 Home pregnancy tests allow for early detection of pregnancy easily and privately. The available pregnancy tests detect the presence of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine. Most tests can provide accurate results as early as the first day you miss your period, but they won’t always be able to give reliable results if used before you miss a period.hCG builds up quickly early in pregnancy, doubling every two to three days. If one or two weeks have passed since your missed period, it does not matter what time of day you use the pregnancy test: If you are pregnant, enough hCG should be present in your urine by that time to register positive on the test. But if you are testing only one or two days after a missed period, you should probably test your first morning urine, when hCG is likely to be most concentrated. Most home pregnancy tests contain a test stick, which you should remove from the packaging right before taking the test. These tests are simple to use and require just one step--holding the test stick in the urine stream. One-step kits include Clear Blue, >e.p.t., >First Response, >Answer Quick & Simple One Step, and >drugstore.com tests. For other tests, such as the original Answer pregnancy test, you collect the urine in a cup and then dip the test stick into the cup for 20 seconds. (For the urine-stream tests, you can collect urine in a clean cup if you have difficulty holding the test stick in your urine stream.) Once you’ve exposed the stick to urine, lay it on a flat surface. After waiting the proper time period (usually three to five minutes), you can read the test results. You should check the results in the amount of time specified in the test instructions. With time (usually 10 minutes or more), a negative result may look positive. The First Response Early Response Pregnancy Test claims to detect pregnancy as much as four days before an expected period. As with any pregnancy test, the earlier you test, the more likely you will have a false negative result. In clinical tests, the Early Response test detected hCG in 52 percent of pregnant women tested three days before their expected period, in 69 percent of pregnant women two days before, and in 86 percent of pregnant women one day before. When women test one or more days after missing their period, all home pregnancy tests are 96-99 percent accurate if used correctly. Make sure that you store the kit properly and not in extreme temperatures. Avoid drinking large amounts of liquids before taking the test. Drinking a lot of fluid can dilute the hCG in the urine and make it more difficult to detect. If you refrigerate a urine specimen, be sure to let it warm up to room temperature before testing it. Otherwise, the results may not be accurate. Each home pregnancy test kit has its own set of instructions, which you should follow closely to minimize the risk of an incorrect test result. If your test is positive, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor can perform a pregnancy test to confirm the results of the home test. If you think you may be pregnant, or are trying to become pregnant, be sure to take at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day as a dietary supplement. Folic acid taken during the early weeks of pregnancy can prevent certain types of birth defects. Ideally, women should consume folic acid daily throughout their childbearing years, so it can help protect the fetus immediately after conception. You can get folic acid in most regular multivitamins as well as over-the-counter or prescription prenatal vitamins, such as >Rite Aid Prenatal Tablets with Folic Acid. If your pregnancy test is negative, and you are certain that you have performed it correctly, there's still a chance that you're pregnant. Take the test again two days later, and continue using a reliable method of birth control if you do not want to become pregnant. If your period is more than a week overdue but the test is still negative, consult your doctor. Sources:
Fact Plus product information, Inverness Medical. 2006.
First Response Early Response Pregnancy Test product information, Church and Dwight Company. 2006.
Nonprescription Products: Formulations and Features '98-’99. The American Pharmaceutical Association, 1999.
The Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. The American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
This answer prepared 8/21/2000.
This information updated 1/25/2007.
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