Everything you need to know about pregnancy tests

Everything you need to know about pregnancy tests

Let’s find out everything about this tool: when to use it, how it works, where to buy it and its different types.

Nausea, swelling and other specific symptoms make you quickly understand you are pregnant. However, there’s only one way to know it for sure: with a pregnancy test.

This tool detects in your blood and urine the Beta HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone is produced by the placenta after the implantation and can be detected from 8 days after the fecundation.

False positives are very rare, while a false negative is more likely to happen, for example if you use this test too early. Let’s see when it’s the best moment to use a pregnancy test and all the details on how it works.

Pregnancy test: different types and where to buy it

There are two types of pregnancy tests: urine and blood ones. You can buy the first one at the supermarket or in a pharmacy, while the second one is ran in laboratories and it is usually prescribed by a gynecologist to assess the patient is actually pregnant. The blood pregnancy test is 100% sure, while the urine one are 99% sure. The latter is cheaper.

There are different types of this tool. There can be more basic ones, which only tell you if you are pregnant or you are not. While other ones have an electronic display and also tell you for how many weeks you have been pregnant.

Photo source: https://pixabay.com/it/incinta-test-di-gravidanza-bambino-2277768/

When to use a pregnancy test

For a certain result, you need to use this tool at the right moment. Even if many companies say their tests are reliable already after a week from the fecundation, it is better to wait at least 10 days.

You might get a false negative if you use this tool too early, because the Beta HCG hormone quantity in your urine is too low. If you have a delay, run the test at least 3 days after the day your period should have come.

If your period delays and your pregnancy test is negative, repeat it after a week or run the blood test. It is fundamental to choose the right moment of the day to use it. The best thing to do is to run it as soon as you wake up, because your urine is more concentrated.

If it’s not possible, try and don’t drink too much and wait for a while before peeing, in order to avoid to run the test with too diluted urine.

Positive pregnancy test: what now?

If your pregnancy test is positive, it is rarely wrong. Rare cases of false positives are usually due to blood in urines or neuroleptics drugs.

Instead, false negatives are more common, so it is better to repeat the test after a week from the first one. In case of positive outcome, the first thing to do is to see your gynecologist, who will probably prescribe a blood test to make sure you are actually pregnant. The doctor will then tell you what to do.


ultimo aggiornamento: 26-03-2019