Pregnancy can be very overwhelming, especially to a first time mother -- so here are the answers to three of the most common pregnancy test faq that most women ask.

Taking a pregnancy test is the first step to knowing whether you are pregnant or not.  Most women prefer to get a home pregnancy test kit, which can be purchased over the counter in any pharmacy, than to talk to a Doctor immediately.  This is because Doctor fees can be expensive, and most women would not want to waste their money on a false alarm.  Another advantage of using the home pregnancy test kit is that you can know the results privately at first, to give you more time to plan your next steps.  Although they may seem to be easy to use, a lot of women have been having false results because they cannot do the test properly.

Number one pregnancy test faq is:  How do home pregnancy tests detect pregnancy?

Your home pregnancy test determines that you are pregnant by tracing any signs of HCG in your urine.  The HCG can only be secreted by a developing placenta right after fertilization.  There is a specified threshold for HCG levels to determine a positive result.  If the amount of HCG is below a specific threshold, then you will be getting a negative result for pregnancy.

How accurate are home pregnancy tests?

Home pregnancy tests are said to be 99% accurate – if it is conducted in the proper manner.  Inaccuracies are often traced back to human error, such as failure to follow instructions.  One common mistake that most women make is that they take the test too soon.  Different test kits have different specific instructions, so it is very important to read the instructions on the package to determine when you should take the test and how you should do it.

Another pregnancy test faq is: How do I read the test result?

There are different ways to show the results of a pregnancy test, depending upon what type of test you are using.  Most tests have two windows –- one to tell you that the test was done correctly, and the other to tell you if you have a positive or negative result.  These tests usually show their results by showing a line or a cross in the windows.  For the tests using a line result, any colored line, no matter how faint in the result window is considered as a positive resultant.  For those tests using the plus or minus signs, any plus sign no matter if it shows in different colors should be a positive result.  It is always best to check the instructions that come with the home pregnancy test kit.  Remember, that all tests should be read within the time mentioned in the instructions.

These are just a few pregnancy test faq in which the answers give you the basic knowledge you need to have about pregnancy testing.  You could have more questions in your mind.  You can get more information on the internet, but the best information to help you is from your own Doctor.