There are a lot of ways to determine whether or not you are pregnant. Regardless, it remains a fact that you need a pregnancy test. It is the first step towards a healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy; it is the first step you take in order to make sure that you and your baby get the best prenatal care, in the soonest time possible.
So, how do you know which pregnancy test to opt for? Which provides the most accurate results? It is time to put an end to these questions, so let us get some answers!
Table of Contents
Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests, regardless of what method and what sample you use to conduct them, work on the same basic principle. They identify the presence of pregnancy hormones in your blood or urine. Specifically, they recognize the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This hormone is produced immediately after the embryo attaches to the uterine wall. It increases steadily during the first few weeks of pregnancy. It is one of the reasons why your body exhibits symptoms as it goes through a lot of changes rapidly during your entire pregnancy
There are two main ways to conduct a pregnancy test. One would be using your blood sample and the other would be using your urine sample. In both methods, the same principle of detecting hCG levels is employed. Let us find out more about these two.
Pregnancy Blood Test
A pregnancy blood test is conducted in clinics, diagnostic centers, hospitals, and other medical facilities. It detects pregnancy the earliest. Conducting it six to eight days after ovulation will already give you accurate results.
However, it is less preferred by most women. It takes longer to get the results than with a pregnancy urine test.
There are two types of pregnancy blood tests, both of which are accurate and reliable. The only difference between them is the factor they measure and the purpose they serve. These are the following:
1. Qualitative HCG Test
This test simply indicates the presence of hCG in your blood. The result is either yes or no. Usually, for some reason your physician deems necessary, you will be ordered to have it 10 days after missing your period.
2. Qualitative HCG Test
This test determines the exact amount of hCG in your blood, no matter how small. Measuring the concentration of hCG in your body helps monitor problems associated with your pregnancy. Also, along with other tests, it helps rule out an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. This is a harmful condition where the embryo stays and develops in your fallopian tube and not in its normal location, the uterus.
Another purpose of this pregnancy blood test is to help women who just went through miscarriages. It helps monitor their condition as hCG levels post-miscarriage decline rapidly
Pregnancy Urine Test
A pregnancy urine test is far more common than a pregnancy blood test. There are a lot of advantages to it, the first one being how quickly it provides results.
Most of the time, it is conducted at the convenience of your own home. Sometimes, you may also visit your physician for consultation along with the testing.
To conduct it by yourself, you can either purchase a home pregnancy test kit at any local convenience store, drugstore, or grocery store, or create your own homemade pregnancy test using ingredients easily found at home. Either way, you will know whether or not you are pregnant in just a few minutes. Let us dig in deeper!
1. Home Pregnancy Test Kit
A home pregnancy test kit is available in drugstores and grocery stores. Even some convenience stores have them. They retail somewhere between $8 and $20, on average. Some health centers even provide them for free.
Most women prefer using this because it is cheap, convenient, private, and reliable. There is no need for you to make the trip and visit your physician every time you think you are pregnant. A lot of couples are trying to get pregnant, and it is more convenient for them to check their progress every now and then using a home pregnancy test.
The results are available in just a few minutes. They are displayed in colors, lines, or symbols of positivity and negativity
Depending on the kit, you can test the hCG presence in your urine in three ways:
- Pee on the pregnancy test stick;
- Collect your urine sample in a clean container and dip the stick in it; or
- Collect your urine sample in a clean container and use a clean dropper to put some samples in the stick.
Home pregnancy tests are accurate as long as you follow the instructions flawlessly. It is also important to conduct the test at the right time. Usually, performing it two to three days after missing your supposed period will produce accurate results. However, it may take longer for some people. This means that taking the test too early may give false-positive or false-negative results. To make sure that you get it correctly, you may conduct the test more than once.
2. Homemade Pregnancy Test
Homemade pregnancy tests have been around for so long. Women without access to professional medical help had to be creative. So, they came up with ways they can determine pregnancy using ingredients that are readily available in their homes
Like conventional home pregnancy test kits, these do-it-yourself (DIY) pregnancy tests provide results in just a few minutes.
There are a lot of ingredients that could be used. Here, I will name the five most popular ones and how to perform a pregnancy test using each. They are as follows:
# BAKING SODA
What you need:
- 2 tbsp. of baking soda
- Clean bowl
- Clean container (optional)
How to perform it:
Add the baking soda to the bowl. Pee in it or collect your urine sample in a separate container then pour it in the bowl. If bubbles form, it means that you are pregnant. If they do not, the result is negative.
# SOAP
What you need:
- Soap, which could be of any color and any type as long as it is large enough to hold in your hands
- Clean container
How to perform it:
Collect your urine sample in a clean container. Then, pour it on the soap. If it reacts with bubble formation, it indicates a positive result. Otherwise, you are not pregnant.
# SUGAR
What you need:
- 2 to 3 tbsp. of sugar
- 2 clean containers (the other one is optional)
How to perform it:
Put the sugar in the container. You have two options when adding your urine sample in it. First, you can pee in the container directly. Otherwise, you can pee in a separate container, then pour your sample in the first container that has sugar in it.
Once your urine sample has been added, the sugar should react with it. If it clumps, it is an indication of pregnancy. If the sugar dissolves like how it normally would, it means you are not pregnant.
When performing a pregnancy test using sugar, make sure that you collect your pee first thing in the morning— as soon as you get out of bed. That is the time when you can get the most accurate results, given the high concentration of hCG in your urine. It gets diluted with fluid intake. So, you also need to make sure not to drink plenty of water before taking the test.
# TOOTHPASTE
What you need:
- 2 tbsp. of white toothpaste
- Clean container
How to perform it:
Put the white toothpaste in the container. Then, add your urine sample to it. Should you observe a frothy reaction or the mixture turning blue, it means that you are pregnant. Otherwise, you are not.
# VINEGAR
Home Pregnancy Test With Vinegar
What you need:
- A small amount of white vinegar
- 2 clean containers (the other one is optional)
How to perform it:
Put the vinegar in the container. Again, you can either pee directly in it or collect your urine sample in a separate container. Once you have added your sample, mix it properly with the vinegar. There would be bubbles forming as you mix it. Let it stand and if the color changes, it is positive. Otherwise, it is negative.
These homemade pregnancy tests are convenient. However, they are not as accurate as a pregnancy blood test or home pregnancy test kit. Keep in mind that these are just the perfect alternatives in the absence of immediate access to conventional pregnancy test methods.
The Verdict
It is rare for your physician to request a pregnancy blood test. Usually, it is only ordered to rule out or monitor possible complications during your pregnancy. Given the long waiting period, it is not highly recommended. However, it may also be used to validate the results of other methods of pregnancy tests.
On the other hand, home pregnancy test kits are widely used. They provide results in just a matter of minutes. You do not have to visit your physician just to find out if you are pregnant or not. You can conveniently perform the test at home just by following simple instructions. If the result is positive, that is the only time you need to pay your physician a visit; so, it is completely hassle-free.
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-tests
https://www.momjunction.com/articles/homemade-pregnancy-test_00373199/%3famp=1
