A pregnancy test kit will help you to know if you are pregnant or not. Then you can announce your pregnancy to all!
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Pregnancy tests use the level of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your blood or in your urine to determine if you have conceived or not.
This hormone is produced, and continues to double thereafter, only after an egg has been fertilized and it has attached itself to uterus. This usually happens about six days after fertilization.
You can detect if you are pregnant or not through urine tests or blood tests.
Urine tests are usually done at home. They come in small packages with a set of instructions that are easy to follow. But we have to pay heed to them to get accurate results.
Blood tests can be done only at the hospital. They can detect lower levels of hCG. Hence a pregnancy can be confirmed earlier using a blood test as compared to a urine test. But it takes longer to get the results.
A blood test can be of two types
- A qualitative hCG test – this checks to see if hCG is present or not and just gives yes or no as an answer
- A quantitative hCG test – this measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. These are used to rule out an ectopic pregnancy
If you are thinking about buying a Pregnancy Kit, here are a few things for you to consider:
- The Best Time to Use Pregnancy Test Kit
- How to Use the Pregnancy Test Kit?
- Accuracy of Pregnancy Test Kit Results
- Cost of a Pregnancy Test Kit
- Best Pregnancy Test Kits in India
The Best Time to Use Pregnancy Test Kit
If you test too soon, the pregnancy test kit might not be able to detect the hCG in your body.
Most home pregnancy tests give accurate results if you take the test at the time when your period is due. This usually means around two weeks after ovulation.
Very sensitive test kits can, however, detect very low levels of hCG in the body. In such cases using a pregnancy test as early as four days before your period is due is also fine. You can also go through Top 15 Early Symptoms of Pregnancy
The sensitivity of a pregnancy test is usually described on the packaging of the kit. It ranges from10mIU/ml (milli-International Unit per milliliter) to 40 mlU/ml. The lower the number is the more sensitive the test is.
While testing for your pregnancy at home, using the first morning urine is considered to be the best. This is because it exhibits a higher concentration of hCG. Of course, that is, if you haven’t got up at night to urinate. If you already have then hold your urine for at least 2-3 hours before you test. Avoid drinking too much of fluids during this time.
Reasons for Negative Results
If you get a negative result and yet don’t menstruate within three days then do the test again.
A test result may be negative if:
- You are not pregnant. The missed period is due to the hormones cortisol and adrenaline that are produced when your body is very stressed. Know more about periods during pregnancy here.
- Your ovulation cycle has been different. Either this is normally so or you have been on birth control medication and have recently discontinued it.
- Your hCG level was too low for the pregnancy test to detect.
- The pregnancy test kit you are using is not sensitive enough to detect the hCG level in your urine as yet
- You have not followed the instructions on the packaging carefully. Usually for a home pregnancy test kit, the reaction time is between 5 to 10 minutes. Allow this time before you read / discard the kit
- There might have been too much of fluid intake before the test. This dilutes the hCG level present in the urine sample
Other than these there are a few more reasons why a pregnant lady tests negative with the home pregnancy test kit.
- The anti-hCG antibodies in the test reagent do not react well with the hCG hormone composition of the pregnant woman
- The low levels of hCG which the test kit fails to detect could be a sign of a problem pregnancy like an ectopic pregnancy
- You are experiencing premature menopause
If you experience pregnancy symptoms and yet the test kits at home fail to confirm it then do speak to your doctor to find out the reason behind the unexplained negative test result.
How to Use the Pregnancy Test Kit?
Different home pregnancy test kits are found in almost every drugstore. They usually all work in the same way by detecting the level of hCG in your urine.
When purchasing a pregnancy test keep a check on:
- The expiration date
- The box is fully intact
It is better if you get yourself a brand that provides two test sticks in the box. This is more so if you are doing an early test. This way you will have the chance to test again after a week just in case if you show a negative result and continue to show signs of pregnancy.
If you have a kit at home then it is better to discard that and buy a new one. Storing a kit for a long time, especially warm or damp place can affect the results.
Once you have bought the kit read the instructions carefully. Although most are same, some specifics might vary. These could be:
- The method of collecting the urine
- The time needed for the result to show up
- The symbols that have been used to tell you if you have conceived or not. It is better to familiarize yourself with the symbols from before.
Before you open the packaging wash your hands with soap then dry them properly.
You could either urinate on the stick or into the small cup, if one is provided with the kit.
Urinate a little, before you collect it in the cup insert the stick.
If you are using a pregnancy test kit where you need to urinate directly on the stick then:
- Pay attention to the span of time you need to urinate on it for. Use a stopwatch for this if required
- Place the end that has the absorbent into the urine stream
If your pregnancy test kit uses a cup and a dropper then put drops of the urine carefully into the small hole as indicated on the stick. Alternatively some brands might ask you to dip the absorbent end of the stick into the urine for a specific time.
Now wait for the time as written in the instruction manual before you read the result. Some kits come with a timer symbol to show that the test is working. If you see this is not functioning then it is likely that your test has not worked and you should do another one from the beginning.
When the required time has lapsed it is time to read the result. The symbols used to tell if you are pregnant or not vary from one brand to the other. So familiarize yourself with these from before.
Even if you see a very faint line then you should consider it to be a positive test for your pregnancy. False positives are very rare. Get an appointment with the doctor and reconfirm it using a blood test.
If you get a negative result then wait for a few more days. If you still haven’t got your periods then test again. False negatives are fairly common. But if the second one also shows negative and you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms then get yourself an appointment with the doctor.
Accuracy of Pregnancy Test Kit Results
If you have given yourself the right amount of time for the hCG build up and have followed instructions on the kit then the home pregnancy test kits give fairly accurate results. But sometimes things can go wrong.
False Positive:
A false positive is when the test reads positive but you are actually not pregnant. This is rare and can happen if:
- You have been taking fertility drugs that contain hCG (clomid is not one of them)
- Improper use of the test kit
- It could be a chemical pregnancy. This is actually a very early miscarriage. It is generally in cases where the woman is actively trying to conceive. A chemical pregnancy is one where fertilized embryo implants itself in the womb but only briefly. But thereafter it is followed by menstruation. This is a case when you can get a positive result followed by a negative result after many days.
Faint Positive:
Even a faint positive line on a pregnancy test means that you have conceived. As long as the kit has been used properly. The reason behind only a faint line could be:
- There might not be enough hCG in your urine yet and you have tested too soon
- Different tests detect hCG at different levels. For example a 20 MIU test will display a faint line when the hCG levels is at 20 MIU. On the other hand at 50 MIU hCG level, a 20 MIU test will show a stronger color line and a a 50 MIU test will show a very faint one.
- The urine sample might be diluted
False Negative:
However a false negative is fairly common. It happens when you are pregnant and yet the test doesn’t show it. In such cases a follow up test is recommended after a few days.
Colour Dye:
Sometimes you might notice the accumulation of colour at the test margins instead of a line where it should be as per the instructions. Do not confuse this with a positive result. And it is best to redo the test in such cases.
Evaporation Lines:
These lines are caused by the evaporation of the urine. They usually leave faint, almost colorless line. It happens because of the composition of the urine sample and should not be confused with a positive line.
Expert Section: Do you have any pregnancy related questions, don’t forget to ask our expert.
Cost of a Pregnancy Test Kit
Quite a few home pregnancy test kits are available in the market today. They are easy to use and the test can be done in privacy. Also, if performed correctly they give accurate results too. A comparative cost analysis of the best pregnancy test kits in the Indian market has been given below.
Name of Pregnancy Test Kit |
Cost |
Clearview |
Rs. 150 |
Clearblue |
Rs. 100 |
Velocit |
Rs. 40 |
Prega News |
Rs. 120 |
HLL Pregnancy Test Kit |
Rs. 50 |
Best Pregnancy Test Kits in India
Name of Pregnancy Test Kit |
Reaction Time |
Method |
Sensitivity |
FDA Approved |
Pros & Cons |
Clearview |
3 min |
Hold the tester in the urine flow |
25mlU/ml |
No |
-It is 99% reliable and can detect pregnancy from the date your period is due.– It can be conducted anytime in the day and not just by using the first morning urine– No need to handle the urine using a cup and dropper– You can use it under any temperature (unlike some which have to be refrigerated) |
Clearblue |
3 min |
Hold the tester in the urine flow |
25mlU/ml |
Yes |
– It provides easy reading. + means pregnant and – is not pregnant.– It can now be used up to 4 days before the period is due.– You can use it under any temperature (unlike some which have to be refrigerated) |
Velocit |
5 min |
3 drops of urine |
25mlU/ml |
No |
– It can be used as soon as a period is missed.– Urine sample needs to be collected only in the morning |
Prega News |
5 min |
3 drops of urine |
20mlU/ml |
No |
– Detects low levels of hCG in urine |
HLL Pregnancy Test Kit |
3-5 min |
Hold the tester in the urine flow |
20mlU/ml |
No |
– Easy to use and comprehend |
