Faced with a delay in the period, the first question we ask ourselves is: “Am I pregnant?” The only reliable answer to that question is to take the pregnancy test . Today we can find on the market several types of home pregnancy tests to know precisely and in a few minutes if you are pregnant.
These home use pregnancy tests can be purchased in pharmacies, supermarkets, and even online, and they work in a very simple way: they detect the presence of the hormone chorionic gonadotropin (HGC) in a urine sample. They are practical and very easy to use, but there are different types that we tell you below so that you can choose the one that best suits you.
How and when to do the pregnancy test
In this article we explain everything in detail, but it is important that you know that for greater reliability you should wait for a delay of at least one day (in regular cycles) and it is recommended to do it with the first urine in the morning, which is what it has a higher concentration of hormone.
Test strip test
It is the most basic of all in terms of use. It consists of a test strip for the pregnancy hormone that you must place in a container with urine (it is usually included) and wait a few minutes to obtain the result. The downside is that they are less hygienic and the reading lines may not look as accurate when interpreting the result.
If two lines appear, even if they are weak, the result is positive. They are not the most used, but they are of interest to women who undergo numerous tests. There are high sensitivity early detection, especially used for in-vitro treatments. They come in packs of several units.
One Step – 5 Pregnancy Tests 10 mIU / ml – New Economic Format of 2.5 mm
Babycolor 20 Pregnancy Test, Predictor Ultrasensitive Pregnancy Tests 10 mIU / ml, pregnancy strips High sensitivity early detection
Drip urine test
We can also find these types of tests that consist of a cassette-type cartridge with a window in which you must place a drop of urine. You have to urinate in a sterile plastic container and take a sample with a dropper (it is included), place it in the opening of the device and wait a few minutes (those indicated in the instructions -usually between 3 and 5 minutes-) for it to detect or not the presence of the HCG hormone.
The result is also by means of lines. Two lines indicate that you are pregnant.
One Step – 10 Pregnancy Tests Cassette Format 25 mIU
Urine flow pregnancy test
Cartridge with line result
They are the most used for their high reliability and their practicality when using them. They are cartridge type and in this case it is not necessary to use a container to collect the urine sample, but to urinate directly at one end of the test.
In the result window we can see if it is positive (two lines) or negative (one line).
Depending on the sensitivity of the test, that is, the concentration of the HCG hormone that it is capable of detecting, some promise to give an early pregnancy result, even 3-5 or 7 days before the date on which your menstruation should arrive.
First Response Pregnancy Test Early Result – a pack of 2 units
Cartridge with digital result
It is the most sophisticated. Unlike the others, the digital pregnancy test tells you how many weeks pregnant you are . In three minutes it tells you with 99% accuracy, from the date the period should start, if you are expecting a baby.
It is able to measure the level of HCG to specify the number of weeks that have elapsed since conception occurred: 1-2, 2-3 or more than 3 (3+).
Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test, Pregnancy Test with Week Indicator, 2 Units
What is the most reliable pregnancy test?
When buying a pregnancy test, you have to look at its sensitivity . In a normal pregnancy, HCG can be detected in urine and blood only 7 days after conception. HCG levels continue to increase, exceeding 100 mlU / ml after the first absence and doubling its levels approximately every two days until reaching a range of 11500-300000 mlU / ml in weeks 10-12 of gestation, at the end of the first trimester.
- From 7 to 10 days after conception there is a concentration of 10 mlU / ml of pregnancy hormone (HCG) or higher. This would be equivalent, in regular cycles, to 4-5 days before the lack of menstruation.
- From 10 to 14 days after conception there is a concentration of 25 mlU / ml or higher. This would roughly equal the date your period should arrive. Most tests have this standard sensitivity.
Depending on their sensitivity, pregnancy tests could be classified into:
- Ultrasensitive test: detects a concentration of HCG from 5 mlU / ml
- High sensitivity test: detects an HCG concentration of 10 to 15 mlU / ml
- Sensitive test: 20 to 25 mlU / ml
- Standard test: 25 to 50 mlU / ml
From the first day of the lack of menstruation (always assuming that it is a regular cycle), all pregnancy tests have sufficient sensitivity to detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone.
Therefore, depending on when you perform the test, you should choose the one with the highest possible sensitivity so that the result is reliable. If the result is not clear, it is advisable to repeat the test after a few days.
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