Think you might be pregnant? Pregnancy testing is the first step toward finding out.
How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?
During pregnancy, your body is flooded with a special mixture of hormones. One of those hormones is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). HCG tells your body to stop menstruating and instead thicken and enrich the uterine lining (which is where your pregnancy attaches and develops).
Pregnancy tests work by detecting hCG in your blood or urine. At-home pregnancy tests use urine, while blood pregnancy tests can be done in a clinic (but they are typically only used if your actual levels of hCG need to be measured for health reasons).
If you get a positive result on a pregnancy test, this means hCG has been detected, and you are likely pregnant. However, if you get a false result, this might mean that you’ve taken the test too early for hCG levels to be detected (hCG levels start low but grow quickly, which is why the timing of testing is important for accurate results).
When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test?
Most at-home pregnancy tests claim to be 99% accurate if taken on the first day of your missed period. However, many women find it difficult to know when to expect their period due to menstrual irregularity. If this is the case for you, taking the pregnancy test on the estimated first date of your missed period is a good idea. But if you receive a negative result and are still having symptoms (and no period) a week later, test again.
My Pregnancy Test Result Was Positive. Now What?
If you received a positive pregnancy test result at home, it’s important to follow up with medical-grade pregnancy testing administered by a nurse. If that result is positive as well, getting an ultrasound is the next step.
Ultrasound is a simple scan that will confirm you are, in fact, pregnant (it’s possible to get a positive pregnancy test result after miscarrying) as well as other essential information you need to know to stay safe.
At Upstate Pregnancy Center, we offer medical-grade pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds for free. Contact us today to schedule your confidential appointment.