Are You Using the Pregnancy Kit Right?

Are you trying to get pregnant? When you miss your periods for a week or two, the first thing that comes to your mind is, “Am I pregnant?” right? Well, home test kits have made getting assured of your pregnancy quite easy. But you need to use them properly to get that confirmation. Many women are still not aware of the basics of these test kits. If you are among them, you are just at the right place. Let us help you not only to understand how the test kits work but also to get assured of your pregnancy if you are at all.

What do the pregnancy test kits detect?

The pregnancy test kits detect a hormone, called Gonadotropin, which appears in a pregnant woman’s urine some 20 days after the last menstruation. The level of this hormone reaches its peak in 60 to 80 days of the last menstrual cycle and is detected by the testing kits effortlessly, thus confirming the pregnancy. However, there are some basic factors that one should keep in mind:

Using the test kit early in the morning increases the chances of accuracy.
You should keep the test kit at room temperature for a while before using it.
The collection of urine should be done in a clean container and not one having residues of detergents or other materials.
Do not urinate on the reading strip, as it may hamper the results. Use a dropper to take just a few drops of urine and put it on the strip.

It takes about 3-4 minutes to show the test result on the strip. So be patient and read the result properly before disposing of the strip. You can even take a picture of the strip to analyse the result later on or show it to somebody.

How to read the results accurately?

Most of the women’s test kits have two letters, C and T marked on the strip. While C denotes control, T stands for the test sample. If you notice only one pink/purple mark near the C region, your result is negative. But if two such lines appear on the strip, one near the C region and another one on the T region, you are pregnant. However, there are situations when no line appears on the strip. It means that the test is invalid and should be performed again after 72 hours with a fresh kit. Then again, sometimes, the mark on the T region is faint and almost invisible. It is mainly because of low levels of Gonadotropin, which is normal if the conception is not too long. To get assured of your pregnancy, you should repeat the test after 72 hours with a new pack.

FAQs regarding pregnancy test kits

Is it okay to perform the test if I have just missed my period?

The test kits can detect the Gonadotropin even on the same day of the missed period. However, in some women, the levels are low in the earlier days of pregnancy, and the test results may come negative. If you are somewhat assured of your pregnancy, you can perform the test again after 72 hours with a fresh kit.

Are all kits the same?

Home pregnancy tests are based on detecting the levels of Gonadotropin, a hormone that appears in the urine of a pregnant woman some 20 days after the last menstruation date. Even if there are different brands of pregnancy kits available these days, the basic principle remains the same. Hence, they all work the same.

Now that you are aware of how to use the pregnancy kit properly, you will face no difficulty getting assured of the good news, whenever it is. Have a safe and happy pregnancy!