If you think you may be pregnant and are interested in using a test to find out the actual results, know that over-the-counter tests that use urine to detect the pregnancy hormone are incredibly effective. Unlike the days of yore, when the only reliable way to tell if you're actually pregnant was to visit your primary care provider's office, these home tests allow you to determine whether you need to see a provider. Keep in mind that if you test positive on any type of home pregnancy test, you should be sure to schedule an appointment with your primary health care provider right away. This is necessary because of complications such as ectopic tubal pregnancy, where the egg lodges in the fallopian tube and can cause great pain and health problems if left untreated. The test will still determine that you are pregnant, even if the pregnancy is not normal or necessarily healthy.
There are two main types of pregnancy tests, those that use urine and those that use blood. Both tests are designed to detect a hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone, commonly known as HCG, is produced when the placenta begins to develop once the embryo has successfully attached to the uterine lining. Although blood tests tend to have fewer false positives, the presence of this HCG hormone can be easily detected in a urine-based test. Generally, doctors will do a blood test to determine whether you are pregnant. In addition to testing for HCG, your doctor may want to run another panel to determine your overall health and vitamin or nutrient levels. This will give your doctor a baseline from which to prescribe prenatal vitamins and medications to ensure both mother and baby are healthy.
If you buy a urine-based pregnancy test, you have two main options. The first option is that the woman urinates into a cup and then inserts a special stick into the cup for a given period of time. This test generally has more accurate results because the instructions are more likely to be followed. Usually, if you visit a clinic and are given a urine test, this is the type of test you will receive. However, the most popular method of pregnancy tests available over the counter are those that require a woman to hold a special stick in the stream of urine for a certain period of time. These tests tend to be the most popular because this method requires less mess and cleanup. There are even versions of this test that can detect the pregnancy hormone HCG almost immediately after the embryo implants in the uterine wall.
For those individuals who are too impatient to receive reports before the necessary waiting time required for even the earliest versions of urine tests, a blood test should be used. Blood tests can be done up to seven days after possible conception, so they are popular with couples struggling with infertility. In addition, a blood test can more accurately measure the level of HCG in a woman's body, so potential problems or complications with pregnancy can be identified immediately. However, keep in mind that you need to visit a doctor's office for a blood test to determine whether you are pregnant. This will often incur visit costs and testing fees. When it comes to money, many women's clinics provide a pregnancy test for minimal cost.
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