The Answers to Your Pregnancy Test FAQ

Pregnancy can be very overwhelming, especially for a first time mother. Here are the answers to three of the most common pregnancy test FAQs 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 at the drugstore, than talking to a Doctor. This is because, generally, medical fees can be exorbitant, 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 step. Although they may seem to be easy to use, many women have 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 and determining the signs of HCG in your urine, if any. HCG can only be secreted by the developing placenta right after fertilization. There is a specified threshold for HCG levels to ascertain a positive result. If the amount of HCG is below a specific threshold, you will get a negative result for pregnancy.

Number two pregnancy test FAQ is: What is the level of accuracy of these tests?

Home pregnancy tests are said to be 99 percent accurate, conducted in the right way. Inaccuracies are often traced back to human error, such as failure to follow instructions properly. One common mistake that most women make is taking the test too soon. Different test kits have different specific instructions, so it is very important to read the instructions on the package carefully to determine when you should take the test and how to go about it.

Number three pregnancy test FAQ is: How do I read the test result?

There are different ways of showing the results of a pregnancy test. That depends upon the type of test used. 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 a negative result.  These tests usually show the results by showing a line or a cross in the window.

For the tests using a line result, any colored line, no matter how faint, in the result window is considered as positive. For those tests using the plus or minus signs, any plus sign, no matter if it shows in different colors, is a positive result.

Cautiously check the instructions that come with the home pregnancy test kit.  Remember, that all tests should be read within the time period mentioned in the instructions.