For a home pregnancy test to show accurate results, it must be done correctly: any mistake will result in false data. It should be understood: no matter how high the sensitivity of the analyzer, it will not give a 100% guarantee. Accurate data can be obtained only after examination by a gynecologist and blood donation for hCG.

When can I do a pregnancy test

Any home pregnancy test is aimed at determining the level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the urine. This hormone begins to intensively produce chorion tissue as soon as the fertilized egg is attached to the walls of the uterus. HCG grows exponentially every day, and its presence in the blood can be detected already on the 7th day of pregnancy, in the urine - a couple of days later. For this reason, research done before this date may give false results.

Another point: a woman can only become pregnant during ovulation. This is the name for the period when a mature egg leaves the follicle and passes into the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs. This period lasts 2-3 days. With a 28-day cycle, in most cases it begins on day 14, but each organism is individual, so it is impossible to accurately predict the beginning and end of ovulation without special tests.

If fertilization has occurred, the woman will be 2-3 weeks pregnant by this time, so the concentration of hCG in the urine will be at a level sufficient to confirm or deny conception.

If your periods are irregular, the time of ovulation is difficult to predict. In this case, you need to count 10-12 days from the moment of the expected pregnancy, and then do the test. The probability of a false negative result is high, so after a week the test must be repeated, or even better, donate blood for hCG. To make the task easier, you can purchase ovulation detection strips and use them during your cycle. Some of them are sold along with a pregnancy test.

Often the analysis shows false positive results. This is possible if a woman has recently had a miscarriage or an abortion and is taking hormonal medications. Sometimes an increased level of the hormone indicates cancer or false pregnancy.

Important: you need to test the very first urine in the morning. After a night's rest, the natural concentration of the hormone in it is maximum. To get correct results, you need to thoroughly wash and dry before testing: the presence of foreign substances in the test sample will distort the analysis.

How to use a pregnancy test

Before testing, you need to make sure that the analyzer is not expired and carefully study the instructions. The further scheme of actions is as follows. Urine is collected in a special container or pipette, and then placed on an absorbent layer that contains elements that react with hCG. After this, you need to wait from 1 to 5 minutes (depending on the manufacturer’s instructions) and check the results. One strip indicates that there is no pregnancy. Two lines, even if the second one is weak, indicate a high probability of conception.

The accuracy of testing depends on the quality of the analyzer. If cheap reagents were used in its manufacture, the sensitivity of the device will be low, and an error in one or the other direction is possible. For this reason, it is better to buy a test that indicates a value of 10 mIU/ml. Higher numbers - 20, 30, 40 - reduce the reliability of the results. In addition, preference should be given to well-proven products. Products from Frautest, Clearblue, Evitest, and Premium Diagnostics have received good reviews.

The most popular type of testing is the test strip. The analysis must be done following the recommendations of the instructions for use:

1. Urinate in a clean container in the morning (under no circumstances expose the strip to a stream of urine).
2. Carefully open the package and take out the analyzer, making sure that no dirt or water gets on it. Do not touch the area where the reagents are located with your hands.
3. Dip the strip vertically inward to the mark indicated on it (no deeper), holding the colored end.
4. Keep in urine for 10-30 seconds.
5. Remove the analyzer from the liquid and place it on a dry horizontal surface.
6. After the time specified in the instructions, evaluate the result (in most cases, after 3-5 minutes). Do not pay attention if the second line appears or disappears after 10 minutes. These data will be uninformative and only indicate that a false reaction has occurred.

Tablet

The sensitivity of tablet (cassette) tests is 20-25 mMel/ml, which allows you to obtain highly accurate results if the study is carried out correctly. Externally, the device resembles an elongated case with two windows: one displays the results of the study, the other pours urine. The package includes a pipette and a container for collecting urine.

Inside the tablet test there is a material treated with a reagent containing antibodies to hCG. If a woman is pregnant, when tissue fibers come into contact with urine, the hormone and antibodies interact with each other, which leads to coloring of the information window. To do everything correctly and reduce the risk of error, you must follow the following instructions:

1. With clean hands, open the packaging and make sure that the device operates correctly.
2. Place the test on a flat, dry surface.
3. Collect morning urine in a container.
4. Pipette some liquid into a pipette.
5. Place 3-4 drops into a small window.
6. Wait 5-7 minutes.

When the time has expired, a control strip will appear in the information window, the presence of which indicates that the test was carried out correctly and the urine interacted with the reagent. The presence of a second stripe indicates pregnancy. Do not take note of its appearance after 10 minutes: this indicates a false reaction of the test components with each other.

The sensitivity of inkjet tests is 10 mMel/ml, so their results are considered the most reliable. Inside the product there are fibers through which the liquid quickly rises to the part of the rod where the reagent is located. If hCG is present in the test liquid, it will bind to the antibodies located inside the analyzer. The result is a second stripe.

The advantage of inkjet research is the speed and simplicity of analysis. The instructions for the pregnancy test indicate that it should be done as follows:

1. With clean hands, open the sealed package.
2. Remove the protective cap from the product.
3. The first use option: while urinating, place part of the test strip under the stream so that the edge with the reagent faces down.
4. The second use option: collect urine in a clean container, lower the edge of the product there for 15-20 seconds.
5. Put on the protective cap.
6. Place the test on a horizontal surface.
7. After 3-5 minutes, the result will appear in the window: one or two stripes, either plus or minus.
8. Data received after 10 minutes are not taken into account.

Digital devices are characterized by high accuracy. They are able to show results 5 days before menstruation and even indicate the duration of pregnancy. The only caveat: with such early testing, the accuracy is 65%. If the study is done the day before the start of menstruation, with a correctly performed test, these numbers will rise to 98%. Proceed according to this scheme:

1. Remove the analyzer from the box and remove the protective cap.
2. Place the open edge for 5 seconds. under the stream so that it points downwards. At the same time, make sure that the other part of the device does not get wet.
3. The appearance of an hourglass on the screen means that the urine collection was done correctly and the results are being processed.

After 1-3 minutes, a plus or minus will appear on the display. Some devices say “Pregnant” or “Not pregnant”. If conception has been confirmed, the estimated period will be shown under the plus sign: 1-2 weeks, 2-3 weeks, 3+.

Some companies, for example, PTeq, produce a device in the form of a flash drive that can be connected to a computer, after which the data will be displayed on the monitor. Taking into account the concentration of hCG, the computer can even indicate the approximate date of delivery.

Reusable digital tests

Some manufacturers produce reusable electronic devices with removable cartridges or several pieces per package to determine conception. Some of them are able to determine not only conception, but also the time of ovulation. For example, the Clearblue Fertility Monitor kit includes a digital results reader, 20 ovulation cartridges and 4 pregnancy cartridges.

Like the disposable analyzer, reusable tests can be used several days before your expected period. The testing scheme is similar to using a disposable device. The only caveat: if conception does not take place, throw away the used cartridge and insert a new one.

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Pregnancy

When to take a pregnancy test to get reliable results? The most comprehensive information on this important issue is in our article!

Pregnancy tests sold in pharmacies and supermarkets are simply a brilliant invention that makes life amazingly easier for women. Thanks to such simple indicators, each of us can independently find out at home whether we are pregnant or not. Their accuracy, according to various sources, reaches 97-99%, that is, in the vast majority of cases, you can rely on the result of such a test.

However, despite the apparent simplicity of the method, you need to understand that it must be used exactly according to the instructions and on time. It is the question of time that our article will be devoted to: we will try to answer the question on what day a pregnancy test will show a reliable result.

How does the test work?

In order to find out on what day a pregnancy test will be true, you need to know at least in general terms what it determines.

A classic pregnancy test looks like a coated cardboard strip with a special reagent applied. It is this reagent that changes its color when it comes into contact with urine containing an increased amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a special hormone that begins to be produced almost immediately after fertilization. But does this mean that you can take a pregnancy test before your period is missed? After all, hCG is present in a woman’s body already in the first week of pregnancy.

When pregnancy occurs, the hCG hormone, appearing in the blood at first in small quantities, increases its concentration thousands of times during the first weeks. The classic test strip is not so sensitive as to respond to a minimal amount of the hormone. On average, it takes 10 to 14 days for the hCG concentration to reach the detection limit of the test. For most women, this time coincides with the beginning of the expected menstruation, therefore, when using a test strip, it is advisable to carry out the first home test with its help no earlier than on the first day of the delay in the onset of the menstrual cycle.

There are more advanced pregnancy detection tests on the market. For those who are haunted by the question of how many days after a pregnancy test can be taken, there are inkjet tests. Their fundamental difference is in sensitivity, which in this case is quite high and allows you to get a positive result 4-5 days before the date of the expected start of the next menstruation. In addition, such a test is somewhat more convenient to use, but it also costs an order of magnitude more.

Now the question “when to do a pregnancy test” does not present any difficulties for us: all of the above indicates the advisability of conducting the study no earlier than the first day of missed menstruation. However, we are not dealing with technology, where everything is precisely verified and defined - we are talking about living people, each of whom is individual. Moreover, even in the healthiest woman with proper regulation of the cycle, the timing of ovulation and egg implantation can differ from time to time. This will depend on the state of the immune system, age-related changes, mood swings, atmospheric influences, stress... and you never know what else!

Speaking about average values ​​in relation to humans, we should not forget about variability - the variability of processes in the human body. Thus, for some women, a pregnancy test before a missed period may well show a pronounced second line as an indication of pregnancy, while others may need to wait a few more days before the test finally “feels” an increased hCG level.

Now let’s consider those situations when the period for determining pregnancy using a home test strip may differ from the average.

Short menstrual cycle

In women whose menstrual cycle is shorter than 24 days, the reaction time of the test to elevated hCG levels may also change. However, these changes are weakly expressed for the reason that the second phase of the cycle, which occurs after ovulation, is approximately the same in duration for all women: both with a normal, and with a long, and with a short cycle.

Menstrual cycle more than 32 days

For some women, normal periods come after 32 days or more. These “lucky ones” may think that a pregnancy test can be done earlier. But this is not always the case: the cycle lengthens mainly due to the first half of the cycle, when the endometrium prepares for egg implantation, while the second half remains within the average range: 12-14 days. That is, with a cycle of, say, 34 days, the first phase accounts for about 20 days, the remaining 14 days for the second. That is, in this case, the answer to the burning question, how long will it take for the test to show pregnancy, will be the same - in the first days after the delay.

Physiological fluctuations of the menstrual cycle

It's no secret that women have physiological fluctuations in cycle length. The causes may be critical stress, colds and other diseases, or taking certain medications.

Even if a woman can confidently say that her periods go “like a clock” all her life, then even in this case, isolated fluctuations in the duration of the menstrual cycle cannot be ruled out. And this is where a change in the response time of a pregnancy test can be significant: a woman expecting her period, as usual, on the 28th day, may not suspect that ovulation occurred several days later. Having carried out the test on the 29th day, even if pregnancy occurs, she may get a negative result, since the hCG level has not yet reached sufficient concentration.

So, when can you take a pregnancy test?

Summarizing all that has been said, let’s try to formulate tips regarding the timing of a pregnancy test.

The earliest reasonable test can be considered a study conducted on the first day of missed menstruation.

If you cannot tolerate the unknown, and five extra days of waiting deprives you of the opportunity to live a normal life, then use more sensitive jet tests: with a 28-day cycle, pregnancy can be determined as early as 23-24 days.

When to take a pregnancy test? Yes, even every day! For those who are impatient, you can try a regular test strip even before the date of your expected menstruation: for some, daily testing with the gradual appearance of a faint strip until pronounced signs of a positive test can bring indescribable pleasure.

You don’t have to do the test at all, but go straight to the doctor or get tested for hCG. Many gynecologists, however, themselves recommend this home study, but it is not strictly necessary.

At a certain point in life, a woman may begin to suspect pregnancy.

The first thing you can do in such a situation is to purchase a special test at the pharmacy, which in an indicator form will show the likelihood that the woman will soon become a mother.

In some cases, when the content of human chorionic gonadotropin is still too low for it to show the correct result.

If fertilization occurred very recently, it is possible. In this case, you will need to do another test in a few days.

Fertilization is a complex process that takes place at the cellular level. For a woman, it proceeds completely unnoticed.

(even before the delay) can appear after the egg reaches the uterus after fertilization and attaches to it.

Usually the uterus is attached one week after conception. The fertilized egg merges with the wall of the uterus (its upper part) on days 21-23 of the menstrual cycle.

A fertilized egg already consists of several cells that join together into a single whole. They divide and form a whole cell cluster. As the cells increase in size, the size of the egg also increases.

As a result, one of them will become an embryo, and the rest will be used to nourish and protect it throughout the pregnancy.

Change in hCG level

HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin (hormone). Immediately after the transfer of a fertilized egg to the uterine wall, it is formed in the body of the expectant mother. The body needs the hormone until the placenta forms. In the initial stages, it stimulates the production of other important hormones.

It is one of the most detailed analyzes in the twelfth week. For this purpose, urine tests are performed. A pregnancy test may be used.

Hormonal levels change as pregnancy progresses. Until the 12th week it grows (doubling every 48 hours), and then there is a sharp decrease.

The information is reflected in the table below.

differ not only in their functionality, price and appearance.

The main criterion for choosing all pregnancy tests is sensitivity.

It is this indicator that determines on what day after ovulation a test should be taken to confirm pregnancy

• Tests with standard sensitivity from 25 mIU/ml.

The higher the number characterizing the test, the less sensitivity it has.

These include test strips and cassette tests. As well as digital tests that show the gestational age, in particular the famous Clearblue Digital test.

• Tests with an average sensitivity of 15 to 25 mIU/ml, such as Fraytest.
• Ultrasensitive tests with readings from 10 to 15 mIU/ml.

An example is the Insure test that recently appeared on the pharmaceutical market (sensitivity 12.5 mIU/ml) or the “Ambulance” test (sensitivity 10 mIU/ml).

Sensitive tests can show pregnancy 5-7 days before the missed period.

A paper strip test is the most inexpensive option for detecting pregnancy. They are impregnated with a substance that reacts to changes in the hCG hormone.

The operating principle of test strips is extremely simple. The strip is immersed in a container of urine for a few seconds. Then you need to wait 5-7 minutes and you can see the result.

When two red stripes appear, there is a high probability of pregnancy. After such testing, it will not hurt to use more modern means or undergo an ultrasound.

If the reagent is unevenly distributed over the surface of the strip, an incorrect result may be shown.

Cassette or tablet tests are also standard. They do not need to be immersed in a container of reagent. Such tests are cases with paper strips enclosed in them.

A small amount of reagent is enough per strip using a pipette, and the result can be seen in a special window in 3-4 minutes. The urine comes into contact with the reagent already present in the test.

Inkjet tests with high sensitivity contain special reagents, which, when detecting human chorionic gonadotropin in female urine, can show a reliable result within a minute.

No containers or pipettes are required to apply urine. This is an accurate and convenient option for detecting pregnancy.

As for digital tests, they are expensive, but they provide the same amount of information.

Unless the period is additionally calculated in weeks. Electronic tests are equipped with special intelligent sensors. If the result is positive, a “+” sign and the gestational age in weeks will appear in the window.

At what time can the test be done: from how many weeks does it begin to show an accurate result?

After the egg meets the sperm in the fallopian tube and conception occurs, active cell division in the fertilized egg begins, and the zygote itself moves towards the uterus.

The fertilized egg descends into the uterine cavity only on the 6-7th day. The embryo can remain suspended for another 2 days, and then deepens into the endometrium.

From this moment, the level of hCG in the woman’s body begins to increase.

Considering that human chorionic gonadotropin doubles every 2 days, the most sensitive test will show pregnancy 10-12 days after ovulation.

Standard tests (sensitivity 25 mIU/ml) show pregnancy only from the first day of delay. But even in this case, the test may show a negative result in case of menstrual irregularities or late ovulation.

Regardless of sensitivity, the test will show an accurate result only on the 3-4th day of the menstrual cycle delay.

All test results before the delay are considered relative. Although if the result is positive, the chances are high that the long-awaited pregnancy has occurred.

Does the test always show an existing pregnancy?

Often, when you independently determine pregnancy using a test, the result may turn out to be false positive, that is, it will not be confirmed during another study. The test will show two lines if the child is not conceived.

An unreliable result may be a consequence of taking special medications with a high content of the hCG hormone or the presence of trophoblastic neoplasms.

The results may be false positive even after a recent spontaneous miscarriage or abortion. In this case, even during menstruation, the test may show pregnancy.

The fact is that during this period of time the body still retains an increased content of chronic gonadotropin. Therefore, the results will be false.

You can specify the data and highlight the main reasons for a false positive result:

• use of hCG products. For example, Pregnil, Profasi and others.
• presence of tumors;
• minor elimination of soft tissue after early abortion.

Is the test always true: when may the test fail to show pregnancy?

The results of a pregnancy test may be false negative when fertilization of the egg has occurred, but it was not recorded due to the low level of the hCG hormone in the body.

Statistically, such results are obtained much more often than false positives.

Possible causes of erroneous data:

• Carrying out the test a little earlier than the due date, when the body has not yet produced a sufficient amount of chronic gonadotropin.
• Excessive use of diuretics or fluids before the actual test.
• The test may not show pregnancy for a long time due to a pathological condition of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels, in which the hormone is practically not excreted in the urine in normal concentrations.
• An expired or damaged test was used.

Determination of pregnancy is possible in the early stages of conception, but only after the egg attaches to the uterus.

From this moment on, a special hormone, hCG, can be detected in the woman’s urine and blood. It is its presence that is shown by various tests that differ in their level of sensitivity. Well, digital tests can immediately show approximate timing on the display.

In certain situations, test results may be erroneous - false positive or false negative. It is necessary to use only high-quality medical products to detect pregnancy and not test before the due date.

Despite the variety of tests, they all follow the same principle of operation, determining the amount of hCG produced during the growth of the placenta and contained in the urine. Normally (in the absence of pregnancy), its maximum value is 5 mU/ml, but from the first days of conception its level begins to gradually increase. A fair question arises: when to take a pregnancy test?

Actually, it is possible to determine whether conception has occurred a week after the delay, or earlier. But in this case, a variety of tests are taken into account, which, although they work according to a general scheme, still differ in the degree of sensitivity (divided by type).

The first type is able to detect the presence of pregnancy, starting from 10 mU/ml and is particularly sensitive, since it sometimes gives results a week after the act. The second type “catches” later dates, “focusing” on indicators starting from 25 mU/ml and above. Accordingly, they cost less. In fact, all tests determine the presence (or absence) of gonadotropin.

Types of tests

Stripes. Most accessible. The strip is dipped into urine, previously collected in a dry and, of course, clean container, and left for twenty seconds. After five minutes, the result is assessed.

Tablets. These tests are more reliable than “strips” because the reagents are protected by plastic boxes. Using the pipette already included in the kit, you need to drop the liquid into the window located on the test. The result is assessed in this case also after five minutes.

Jet. They belong to the latest generation, the most modern and comfortable. No urine collection is required. It is enough to simply place the test under the stream while urinating. The result also appears within five minutes.

So, question one: when to take a pregnancy test? Definitely after a delay. HCG appears immediately after the sperm enters the uterus, but first it appears in the blood, and only then in the urine. Since implantation is possible only a week after ovulation (or a little later), and the rise in hormone levels is slow, some time must pass for it to be detected by the test. The time frame is determined only by this moment. In other words, the test can “detect” the presence of gonadotropin only after about 12-14 days from the day of ovulation.

The lower the sensitivity of the test, the later pregnancy is determined. The most sensitive tests (jet tests) can show pregnancy a week before the expected menstruation. Strip strips show pregnancy from the second day of delay. However, these are only statistics. There may be cases (individual, of course) when implantation occurs later or, conversely, earlier. Therefore, an early test may not reflect reality.

When is the best time to use the test?

Regardless of what results you would like to see on the test, you will most likely find it difficult to wait until the morning. Are there any restrictions regarding the time of day? Let's try to figure it out.

First, let's try to understand the principle of the test mechanism. It's pretty simple. The embryo, being implanted into the uterus, activates the production of gonadotropin - it is its presence that indicates the onset of pregnancy. The test reagents are configured to capture gonadotropin, which changes the color of the test strip during a chemical reaction.

Now let's turn to logical thinking for help. If hCG is already in the blood, at a level sufficient for detection, then, accordingly, the time of day at which you perform the procedure does not make a fundamental difference - the hormone cannot disappear from the urine and its level will not decrease. However, if you decide to carry out the procedure in the evening and you are not very sure about the timing, then it is better to postpone the test and wait until the next day, since the hCG concentration in the morning will be slightly higher than the night before, and therefore the test will be more reliable.

But if the delay has already occurred (at least three days, taking into account the regularity of the cycle), then a highly sensitive test will show pregnancy regardless of the chosen time of day.

To the above, I would like to add some recommendations:

• For urine analysis, use only fresh urine;
• Limit your fluid intake before the test;
• do not take diuretics, which will dilute your urine;
• Try to stop urinating at least three hours before the test.

Can the test show an incorrect result?

1. If you suddenly see a line appear on the test, then the probability of pregnancy is at least 99%.
2. If the line on the test is barely noticeable, the result should be considered positive. The reason for the weak staining lies in the low concentration of hCG.
3. False-positive results are possible due to the presence of tumors and the use of certain medications.
4. A negative test during actual pregnancy can be when:

• insufficient concentration of hCG (analysis too early);
• impaired kidney function (hCG simply does not enter the urine);
• a large amount of liquid drunk before the test (hCG is “eroded” to such a low concentration that the test simply does not recognize it). Taking these amendments into account, we summarize: with a positive test, an error is excluded; with a negative test, it is unlikely, but possible, especially if there are signs of pregnancy.

Related question: What are the signs of pregnancy? Perhaps these signs should be divided into two categories: probable signs and possible signs.

Possible signs include:

• delayed menstruation with a regular cycle without failures;
• increased basal temperature;
• a change in the uterus (both structure and size changes), determined by a gynecologist;
• cyanosis of the cervix and the vagina itself.

Possible signs include:

• nagging pain in the lower abdomen (comparable to pain during menstruation);
• swelling and some tenderness of the breast;
• “abnormal” perception of smells (this also includes heightened sense of smell);
• irritability, tearfulness, nervousness;
• change in food preferences;
• nausea (and sometimes vomiting);
• frequency of urination;
• drowsiness;
• fast fatiguability.

Signs are not always diagnosed and not in all women; they can indicate not only a probable pregnancy, so you should not rely on them too much. Therefore, for absolute certainty, it is better to take into account both the signs, the test indicator, and the results of the examination by a gynecologist.

Rules for using tests

Finally, we will cover in more detail the rules for using tests step by step.

1. If you have a test strip, open the packet and take it out. Collect a portion of urine in a thoroughly washed and completely dry glass container. Lower the test exactly to the level indicated by the arrows for ten seconds. Place the strip on any surface that does not absorb moisture (the rims of the dishes in which the urine was collected are suitable). See the result in five (maximum ten) minutes.
2. If you have a test cassette, open the bag, take out the test and pipette. Collect urine. Pipette four drops of urine directly into the cassette window. See the result in five (maximum ten) minutes.
3. If you have a midstream test (or a jet test), open the bag and take out the contents. Remove the cap. Taking the test by the handle, place it under the stream of your urine for 7-8 seconds so that the absorbent surface gets wet. Cap the test. See the result in five (maximum ten) minutes.

Already in the first minute, a slowly moving wave will begin to appear in the diagnostic field (its absence indicates an insufficient amount of urine on the absorbent surface). Then a stripe (or two) will appear. Two stripes confirm pregnancy, one strip denies it.

The effectiveness of the test depends on strict adherence to the instructions.

Notes

1. The test must be hermetically sealed and can only be opened immediately before analysis.
2. The test is used only once.
3. Do not use expired tests.
4. Strictly adhere to the time frame of the analysis.
5. Do not perform analysis near heat sources.
6. At an early stage, the second stripe usually appears longer and weaker, at a later stage - faster and brighter.
7. To be completely sure, a second test is carried out a week after the first.