The waiting time for your pregnancy result is genuinely nail-biting. However, the pregnancy home test kits have relieved that for every expecting mother. 

Knowing more about the pregnancy test kit will make you understand how a pregnancy test work?

What Is A Pregnancy Test

The Urine Pregnancy Test is a rapid and one-step pregnancy test. It is a qualitative detection of beta hCG in urine to help early pregnancy detection.

The test provides you an instant result and at the comfort of your home. The main aim of the urine pregnancy test is to detect and confirm the pregnancy.

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How Early Can you Do A Pregnancy Test

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein. It is produced by the villous syncytiotrophoblast cells after fertilization. These cells form the epithelial covering of the embryonic placental villi.

The hCG level raises over 100mIU/ml when you realize that you have missed your periods. The test can detect the hCG as early as 7 to 10 days after conception. 

The home pregnancy test kits are very sensitive in picking up your pregnancy as they can detect the hCG level as less as 25mIU/ml in the urine. Thus it is the earliest way to detect pregnancy. 

Progesterone and estrogen are the primary hormones of pregnancy. Therefore, the levels of these hormones are very crucial for the pregnancy to continue.

Ovaries and placenta produce progesterone during the pregnancy. However, during the initial few days, the corpus luteum is in charge of progesterone production. The placenta is still in the developing stage and has not grown enough to provide the progesterone required for the pregnancy.

There is an influence of human chorionic gonadotropin on the corpus luteum to produce progesterone which is vital to sustaining the growing fetus.

Thus, the hCG level rises to 100,000 – 200,000 mIU/ml at around 10 – 12 weeks of pregnancy. After this period, the level of hCG declines as the placenta would have taken over progesterone production by then.

We can also detect the hCG in serum. Therefore, the serum levels of hCG are checked to confirm pregnancy in the hospital set up by your health care provider.

How To Do A Test

Collect urine specimens and transfer the urine. Most of the manufacturers share an instruction manual with the kit.

In few test kits, you are advised to dip the test stick in the container with the urine, and in some, the pipette is given to place few drops of urine on the assigned area of the test.

Wait for 3 to 5 mins to read the test. Usually, the manufacturers share the waiting period in the instruction manual.

Collection of Urine

• Use of early morning urine is preferred
• Collect in a clean and dry container
• Can use the urine sample during any time of the day
• Should use fresh urine for the test

Storage of The Test Kits

Store the test kit in a cool and clean area. Avoid using an opened kit. You should open the kit just before using it. Look for the expiry date before using the pregnancy kit box.

How Pregnancy Test Work

The urine pregnancy test uses the ELISA technique. The antibody is directed against the beta subunit of hCG.

The urine is absorbed or dropped on the receiving area of the test stick. The urine moves to the test area in a capillary action.

The Test Zone

When the urine comes in contact with the receiving area, the hCG in the urine will bind with the soluble anti hCG enzyme complex preexisting in the receiving area. There it forms a complex of hCG hormone -hCG antibody-enzyme conjugate. 

Later the complex will be moving further towards the test zone. 

In this zone, the immobilized anti hCG antibody is precoated, and it reacts with the hormone antibody complex conjugate reaching the area along with the urine. 

This newly formed complex will activate the enzyme and in turn activate the dyed substrate which will turn on the color indicator. This process shows positive test results in the urine pregnancy test.

The entire process occurs due to the presence of hCG in the urine. The HCG is present in the urine in the following cases.

• Pregnancy
• Ectopic Pregnancy
• Tubal Pregnancy
• Hydatiform Mole

The Control Zone 

The remaining hormone antibody complex formed in the initial stage will move towards the control area. It will react with the immobilized anti enzyme conjugates and activate the enzyme. The enzyme acts on the dyed substrate and produces color in the control area. 

The appearance of the color line on the control area indicates the activity process of the test along with the test’s reliability.

When there is a line in the test area but absent in the control area, the test is considered invalid. However, the appearance of the color line in the control validates the test.

How To Read The Result

Positive Test Result

When there are colored lines on the test and the control, the test is considered positive.

Negative Test Result

When there is one colored line on the control area, then the test is considered negative.

Invalid Test Result

A. When there is one colored line on the test area, the test is considered invalid.

B. When no lines are seen on the test and control area after waiting for more than 5 minutes, the test is considered invalid.

What Next

If the test results are positive, consult your health care provider for further care during your pregnancy, and if the test results are negative, you are not pregnant. You can still consult your doctor if you are having any doubts regarding you being pregnant.

The positive results through these tests are just a presumptive diagnosis. Your doctor always does the confirmation of the pregnancy after the clinical examination and investigations in the hospital.

Disclosure:

“This post may contain affiliate links. I earn a small commission when you purchase through a link provided in this post at no additional cost charged to you. Thanks”

Best Company Test

There are many home pregnancy kits available in the market. In addition, I have the list of best pregnancy tests for you. 

These are the best pregnancy tests at present. Thousands of mothers have trusted these brands to get their good news instantly. You can try it too.

To Summarize

Being pregnant is a special gift, and I know it can be tough to wait till your doctor confirms your pregnancy. Thus order a pregnancy test kit today to know results instantly.

You may want to know more about the first trimester symptoms and the warning signs of the first trimester.