If you think you might be pregnant, there's no need to hesitate, take a pregnancy test at the right time and you'll know for sure.
A pregnancy test is necessary at the first early sign of pregnancy or the appearance of certain pregnancy symptoms, such as a significant delay in menstruation, nausea, etc. There's no need to hesitate!
When to take a pregnancy test?
The majority of pregnancy tests on the market are second-generation urine tests. It's not necessary to use them first thing in the morning (when urine is most concentrated). Some early pregnancy tests can even detect a pregnancy 2 days before the expected date of menstruation. However, to avoid taking 3 or 4 tests in a row, wait for 7 to 10 days after the expected date of menstruation and prefer the morning, the right time to take a urine pregnancy test when you're hoping for a happy event.
Follow the instructions
After purchasing a test, it's important to read the instructions and follow them to obtain reliable results. Check, for example, that the indicator of proper test execution is validated, respect the waiting time before reading the result, and remember that this urine test system is based on a chemical reaction that can degrade. A pregnancy test can become unreadable after being read positive or negative. In general, valid results are only valid for a certain period of time.
How does it work?
Urine soaks into an absorbent stick. If this urine contains beta-HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone), then the test result will be positive. Indeed, beta-HCG is a hormone produced and released by the embryo as soon as it has implanted in the uterine wall. The level of the HCG hormone increases regularly during pregnancy: it doubles every 2 days and reaches its peak at around 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Are the results guaranteed 100%?
The result of a positive pregnancy test is reliable since it means that HCG has been detected. However, if it's negative, nothing is certain. A negative pregnancy test on an empty stomach can be positive on Day 2 (false negative), mainly due to the HCG level. When a pregnancy test is taken too early, the HCG level may not be significant enough to be detected by a urine test. Two days later, if there is a pregnancy, the HCG level has doubled and becomes detectable.
If the pregnancy test is positive or remains negative despite a delay in menstruation, it's necessary to consult a doctor or gynecologist to confirm the beginning of pregnancy with a blood test. Blood tests performed in a laboratory confirm pregnancy. They are more reliable because the HCG level is higher in the blood than in the urine. Indeed, HCG is initially released into the mother's blood, which eliminates it in the urine. Blood tests are more comprehensive as they allow for determining the date of pregnancy with an evaluation of the fertilization date.