Overview
Knowing whether you are pregnant or not is important whether you are trying to get pregnant or trying to avoid a pregnancy. Running to a doctor at the slightest doubt of pregnancy is both uncomfortable and embarrassing. Kits for testing pregnancy at home are easily available and they are usually done by testing the urine or the blood. The basis of pregnancy testing in humans is by testing for the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine and this is the more common method. hCG is a hormone that appears in the urine of a pregnant woman in about twenty days after the previous menstrual period. Its level begins to rise and peaks in about 60-80 days after that. You can do this test yourself at home by following the steps given below:
Things to watch out for
When you undertake the collection of urine for carrying out the test, there are some important points that you must keep in mind. These include the following.
- It is best to use the first urine of the morning. If that is not possible, ensure that the urine has been in your bladder for at least 4 hours.
- Make sure that you do not drink excessive water with the aim of increasing the urine volume. This will dilute the urine and reduce the possibility of detecting the hCG present.
- It is also important to ensure that the medications you are taking, including fertility meds, do not affect the hCG levels. Consult with your doctor if you are taking medications.
DIY steps
There are three steps in this DIY project. The details of each of these steps are given below:
1. The testing process
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Collect urine sample in a clean and dry container made either of plastic or glass. Please make sure that there are no residues of the soap or detergent (used for cleaning the container) in it. Using the dropper provided in the kit, take two drops of urine and place them in the test well that is provided. Note the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the waiting time. Checking before this period or waiting for too long are both prone to give wrong results.
- Collect urine sample in a clean and dry container made either of plastic or glass. Please make sure that there are no residues of the soap or detergent (used for cleaning the container) in it.
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Using the dropper provided in the kit, take two drops of urine and place them in the test well that is provided. Note the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the waiting time. Checking before this period or waiting for too long are both prone to give wrong results.
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Ensure that you do not spill any urine on the strip while you are dropping it in the testing well. Wait for the stipulated time and check for results.
2. Be wary of
- Though this test is sensitive enough to give results even on the first day of a missed period, at times it might not work that early. In case of doubt, you should repeat the test after 72 hours.
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You should repeat the same even if the first test is negative.
- Some medications could trigger a false positive test. This happens from infertility medications which contain hCG dosages. An ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy complication in which the fetus implants outside the uterine cavity, will also give a positive test for technically it is indeed a pregnancy.
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Other medications like pain killers, antibiotics and oral contraceptives will not affect the pregnancy test in any way.
3. Do these after test interpretation
- In case your pregnancy test turns out to be negative, repeat it after a 72 hours interval.
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If you experience the other symptoms of pregnancy (nausea, abdominal bleeding, tender breasts, fatigue and sleep) and your home tests are coming negative, it could be either a faulty technique of testing or some other complication. Please consult your doctor immediately.
- Even if the test turns out to be positive, you should visit your doctor to confirm the pregnancy. No home test is 100 percent perfect. The confirmation of pregnancy will also require medical advice from the doctor.
Interpreting the results
The results of the test could be interpreted based on the two bands, C and T that are clearly marked on the strip. The following are the possible inferences:
- No C band or T band means that the test cannot be considered valid. You should repeat the test after about 72 hours with a fresh pregcolor card.
- A pink or purple band in both the C and T regions means that the test is positive for pregnancy.
- If there is only one band (in the C region) and the T region is blank, the test is negative for pregnancy.
- When you get a C band and a very faint T band, the test is inconclusive. It would be advisable to repeat the test with a new pregcolor card after 72 hours.