So, you've missed your period and are wondering if you're pregnant? Before getting too excited or freaking out completely, it's important to understand how a pregnancy test works. Keep in mind that reading a pregnancy test requires both patience and accuracy- don't rush it. In this article, we will be discussing everything from the basics of pregnancy tests to reading them correctly!
The Basics
Before we dive straight into how many lines mean what, let's grasp the basic concepts of a pregnancy test first.
What is a Pregnancy Test?
Pregnancy tests measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine or blood as evidence for detecting early signs of pregnancy. hCG only appears when someone is pregnant.
Types of Pregnancy Tests
There are two types of common pregnancy tests namely Over-The-Counter(OTC) tests and blood tests:
OTC Tests
Over-the-counter (OTC) urine kits can detect hCG hormone levels much faster than overworked obstetricians – often before women even miss their periods which makes these home-pregnancy-test absolute saviors!
Blood Tests
Blood pregnancies get carried by real doctors on proper lab equipment available at hospitals. They include qualitative HCG blood testing which inspects the level rather than giving an exact number like quantitative testing would do.
How Do Home-Pregnancy-Checks Work?
A home-pregnancy-check measures hormones released by placenta once embryo implants lining inside uterus tissue wherefrom fertilization had taken place earlier causing negative feedback loop upon hypothalamus aiming that estrogen release must decrease thus leading to menstruation stoppage.
Interpreting Results
Now comes the moment you’ve been waiting for - interpreting those little lines correctly on your home-pregnancy-check stick carefully following instructions given with care so they don’t give inaccurate results.
Positive Result
If both the control line and the test line appear, congrats! You’re pregnant. Keep in mind that even faint lines are also a positive result – a sign of pregnancy nonetheless.
Negative Results
Just one lone control line is visible? No worries at all- you're not Pregnant 🙁 Keep hope alive though If it’s been more than two weeks since your missed period but still feeling hot flashes or naseaous - go to see doctor again.
One Line or Two?
Ah, now comes the crucial question. What does one line mean? Or two?!
One Line
A single line on an OTC home-pregnancy-check in the appropriate area usually implies a negative result indicating absence of hCG hormone thus no fertilization occurred which means either you already had menstruation or ovulation misshaping caused symptoms that mimic pregnancy.
Pro tip: Don't be like those people who hold these sticks under different lights/angles just to get any hint of second faint thin lines.
Exceptions
Some women with ectopic pregnancies can give false-negative readings if diluted urine were used as their extrauterine gestation causing abnormal fetal growth results in low HCG levels majority times disappearing eventually along bleeding black coffee/alcohol looking consistency.
Two Lines
You made my day...and congratulations! Seeing two-line formation indicates detectable levels-of-hCG infection through quantitative or qualitative blood tests where diagnostic strips help detect strong binding abilities increasing specificity while simultaneously retaining highest accuracy percentages sans ambiguity because only identical pair would confidently tie up around chemical-loving receptors ideally designed for detecting molecular shades & variations within hormone-particular gonadotropin.
How Accurate Are Home-Pregnancy-Tests?
Home-pregnancy-tests when read according to instructions have extremely high accuracy rates ranging from 97% - 99%. However, this rate may vary depending on various factors such as the time the test was taken or even how well you followed the instructions.
False Negatives
While false positives may be rare, False negatives are certainly not. It is said that there's a higher chance of getting a false-negative result in early pregnancy than later on after it has been confirmed.
Pro tip: Always wait until your missed period to take a home-pregnancy-test for better results!
The Bottom Line
That’s all folks! We hope we were able to break it down and answer any questions you had about reading an OTC home-pregnancy-check stick. Remember to always read the instructions carefully, don’t rush as these things need accuracy, and most importantly- have faith in yourself!
P.S: Whether negative or positive - if anything feels different just go see your doctor again because sometimes babies have unique ways of announcing their arrival which medical equipment can capture much sooner than visual cues by amateurs peeing over sticks at 2 AM.