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Pregnancy: Home Pregnancy Tests
A pregnancy test measures a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to determine whether a woman is pregnant. The test can be performed on blood (serum) or urine.
You can buy a home pregnancy test without a prescription at the drugstore or supermarket. Most tests involve urinating directly onto a test stick or into a cup (into which you dip the test stick). You then watch to see whether the stick changes color in a particular way. Results take only a few minutes.
Home pregnancy test works by detecting the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), often called the pregnancy hormone. In a normal pregnancy, the developing embryo starts producing hCG as soon as it implants in the wall of the uterus. The hormone circulates through the mother's system, entering the blood and urine.
A home test can find it in urine as early the day your next period was due -- so by the time you realize your period is late, you can probably do an accurate home test. Used according to directions, most home pregnancy tests are about 99 percent accurate.
Sometimes a home test will fail to detect a pregnancy. Usually this happens when a woman takes the test before her hormone levels are high enough to trigger a positive reading. If you get a negative reading and your period doesn't come after a few more days, you should take another test; by then, your hormone levels may be high enough to cause a positive result. If you're still in doubt, call your health care provider. Sometimes a pregnancy that doesn't register on a home test will appear on a blood test done at your provider's office.
Home tests are more likely to miss a pregnancy than to report one that isn't there. Still, it's possible -- though rare -- for a woman to get a positive reading on a home test even if she isn't pregnant. In such cases, the test may be responding to another condition that can mimic the hormonal action of pregnancy. Some of these conditions are serious, such as ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, and certain tumors.
Any positive reading on a home test should prompt a call to your health care provider to set up an appointment. If you have a condition other than pregnancy, that will become apparent from your prenatal exams. In nearly all cases, though, a positive home test means a growing baby.
Other Articles in Pregnancy
 Pregnancy: Fertility Facts
Pregnancy Planning
Pregnancy: Home Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy: Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Pregnancy No-Nos
Sex & Pregnancy...Do they mix?
Pregnancy: Cord Blood Banking
Pregnancy: The First trimester
Pregnancy: The Second Trimester
Pregnancy: The Third Trimester
20 Common Pregnancy Questions & Answers
Unique and Unusual Baby Names
Baby Room Themes: Fun Ideas Your Baby Will Love
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