A pregnancy test is used by women to determine whether or not they are pregnant and can be performed at home or in a laboratory. Find out how to take a pregnancy test and discover how soon a pregnancy test can read positive.

What is a pregnancy test?

You can take a pregnancy test to determine if you are pregnant. If the pregnancy test results show positive, it means you are pregnant. If the test result is negative, this typically means you are not pregnant. However, it could also mean it is too early to detect pregnancy.

What hormone levels are checked for a pregnancy test?

Pregnancy tests rely on the increase in the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) hormone levels in urine or blood. This is the pregnancy hormone, and it is formed in the placental cells following conception.

During early pregnancy, meaning the first few weeks, you’ll find HCG levels increase rapidly. A pregnancy test can detect the presence of HCG in urine or an increase in the levels of this hormone in the blood to confirm a pregnancy.

How does a pregnancy test work?

A pregnancy test works by detecting the presence of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which the body of a woman makes when she is pregnant.

The body starts going through certain changes from the beginning of conception, meaning when the fertilized egg implants into the uterine lining, to support the cells that develop into the baby. The production of HCG is one of the earliest of these changes, which is why detecting the presence of this hormone in urine is the first test usually performed to confirm pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, your body will start producing a higher amount of HCG. The HCG level typically builds up after the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus, usually about 6 to 10 days following conception. A pregnancy test using a urine or blood sample will help detect this hormone, thus confirming the pregnancy.

What are the different types of pregnancy tests?

There are 2 basic forms of pregnancy tests: blood tests and urine tests. Most women prefer to take a urine test at home using a pregnancy test kit. The at-home pregnancy tests are available in local pharmacies without a prescription.

You need to visit a laboratory or your doctor’s office if you plan to go for a blood test to check for pregnancy. The blood test involves taking a small sample of your blood to test in a laboratory.

An ultrasound can also confirm your pregnancy and usually provide accurate results. This test is also performed in a healthcare setting, such as your doctor’s office.

How to interpret the results of pregnancy tests?

Pregnancy tests work by reacting to HCG in your urine or blood. It is important to note that different tests show positive results in unique ways. Hence, it is important to read the directions mentioned on the pregnancy test kit to understand what a positive result would look like.

The at-home urine pregnancy test kits have a reactive paper that can detect the presence of HCG. This test usually shows double vertical lines, a plus sign, or sometimes the word “pregnant” when the result is positive.  

There are three ways to use an at-home pregnancy kit:

• You can pass urine in a clean cup and then place a few drops of it on a designated part of the test strip provided in the kit.

• Alternatively, you can place the test strip directly in your urine stream.

• You may also pass urine in a clean cup and dip the test stick in it to check for the results.

Why should you do a pregnancy test?

There are many reasons why you might want to take a pregnancy test. For example, you can do the test when you are trying to get pregnant, in which case you would hope for a positive result.

Some women do pregnancy tests after unprotected sex or after an issue with their birth control, such as a tear in a condom during intercourse or missing one or more doses of birth control pills. Women may take a pregnancy test after a missed period. A pregnancy test is also needed when a woman is planning to start a new medication or undergo a medical procedure that could lead to complications due to a pregnancy.

When should you do a pregnancy test?

Most at-home pregnancy tests can accurately detect HCG in urine about 10 days after conception.

Taking the test immediately after you notice a late or missed period can increase the chance of getting a false-negative result. Hence, it is usually advisable to wait around 5 days after your expected date of the period before you take a pregnancy test.

What time should I take a pregnancy test?

Generally, the best time to take a pregnancy test is when you pass urine the first time in the morning.

However, some pregnancy test kits are sensitive enough to detect the presence of HCG at any time of day. You raise your likelihood of an accurate result when you take the test after waiting for at least 3 hours after passing urine the previous time.

You can also take the pregnancy tests twice to see if you get the same result. If both tests show the same result, this will confirm whether or not you are pregnant.

What can I do to increase the accuracy of the pregnancy tests?

There are certain things you should keep in mind when you plan to do a pregnancy test at home to increase the accuracy of the result. These include:

• Use the urine passed the first time in the morning for the test. The first urine sample of the day is likely to have a higher concentration of HCG. This can reduce the chance of a false negative result. 

• If you want to do a urine pregnancy test later in the day, try to hold urine in the bladder for at least 3 hours.

• Avoid drinking excessive amounts of fluids before taking a pregnancy test, as this can dilute your HCG levels.

• Check the expiration date on the at-home pregnancy test package.

• Read the directions mentioned on the kit before starting the test, and follow the steps exactly as recommended.

When is a blood test suitable for the confirmation of a pregnancy?

A blood test might be done to confirm pregnancy in special circumstances. For example, women who are undergoing fertility treatments are usually asked to do a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. 

A blood test is also needed when the physician thinks that the woman has a risk of pregnancy-associated complications.

Your healthcare provider might also recommend a blood test for comparing HCG levels at different times during the pregnancy. The HCG levels tend to increase by nearly 2 times every 2 days during early pregnancy. If the HCG level does not rise, it could suggest a possibility of a problem with the pregnancy that needs further evaluation. On the other hand, an extremely high level of HCG indicates that the woman may be carrying twins. It may also be a sign of a complicated or high-risk pregnancy, such as an ectopic pregnancy.

Are all home pregnancy testing methods the same?

Most at-home pregnancy tests have high accuracy and reliability. The majority of test kits work by detecting HCG in a sample of urine and give similar results.

How accurate are home pregnancy tests?

Many home pregnancy tests are reliable and accurate. If your test shows a negative result, but you think you are pregnant, you can have another pregnancy test after one week.

What can cause a false-negative pregnancy test result?

False-negative test results usually occur when the test is not performed properly. The most common cause of false-negative results is premature testing. You may even have a false-negative test if you do not use a home test kit correctly. Hence, it is important to read the instructions carefully and follow the steps correctly to reduce the chance of a false positive or false negative result. [5]

What can cause a false-positive pregnancy test result?

In rare circumstances, false-positive results can occur when the test is not performed properly or if you take the test immediately after using fertility drugs containing HCG.

The dysfunctions associated with the ovaries and menopause can also cause false-positive or false-negative results in pregnancy tests.

What should I do after getting a positive pregnancy test result?

If you get a positive pregnancy test result at home and wish to continue the pregnancy, you can visit a gynecologist for additional tests and treatments. In case you are not ready for a pregnancy, you can consult a gynecologist about your options for abortion based on your health and the specific laws in your country or state.

What should I do after getting a negative pregnancy test result?

If you did not wish to get pregnant, a negative test result would not require further action. But you can still consider taking the test the second time to confirm that you are not pregnant. 

If you are trying to get pregnant and it has been a long time since you are not able to conceive in spite of regular intercourse, you can see a gynecologist for fertility management.

How long does it take to get the results of a pregnancy test?

At-home pregnancy test kits can show the results immediately within less than 30 seconds.

Pregnancy tests: Frequently Asked Questions? 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE PREGNANCY HORMONE HCG TO SHOW UP IN URINE? 

It usually takes about 10 days after conception for HCG to show up in the urine.  

ARE THERE ANY MEDICATIONS THAT CAN CHANGE THE RESULT OF MY PREGNANCY TEST?

In general, medicines do not alter the true negative or positive result of a pregnancy test. However, prescription fertility medication may sometimes interfere with the results of a pregnancy test, usually giving a false positive.