There are many queries about one step pregnancy tests that keep on revolving in a woman's mind. Read on and you will have answers to a few of them.
Confused with the results shown by the one step pregnancy test? Clear your confusion by learning some basic facts about pregnancy tests.
One Step Pregnancy Test: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the basis of One Step Pregnancy Test?
During Pregnancy, the placenta produces a hormone called hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). The amount of this hormone increases with the progress in the stages of pregnancy. One step pregnancy test is based on the detection of hCG levels. Its concentration should be more than 25 mIU/ml.
What is the best time to take a pregnancy test?
You can perform the test as early as one day after you have missed your menstruation. However, as the concentration of hormone hCG, released with urine, increases with the progress in pregnancy, the accuracy of the result also rises. Therefore, it is recommended that you wait for at least one week from the day your period was due, to get an accurate result.
Try to carry out pregnancy testing with the first urine in the morning. In the morning, the urine is concentrated, and thus can give you better accuracy.
How should I perform the test?
Take the midstream urine to run the test. Midstream urine means that you pee for a second and then hold the urine back. Either hold the test stick in the urine stream or collect the urine in a container and dip the stick into it for 5-6 seconds. Take out the stick, wait for a few minutes to let the test stick dry, and then see the result.
Usually, a set of instructions on how to carry out the test comes with the test kit. Read and follow all the instructions well.
Is there any way to confirm that the pregnancy test was performed properly?
You would find a control region (C) on the pregnancy test kit. The appearance of a red line on it confirms that the test was performed well.
What is the accuracy of the test?
Generally, such tests are 97% accurate, after one week of conception. In some women, it gives 90% accuracy, one day after sexual intercourse.
While in others, the embryo takes time to get implanted in the uterine lining, and so the level of hCG is not that high, that it gets detected by the pregnancy test. This is the reason, it is said that you should perform the test after one week for the highest possible accuracy.
When I tested my urine for pregnancy, the pink line showed first but disappeared after a few minutes. Am I pregnant or not?
Disappearance of pink line shows a negative result. You are not pregnant. Run a second test to double check the result.
When I ran a test, it gave a negative result first, but after an hour, a pink line appeared on the test stick. What should I conclude?
There are two possibilities. First, you are pregnant but the hCG level is low. Second, the pink line appeared due to evaporation, or some chemical reaction with some substance present in the surroundings.
The pink line that appeared due to former reason is called evaporation line, while the one due to the latter, is known as the chemical line. Some test kits mention about such possibilities. It is advisable that you rely on the result that comes within the recommended time limit.
What should I do if the test result is negative but I am not having my periods?
If this is the case, wait for one week, and then again test your urine with a new test kit. If at this time also the result is negative, and you do not get your menstruation, then consult a doctor as soon as possible. Absence of menstruation indicates some other medical complication.
I got a positive result on the test, but my menstruation resumed? What should I do now?
Again, there are two possibilities. You were pregnant but are miscarrying now. The blood flow of the first day of menstruation has hCG in it. Consult a doctor for confirmation. Secondly, the home pregnancy test kit could have given you a false result.
Does the pregnancy test result get affected by other factors?
The test detects the presence of hCG in the urine irrespective of its source. Whether hCG is produced by the body or taken in with some drug, it gets detected by the test. If the latter is the source of hCG, the pregnancy test will give a false positive result.
Therefore, in spite of 99% accuracy, you should not rely only on the positive result shown by this test, but must get it confirmed by a medical practitioner. Some drugs which contain hCG are Pregnyl, Novarel, Profasi, APL, Perganol.
Are there any other medical conditions that cause hCG to be present in the urine?
Yes, in case of ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus), the level of hCG rises in a woman’s body and can be detected in the urine.
Which test is more accurate, blood or urine test?
A blood test is more accurate. It is of two types, quantitative and qualitative.
The quantitative blood test can detect very low levels of hCG, but cannot always tell whether you are pregnant or not. The qualitative blood test gives a yes or no answer. Common cutoffs for a positive result are 5, 10 and 25 units. hCG level below 5 is taken as negative while above 25 is considered to be positive.
Now, you can understand that despite being highly sensitive, one step pregnancy tests are not 100% reliable. You should seek a doctor’s advice if you experience pregnancy symptoms.
Disclaimer: This write-up is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
