How to Take a Pregnancy Test Correctly?

Are you wondering if you are pregnant? Have you missed your period? Do your breasts feel tender and hurt, or are you getting cramps? If you are facing these signs, then probably it is time for you to take a pregnancy test.

If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant then you must be excited. If not, well, you must be terrified. Even the most effective birth control methods may fail sometimes. Either way, it is a nerve-wracking experience.

And before taking a pregnancy test at home, you should know the correct method to avoid getting false, incorrect results.

In this article, we’re going to discuss this in detail. How to take a pregnancy test correctly?

How Does Pregnancy Test Works?

Before digging into the topic, let us understand how pregnancy tests work in the first place. All home pregnancy tests work similarly.

They detect the level of human chorionic gonadotropin hCG in your urine, a hormone that is rapidly produced in the early stages of pregnancy.

If you still haven't missed your period yet, the concentration of hCG may not be high enough to be identified in diluted urine. Therefore, it is advised to conduct the test after you have missed a period for more accurate results. 

Step 1: Buy a Pregnancy Test Kit

The first step is to buy a home pregnancy test. Keep in mind that costlier doesn’t necessarily mean better.

• Since all home pregnancy tests work the same way, choose one which has been packed properly and doesn’t have any visible defects. 
• Make sure that you also check the manufactured date and the expiry date of the test. 
• Getting one that has been relatively recently packaged gives you a slightly higher chance of getting a more efficient and correct reading. 

Step 2: Day of the Month

Next, you need to decide the perfect time-frame within which you would get a more effective and proper result. Even if your pregnancy test is highly sensitive, sometimes it’s too early into the pregnancy to get a positive result. This risks the chance of getting false results. 

The anxiety and want to find whether you are pregnant or not is given. But experts usually suggest waiting for a day or even a week from missing period to take a pregnancy test for more accurate results.

If you have an irregular period, the ideal waiting time would be 2-3 weeks. 

hCG is produced only after the fertilized egg is implanted in your uterus. Implantation of the fertilized egg ordinarily happens closer to the sixth day after the sperm and egg have fused or after ovulation day (which is generally around 2 weeks before your next menstrual cycle). Therefore, it is advised to wait for a few days after you’ve missed your period to take the test. 

Step 3: Time of the Day

Besides the date, the time of the day is also crucial. Since the hCG is most concentrated in your first urine of the day, take the test early in the morning, especially if you’re doing an early pregnancy test.

Also, avoid drinking too much water since that tends to dilute the hormone level in the urine. 

Step 4: Taking Test

Even though most home pregnancy tests are similar, it is essential to adhere to manufacturers guidelines. Points of interest may change for every pregnancy test, for example,

• How to gather the urine, 
• The time you have to pee on the stick for, and 
• The images used to show whether you're pregnant or not or result reading.

Read all the instructions thoroughly before taking the test and follow them carefully. 

Sometimes you have to pee directly on the stick for a particular period. If you have got that kind of stick then make sure you urinate for the mentioned time only, use a stopwatch.

If your pregnancy test comes with a cup to gather urine, drop the urine carefully into the well, specified on the stick. Or if it has an absorbent side, sip that in the collected urine. 

After all this, you wait. Keep the stick faced upwards on a levelled surface while you wait. The waiting period is usually 1-5 minutes depending on the test you used. This waiting time is especially nerve-wracking so try and distract yourself. Make a cup of tea, watch a video or listen to your favorite song. 

Step 5: Reading Result

A plus sign or a double line, even if it is faint, indicates you’re pregnant.

Some of the results might be

• A change of color
• A change in marked line or a double line
• A symbol, such as “ + ” or “ - ”
• The words stating “pregnant” or “not pregnant”

Book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to confirm it through a blood test.

If the indicator box shows a negative sign, then you are probably not pregnant. Taking the test early usually results in false negatives. Wait for a few days before taking it again. 

Finding out if you’re pregnant or not can be a life-changing moment. And it is especially terrifying and exciting. It is recommended to do it in the presence of a close confidante to help you calm your nerves!