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Pregnancy Tests
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Short Description: Mar 20, 2009 ... Q: How do pregnancy tests work? A: All pregnancy tests work by detect- ... pick up hCG earlier in a pregnancy than urine tests can. ...
Content Inside: Frequently Asked questions
Pregnancy Tests
Q: How do pregnancy tests work? A: All pregnancy tests work by detecthttp://www.womenshealth.gov
Q: Are there different types of pregnancy tests? A: Yes. There are two types of pregnancy
tests. One tests the blood for the pregnancy hormone, hCG. You need to see a doctor to have a blood test. The other checks the urine for the hCG hormone. You can do a urine test at a doctor's office or at home with a home pregnancy test (HPT). These days, many women first use an HPT to find out if they are pregnant. HPTs are inexpensive, private, and easy to use. HPTs also are highly accurate if used correctly and at the right time. HPTs will be able to tell if you're pregnant about one week after a missed period. Doctors use two types of blood tests to check for pregnancy. Blood tests can pick up hCG earlier in a pregnancy than urine tests can. Blood tests can tell if you are pregnant about six to eight days after you ovulate (or release an egg from an ovary). A quantitative blood test (or the beta hCG test) measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. So it can find even tiny amounts of hCG. This makes it very accurate. A qualitative hCG blood test just checks to see if the pregnancy hormone is present or not. So this test gives a yes or no answer. The qualitative hCG blood test is about as accurate as a urine test.
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ing a certain hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant. This hormone is called human chorionic gonadotropin (kohree-ON-ihk goh-NAD-uh-TROHpuhn), or hCG. It is also called the pregnancy hormone. hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about six days after the egg and sperm merge. But studies show that in up to 10 percent of women, implantation does not occur until much later, after the first day of the missed period. The amount of hCG rapidly builds up in your body with each passing day you are pregnant.
Q: How do you do a home pregnancy test? A: There are many different types of home
pregnancy tests (HPTs). Most drugstores sell HPTs over the counter. They are inexpensive. But the cost depends on the brand and how many tests come in the box.
Am I Pregnant?
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health
