels in pregnant women

A pregnant woman may have reduced levels human chorionic gonadotropin if there are problems with pregnancy. Of course, this cannot be determined quantitatively with home tests, but laboratory analysis can showalarming changes in hCG levels:

• mismatch with gestational age,
• extremely slow increase or no increase in concentration,
• a progressive decrease in level, more than 50% of the norm.

This may be due to the following reasons:

• ectopic pregnancy;
• non-developing pregnancy;
• threat of interruption (hormone levels decrease progressively by more than 50% of normal);
• chronic placental insufficiency;
• true post-term pregnancy;
• antenatal fetal death (in the II-III trimesters).

Ectopic pregnancy

” Attention! A pregnancy test does not allow you to distinguish a normal pregnancy from a pathological one (for example, an ectopic one)!

If a woman has experienced frequent inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the appendages (tubes and ovaries), partial obstruction of the tubes is possible. In this case, the advancing fertilized egg may implant in the tube, leading to the development of an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. Considering that the study of hCG in the blood can be carried out within a few hours, it is possible to determine the presence of pregnancy at a very early stage (there is nowhere earlier!) and, by further monitoring the condition, to carry out surgical treatment of a developing ectopic pregnancy before the development of critical consequences. Sometimes it is even possible to save the fallopian tube.

Important to remember!

Each organism is individual. Conception does not always occur during sexual intercourse - it depends on the time of ovulation, the lifespan of the egg and the activity of sperm. The test may not always detect pregnancy, even if you use it as recommended by the manufacturer. If you have any doubts, be sure to contact your gynecologist!

At certain moments in life, every woman has suspicions that this month, instead of the next menstruation, she may expect completely different news. Some perceive this opportunity with joy and a lot of positive emotions, while others are upset and wait with hope and worry for their suspicions to be refuted. But in any case, a woman always wants to find out as quickly as possible whether a new life has arisen inside her.

Modern medicine offers a lot of possibilities to eliminate such issues, the most common of which are special tests.

But not every woman knows what day the test shows pregnancy, and I often try to conduct research a few days after unprotected intercourse, reassured by the negative test results and surprised by the delay in menstruation.

The basis of any test is simple indicators that make it easy to find out about your possible interesting situation at home. At what day of pregnancy the test shows the correct result depends on the test itself, its features, the manufacturer’s company and quality. The effectiveness of tests in the initial stages ranges from 97 to 99%, therefore, if the determining device is not defective, the test result will be reliable in most cases. However, it is recommended to purchase 2-3 different tests to confirm the results obtained, especially at the earliest stages, and use them strictly following the instructions.

To know exactly at what time to use a pregnancy test in order to get the most reliable result, you need to find out what exactly it determines. The simplest pregnancy test is a small thin strip of canton, in a certain place of which a special reagent is applied. When the strip is immersed in urine, the reagent becomes wet and changes color, while the second line on the test appears when there is an increased level of a pregnancy hormone in the urine, called human chorionic gonadotropin, the production of which in a woman’s body begins as soon as conception occurs, increasing every day until a certain date.

Accuracy of pregnancy tests depending on their types

Many women are concerned not only at what stage of pregnancy the test shows, but also which one is the most effective and accurate, because pharmacies offer a wide selection of such devices, from the simplest to professional laboratory ones.

Test strip or strip test

This type is probably the most popular and simplest, as well as the cheapest, but does not have a high degree of sensitivity. The strip needs to be lowered into a container with urine for about 10 seconds, and then left on a flat surface for about 5 minutes for a more accurate manifestation of the result. Two lines on the reagent strip will indicate the presence of pregnancy, one line indicates that the test itself was carried out correctly, but conception did not occur or the level of the pregnancy hormone is below the required concentration.

Despite the high popularity of these strips, they have many drawbacks, for example, they can be left in the collected urine or removed from there ahead of time, then the results obtained may be unreliable. In addition, the reagent in such strips is most often applied to a paper layer (sometimes fabric), which may slightly incorrectly determine the level of the hormone.

It makes sense to use such a test only on the first or second day of missed menstruation, since for the study to be carried out, the hCG level must be at least 25 mIU/ml. At this time, the reliability of the strip will be approximately 90%. With a delay of one week, the percentage of effectiveness in determining pregnancy increases to 95-99%.

Tablet type test

The device has a fairly high cost compared to other types, but it is also a more advanced device for determining pregnancy. This type of test is commonly used in many hospitals for professional testing. Its action is also based on the use of a reagent that interacts with a woman’s urine, but it is highly sensitive.

There are two windows on the test device; you need to drop urine into the first using the included pipette, and then wait for the result to appear in the second window. For a test with such a device, the level of the pregnancy hormone must be at least 10 mIU/ml, so the test is able to establish pregnancy at the very beginning, sometimes even 1-2 days before a missed period.

Inkjet tests

The peculiarity of such a device is that to use them, you do not need to specifically collect urine in a container; it is enough to urinate on the receiving part of the device, which allows you to conduct research anywhere, even at work, just by visiting the toilet. The test result is displayed within 1 minute. The sensitivity of such tests is very high; to determine pregnancy, a hormone concentration above 10 mIU/ml is sufficient, so such devices can show reliable results several days before the expected delay.

Electronic digital test

It is the most expensive device of all those presented on the modern market, but also the most understandable, since it shows an accurate and unambiguous result. The principle of its operation is similar to other models, but the accuracy is as high as possible and can have a different percentage, depending on the day of pregnancy. If this test is used approximately 4 days before the expected delay, its accuracy will be about 51%. If applied 3 days before the start of menstruation, the accuracy increases to 82%, and 2 days before the start of menstruation, the accuracy increases to 90%. The day before the next menstruation, the accuracy will be 95%, and on the first day of the delay, the information content of the test will be 99-100%.

There are also slightly different tests that allow you to determine pregnancy at the initial stage even before the expected delay of menstruation; they are called immunochromatographic. Their action is based on the general principle, but the sensitivity of determining pregnancy is higher. Such tests in most cases make it possible to establish the presence of pregnancy already when the level of the hormone in the urine is 10 mIU/ml, that is, from the 7th day after fertilization of the egg.

Types of such tests:

• Test strips. The most budget-friendly research option that shows a fairly reliable result, but when choosing such a test you should pay attention to its sensitivity, which can range from 10 to 30 mIU/ml; the lower this indicator is on the test packaging, the sooner it can confirm or refute presence of pregnancy.
• Inkjet tests. This test can be used anywhere and at any time of the day, using 7-10 days after the expected fertilization, since their sensitivity is determined by the concentration of the hormone in the urine of 20 mIU/ml. If you use such a device correctly and on time, then its reliability is 99%.
• Tablet cassette test. Of all the devices that can determine pregnancy even before a missed period, this type is considered the most reliable. Its sensitivity is 10 mIU/ml, which, when used correctly, makes it possible to detect the presence of pregnancy from the 7th day after expected fertilization.

On what day after intercourse can a test show pregnancy?

Of course, any woman needs to know at what stage a pregnancy test shows the most reliable information. It is important to understand that the level of the hCG hormone does not increase instantly, it happens gradually, and in the very early stages its concentration in the blood will be much higher than in the woman’s urine. Pregnancy tests are able to determine its presence only when the level of the hormone reaches the required level, according to their sensitivity, which is different for each model.

As a rule, conventional test strips can show reliable results only on the first day of missed menstruation, on average 11-15 days after ovulation. The higher the sensitivity of the test, the earlier it can help you find out about a possible pregnancy. When using highly sensitive tests (from 10 mIU/ml), you can find out about your situation 5 days before the expected delay.

It is also necessary to take into account the reliability of the result, which in some cases may be false negative.

False-positive test results are quite common among a certain category of women for whom pregnancy becomes an obsession and their most cherished dream. They begin to look for any signs of pregnancy even in the most insignificant things, constantly being in an excited nervous state, which is why menstruation is often delayed, giving them almost 100% confidence in pregnancy. In this case, even in normal conditions, a small amount of hCG may appear in the urine, which can turn the test indicator into a very pale color, perceived by women as confirmation of pregnancy, which in reality does not exist. This phenomenon in modern medicine is called false pregnancy.

False negative results are also quite common. It can be observed when pregnancy has actually occurred, but test strips do not show this. This happens for a number of reasons, for example:

• The test was used at too early a stage of pregnancy, when the level of the required hormone is still insufficient to accurately determine the condition.
• There is a threat of termination of pregnancy immediately after conception.
• The test is flawed, incorrectly applied, or of very poor quality.
• A woman has a disorder of the kidneys or cardiovascular system, due to which the pregnancy hormone is not produced in the required quantity.
• If the pregnancy is intrauterine or frozen.
• If the study was carried out without following instructions in violation of the process.
• For analysis, diluted urine was used, not in sterile containers.
• The test was performed after taking diuretics or at the wrong time (during the day or late at night).

With the normal development of pregnancy, almost all types of tests determine its presence reliably, if there were no violations of the instructions during their use. And false negative results from such studies are much less common than false positive ones. If a woman is absolutely sure that pregnancy is occurring, but the test did not confirm this, the test should be repeated a few days later, when the concentration of the required hormone in the urine increases. If several tests show pregnancy, the woman should contact a medical center for medical confirmation and registration so that the baby is born healthy.

Useful video comparing pregnancy tests

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Thanks to the fact that at one time they were invented tests for early pregnancy detection , a woman can receive a positive result long before the happy news is confirmed by a gynecologist. You can be sure that you are pregnant already in the first weeks after conception. If you use the test correctly, you can get the most accurate result.

But for this you need to know exactly how to do the test, which one to buy, when to do it and when you can find out about pregnancy. All the features of rapid pregnancy diagnostics, as well as how to choose the best test, which ones are best to use at a certain period and how to understand the result, are described in this article.

How does it work?

The mechanism of all pregnancy tests is the same: they determine whether a woman’s urine contains human chorionic gonadotropin hormone(HCG) , which begins to be produced in the body after the embryo attaches to the uterus. That is, when conducting a test, the result appears when hCG appears in a woman’s urine after conception.

Positive result “two stripes” in the photo

Women are always interested in when the test will show the exact result. It should be taken into account that the amount of hCG after conception increases every day, but immediately after fertilization, only specialists can determine that a woman managed to become pregnant by conducting a special study of venous blood. In this way, you can get a positive result five days earlier than any of the tests will show 2 strips. Sometimes in the first days after conception, the 2nd stripe is barely visible - this depends on the level of sensitivity.

For most rapid tests, the sensitivity level starts at 25 mUI hCG. Sensitivity on some is indicated by 10 mUI hCG, but there is no evidence of this. According to many pharmacists, such sensitive tests are just an advertising ploy. It can also be considered a publicity stunt that the rapid test supposedly has the highest probability of detecting pregnancy even before a delay with an accuracy of 99%. Moreover, their price is quite high.

How to do it?

When to take a pregnancy test is determined by each woman independently. But at the same time, it is important to know when you can take a pregnancy test so that it correctly shows the exact result. The answer to the question of when it is better to take a pregnancy test after conception depends on whether it is regular or not. menstrual cycle in a woman. The corresponding number of days is counted after ovulation , so it depends on when to do the test.

After a delay

If you need to determine whether there is a pregnancy after a delay, then on what day the test is done does not matter, since the presence of hCG in the urine can be diagnosed already from the first day of the delay. In any case, test manufacturers, when answering the question of how long after a pregnancy test can be taken, claim exactly this. But in fact, experts say that pregnancy should be determined a week after the delay, that is, after the expected day of the onset of menstruation. At what delay the test accurately determines pregnancy also depends on the level of its sensitivity.

Before the delay

However, many women still rush to take a pregnancy test before the delay, choosing highly sensitive samples that have good reviews. However, it should be noted that even the most sensitive test before the delay may not always show the correct result. After all, it is important to correctly determine when testing can be done before the delay, so that even before the delay, the reliability of the result is high.

For example, if a woman has a regular cycle of 28 days, then if the procedure is done on the 23rd day of the cycle, even a sensitive jet before the delay will not detect pregnancy, since there will not be a sufficient level of hCG in the blood. Whether pregnancy will be indicated before the delay on the 26th day of the cycle also depends on the day of fertilization and the duration of the cycle, etc.

With a regular menstrual cycle

It is with her that the reaction occurs when the pregnancy test shows. That is, when a pregnancy test shows a result, this is due to the fact that the hormone contained in a woman’s urine reacts to the impregnation of the strip. As a result, a second line quickly appears on the test.

Instructions

The test is easy to do: you need to take a clean container and collect some urine in it. The strip is lowered into the urine with the tip to the mark indicated on it and held for 10 seconds. It is necessary to lower the strip on the desired side. Evaluation of the result takes from 1 to 10 minutes. Whether the second strip will show in the first minute depends on the hCG level: the lower it is, the later the second strip appears.

What day does it show?

From the first day of delay.

pros

Inexpensive.

Minuses

It’s not very convenient to use, it can make mistakes, and it won’t show until there’s a delay.

Modern strip tests

• Evitest №1
• FRAUTEST Express
• Eve (can be determined from 1 day of delay)
• Secret
• BBtest
• Femitest Practical
• Femitest Practical Ultra
• Itest Plus

Tablet test

Produced in a special box with two window openings.

Tablet (cassette) – Evitest Proof

Works like a strip test. Also included is a pipette and a container for collecting urine.

Instructions

The first step is to drop 4 drops of urine into the first window. After 1-10 min. in the second, 1 or 2 stripes appear.

What day does it show?

From the first day of delay.

Positive

Inexpensive, the result is easy to determine.

Negative

There are a lot of steps to take to get done.

Modern tablet tests

• Evitest Proof
• LadyTest-C
• Frautest Expert
• Sezam
• Clearblue
• KnowNow Optima
• Femitest Handy

Jet test

The name itself determines the principle of action: it can be done by placing it under a stream of urine.

Inkjet testing method - Frautest Exclusive

It is important that those who use Frautest , the instructions for use were strictly followed. Although sensitivity Frautesta and others of the same type are very high, Frautest Exclusive may show a negative result if used incorrectly.

Instructions

Place the tip with the filter under a stream of urine or in a container with it for 10 seconds. After this, 1 or 2 stripes appear in a special hole after 1-10 minutes.

Accuracy

Can detect hCG in urine as early as 5 days before the delay. When asked whether the test may not show pregnancy if conception has occurred, the answer is negative. The jet test will show pregnancy before the delay, as well as in the first days of the delay.

Positive

Convenient use, accuracy.

Negative

The price of a jet pregnancy test is high.

Modern inkjet tests

• Frautest Comfort
• Evitest Perfect
• Frautest Exclusive
• Femitest Jet Ultra
• Clearblue
• Clear View
• Duet

Electronic test

It is also called a digital pregnancy test.

Electronic verification method - Clearblue

Reviews from experts indicate that this is the most modern rapid test.

Instructions

You need to lower the test end with the filter into the urine and hold it until it is soaked. You can evaluate it in three minutes. If the result is positive, the word " pregnancy" or the "+" sign.

Accuracy

Shows pregnancy 4 days before the delay. Thanks to its high accuracy, it shows a 99% correct result 2 days before the date of menstruation.

Positive

If we evaluate the sensitivity of pregnancy tests, then it is the electronic test that has the highest sensitivity. There is no need to ask which are the most sensitive electronic tests, since they all have high sensitivity.

Negative

The price of an electronic pregnancy test is very high. How much such a test costs depends on the manufacturer, but on average the cost is about 400 rubles.

Pregnancy test Clearblue (the so-called “blue” test), despite its high cost, is very popular. If you are using an electronic Clearblue If the instructions are followed, the result will be as accurate as possible. However, this pregnancy test, the instructions for use of which indicates that the resulting inscription on Clea Blue disappears after some time, the woman will not be able to keep it as a souvenir as the first certificate of pregnancy. Nevertheless, Clearblue is now popular.

Reusable digital tests

Latest invention - test with USB connector , which you can connect to your computer and see the result.

The kit includes 20 cartridges treated with a reagent that reacts to the presence of hCG in urine. With this test you can check whether conception has occurred 21 times.

Accuracy

Shows the result 4 days before the delay.

Positive

If you choose such a test, it can be used many times. Some tests can also check your gestational age. But the time of conception can be determined with 92% accuracy.

Negative

It is currently very difficult to purchase replacement cartridges.

Negative pregnancy test

A pressing question for many women is whether the test can be negative during pregnancy? Patients often ask doctors whether a rapid test can not show pregnancy.

Why the test does not show a delay in pregnancy may be explained by the fact that the woman is using it too early . After all, some of the tests are not so sensitive.

In some cases, a woman who wants to get pregnant begins to check the “situation” too early, long before her expected period. For example, if you start testing on the 25th day of the cycle, then at this time the hCG in the blood has not yet reached the desired level. Even if a woman has a 25-day cycle, when you can get pregnant depends on the day of ovulation, so if the value is negative, you should check the result after some time. The woman decides which test to choose. But it is important to take into account that a negative value is also possible if it is used incorrectly.

Thus, the reasons for a negative test during pregnancy may be the following:

• Testing too early.
• Disorders in a woman's body.
• Incorrect application of the test.

False Positives

The appearance of two stripes in the absence of pregnancy is possible:

• During the first two months after birth.
• During development ovarian dysfunction .
• When hormone-producing tumor .
• If a test is used that has expired.

Are the results reliable if testing is done during menstruation?

Another pressing question is whether it is possible to do it during menstruation pregnancy testing? After all, sometimes a woman’s periods continue even after conception, so such an analysis is very relevant.

Menstrual blood does not affect testing, so how much a pregnancy test shows the result does not depend on menstruation. Rest assured that even if the procedure is done using blood-stained urine, the results will not be affected. This means that during pregnancy two bright stripes will appear.

Results for ectopic pregnancy

If , the fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus. However, the body still produces hCG. But in this case, hCG grows slowly, and sometimes is absent altogether. That is, the usual rapid test for ectopic pregnancy shows 2 stripes. In this case, the second stripe may be barely noticeable, blurry, when compared with the one that appears during normal pregnancy. When taking a pregnancy test, you need to take into account what day it will show the result for an ectopic pregnancy: the second line appears only after a delay has occurred. What day the pregnancy test will show depends on the day of conception and the individual characteristics of the female body.

There is a special test Inexscreen , which, a few weeks after the delay, makes it possible to suspect that the pregnancy is ectopic. Its action is based on the determination of the modified isoform that is part of hCG. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, this figure is much higher than the 10% that is observed during a normal pregnancy.

Results for frozen pregnancy

Positive or negative when frozen pregnancy the test result will depend on the time when it was carried out. So, if two clear stripes initially appeared, then, after a few days, one stripe became fuzzy, and after a few days one stripe disappeared completely, you can suspect that the pregnancy has stopped. In this case, it is important to immediately visit a specialist who will determine how to check the result in this situation.

Whether a gynecologist can determine pregnancy before a delay in this case depends on the research methods.

What to do next if the result is questionable?

Regardless of which day of the cycle the test is taken, it may ultimately be questionable. This is often evidenced by the reviews that women write on each thematic forum.

Doubts arise if it is not clear how many stripes have appeared. Sometimes the second stripe is difficult to see, it is somehow blurry and indistinct. This happens in the following cases:

• Low levels of hCG in the body are associated with women’s health problems.
• A test that is no longer suitable for use (it may not work due to its expiration date or damage).
• The desire to see exactly two stripes (“I’m afraid I’m not pregnant”). Often a woman notices indirect signs - nausea, weight loss - and assures herself that she is pregnant.

What is the probability that a woman is pregnant can only be confirmed. Can a blood test for hCG be wrong? In this case, the answer is negative.

But you can still repeat the test after taking a 2-3-day break - do it, for example, on the 31st day of the cycle, if menstruation usually begins on the 28th day. The second or third attempt will be successful.

Which tests “cheat” most often?

No matter how much manufacturers claim that their products are almost 100% effective, some of the tests we do still show unreliable results.

According to the observations of many women, the most common false negative and positive results are shown by the following tests:

• Faith Test (its sensitivity is 25 mIU/ml);
• Bebicek
• Mon Ami
• Bee-Sure
• rest assured

conclusions

What to do if a woman already has a positive test in front of her eyes depends only on her. Many expectant mothers, even those for whom pregnancy is long-awaited and planned, do not know what to do next when they see two stripes. In fact, you need to calm down and rejoice. Regardless of which week the test you choose shows pregnancy, there is still a lot of time ahead. Now it is important not to be nervous, to practice healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. And also - visit a doctor to confirm the good news and receive important recommendations.

Often young women are impatient to find out whether conception has occurred; it happens that girls, without waiting for a missed period, run to the pharmacy for a pregnancy test. And then they begin to worry about a popular question: when can you take a pregnancy test to get a reliable result?

How does a pregnancy test work?

The method of work is very similar to the method of tests that detect drugs in the body. Urine contains many different substances that react to special developers. A pregnant woman’s body begins to rapidly produce a special hormone (hCG), which all pregnancy tests are aimed at identifying. The presence of hCG in the blood is a reliable sign of pregnancy, therefore, if the test result is positive, the probability that you are carrying a future baby is 99%.

When can I do a pregnancy test?

It is produced very quickly, but this process begins only after implantation, which occurs 6-12 days from the moment of conception. Before implantation, the test will give a negative result. As a result, an ultrasensitive test that detects hCG from 10 mU/ml will be able to show a barely visible second line no earlier than 8-10 days of pregnancy. An ordinary cheap test with a sensitivity of 25 mU/ml will detect pregnancy after 10 days from the moment of conception, provided that implantation occurs very early. But we can talk about the reliability of a negative result of such a test only after a couple of weeks. Therefore, when thinking about what day to take a pregnancy test, count two weeks from the expected day of conception.

How to properly perform a pregnancy test?

Each test is accompanied by instructions, but some women make mistakes when trying to determine their position. Firstly, you should not touch the special reaction zone where the developers are located. Do not allow the test to get wet before using it. Secondly, all tests except midstream tests cannot be used in a stream of urine! Find any clean container, glass or plastic, that will help you with this procedure. Third, pay attention to the test results three to five minutes after use, as indicated in the instructions. You should not wait 10 minutes or more, as during this time the moisture evaporates and damages the reaction layer. Often a negative test will show a second line 11-15 minutes after use. It would be a mistake to assume that you are pregnant if only one control line appears after the time specified in the instructions. The most suitable time of day when you can take a pregnancy test with the most accurate results is morning. In the morning, a pregnant woman’s body contains the maximum amount of hCG hormones. It should be noted that the brightness of the second strip does not matter. The weakest second line indicates that you are pregnant if the test is performed correctly and you are not taking special medications containing this hormone.

If you correctly calculate when you can take a pregnancy test, and the test gives you a negative result, the probability that you are not pregnant is 90%. The remaining 10% is the likelihood of late implantation and a slow increase in the amount of hCG. Therefore, if a week after a negative result, menstruation has not started, take the test again. A false negative test result may be affected by kidney problems.

By knowing how and when to take a pregnancy test, you are most likely to get a reliable result. You can now find out whether you will soon become a mother at home, without making an appointment to see a doctor!

When can you take a pregnancy test to get the correct result? If earlier our mothers and grandmothers could find out about their pregnancy at a period of 2-3 months and probably only after examination by a gynecologist, then you and I have an excellent opportunity to find out about our new status as a future mother, when the fetus is not yet visible even on an ultrasound. To do this, you only need to spend no more than a hundred rubles on purchasing a pregnancy test. This little tricky thing will show quite accurately whether you are in a position or not. However, manufacturers recommend testing only from the first day of pregnancy, while women who want to get pregnant do not want to wait that long. At what stage can pregnancy be determined? Let's figure it out.

The test reacts with two stripes to the content of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine. And this hormone begins to be produced by the chorion, which then turns into the placenta. So, hCG can be diagnosed 9-10 days after conception, after the fertilized egg has implanted into the wall of the uterus. If we take, for example, an average menstrual cycle of 28 days, when ovulation occurs on the 14th day, it turns out that you can test 3-4 days before the expected day of the start of menstruation. If your cycle is longer or shorter, then in the same simple way you can calculate the days for a more or less accurate diagnosis for yourself.

It goes without saying that not all tests accurately diagnose early pregnancy. In pharmacies you can see tests with different sensitivities. Usually, the higher it is, the higher the price. The lower the number indicated on the package, the more reliable the test. Thus, a test with a sensitivity of 20 is more reliable than one with a sensitivity of 25, since the first one reacts to a lower concentration of the hCG hormone in the urine, that is, diagnosis is possible at the earliest stages.

Another equally important question is when to take a pregnancy test, at what time of day? It is recommended in the morning, and it is advisable not to go to the toilet several hours before. At longer periods, when the level of human chorionic gonadotropin is already quite high, you can test at any time of the day.

When can you take a pregnancy test if it shows a questionable result? Quite often, not very high-quality tests show a very weak second line. As a rule, such a stripe (if it is not a figment of the woman’s imagination) appears in the early stages of pregnancy. Then, the longer the period, the brighter the stripe will be on the test. Erroneous results may appear if the rules for performing the test described on the packaging are violated. For example, if you keep it in a container with urine more or, conversely, less than the manufacturer recommends. You also need to see the result after a certain amount of time, and not later or earlier. If the second line appears 3 hours after testing, it can hardly be regarded as an indicator of pregnancy.

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