Being pregnant surely delights a woman beyond limits. However, prior to learning about this wonderful news, every woman undergoes an anxiety of sorts while drawing in the conclusion whether she is pregnant or not. And helping her out during this time of perplexity is the home pregnancy test. But taking a home pregnancy test is not that easy as it sounds. Only a woman can understand how nerve -racking it can be to take a test at home. 

Let us here understand this home pregnancy test in detail and figure out some of its pitfalls and authenticity.

How the home pregnancy test works?

As soon as a fertilized egg gets attached to your uterine lining, the production of hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) begins in the placenta. It then enters into your bloodstream as well as urine. The level of HCG in the blood increases rapidly during the early stages of pregnancy. Most of the home pregnancy detectors detect HCG hormone in your urine to confirm whether or not you are pregnant.

When to take a home pregnancy test?

These pregnancy tests claim to be precise as early as the first day of your missed period, and in some cases it can be even before the missed period. However, it is advised that you should wait till one week after your missed period to get more accurate result.

Types of home pregnancy test devices

There are different types of pregnancy test devices available. Some come with dipstick or strips which are either immersed in the urine collected for five to 10 seconds or some drops of urine is placed on the end of the dipstick. The dipstick reveals the result after few minutes either in the form of plus or minus sign, or change in color. 

There are some kits that come with a test stick and dropper. You need to collect some amount of urine and using the dropper, place 2-3 drops (as given in the instructions on the kit) in the indicated area. A single line (purplish color) indicates negative result while double lines call for a positive result. Whichever kit you are using, just make sure to read the instructions thoroughly.  

Accuracy of the Test Result

Most of the home pregnancy tests state to be 99% accurate if tested on the missed period day. However, it all depends on the HCG level and thus there can be a variation in the result.

Can medications affect the test results?

There are chances of fertility drugs and other medications containing HCG interfering with your home pregnancy test results. However, most of the medications like antibiotics and the birth control pills, don't influence the accuracy of the test results.

Can a positive result be wrong?

Well, this happens in rare cases but there can be situations wherein the result might show positive when in real you aren't pregnant. In medical terms, it is known as false-positive. This happens if you have faced a loss of pregnancy soon after the fertilized egg got attached to the uterine lining or you happen to take a pregnancy test very soon after taking any fertility drug containing HCG. 

Can a negative result be wrong?

Yes, certainly. Sometimes the test might show negative when actually you happen to be pregnant. This is called false-negative. You get such a result if:

• Test is taken too early, prior to the missing period (HCG doesn't get detected at this stage)

• Your drink plenty of liquids before taking the test as it affects the result

Note: For the most reliable and accurate results, consider taking the test soon after waking up in the morning as this time your urine happens to be the most concentrated.

Steps to take next

Depending upon your test result, you must head on with the given steps:  

• If it's a positive result, consult a gynecologist without much delay just to confirm the pregnancy and take necessary measures.

• If the test result is negative, try taking it one more time if your periods have still not arrived. However, despite the repeated tests, if you still find negative result and there is no sign of periods, check with your doctor as it might be a case of irregular periods or missed periods.

Home pregnancy test is a great way of getting over the predicament and knowing if you are pregnant. Use it in the right way to get accurate and reliable results!