On this page
What is being tested?The human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) test is usually used to confirm or monitor a pregnancy. It is also known as the pregnancy test. It can be a blood or urine test. Show
This test measures the amount of the hormone hCG in the urine or blood. This hormone is usually present only when a woman is pregnant. It starts being produced by the placenta after the fertilised egg implants in the womb. Occasionally, women can also get abdominal tumours that produce hCG. Home pregnancy test kits, which you can buy from supermarkets and pharmacies, test for hCG in the urine. The urine test can detect hCG from around the time of the first missed period. The blood hCG test may detect pregnancy earlier — from about 1 week after conception. Why would I need this test?Your doctor might use the blood hCG test to check if you are pregnant, to confirm a positive urine hCG test or to monitor your pregnancy. The blood test is more sensitive than the urine test and the results can assist your doctor to work out when the baby will be born and discover whether the pregnancy is developing normally or not. Blood hCG tests are also used to detect or monitor the tumours that produce hCG. If the hCG level goes up, this suggest the tumour is getting bigger. If it goes down, it suggests the tumour is getting smaller. How to prepare for this testNo special preparation is required. Understanding your resultsNormally, hCG levels rise quickly in early pregnancy. But if something is wrong with the pregnancy, your hCG levels may be higher or lower than expected. If you have a type of tumour that raises your hCG level, such as a germ cell tumour, your doctor might use the hCG test to see if treatment is working or if the tumour has come back after treatment. More informationVisit the Pathology Tests Explained website or Pregnancy, Birth and Baby for more information about hCG tests. Read our ‘Guide to blood testing’ to learn more about blood tests in general with information such as:
A pregnancy test can let you know if you are pregnant. Here are answers to some common questions about them. Pregnancy tests check your pee or blood for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Your body makes this hormone after a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of your uterus. This usually happens about 6 days
after fertilization. Levels of hCG rise quickly, doubling every 2 to 3 days. Two main types of pregnancy tests are blood tests and urine tests. Blood tests You get these at your doctor's office, but they’re not used as often as urine tests. These tests can detect pregnancy earlier than a home pregnancy test, about 6 to 8 days after ovulation. It takes longer
to get the results than with a home pregnancy test. The two types of blood pregnancy tests are: A qualitative hCG test simply checks for hCG. It gives a "yes" or "no" answer to the question, "Are you pregnant?" Doctors often order these tests to confirm pregnancy as early as 10 days after conception. Some can detect hCG much earlier. A quantitative hCG test (beta hCG) measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. It can find even
very low levels of hCG. These tests may help track problems during pregnancy. Your doctor may use them along with other tests to rule out an ectopic pregnancy, when the fertilized egg implants outside your uterus, or after a miscarriage, when hCG levels fall quickly. Urine tests You can take these at home or in a doctor's office. Along with being private and convenient, home pregnancy tests are quick and easy to use. They’re also very accurate if you follow the directions. These pregnancy tests all work in a similar way. You test your pee in one of these ways:
You’ll need to wait a few minutes before seeing the results. After you take this test, you can confirm your results by seeing your doctor, who can do even more sensitive pregnancy tests. Urine home pregnancy tests are about 99% accurate. Blood tests are even more accurate. A home test’s accuracy depends on: Some pregnancy tests can spot hCG before you miss a period. But the results will be more accurate if you wait until the first day of a missed period. Results may also be more accurate if you do the test first thing in the morning, when your urine is more concentrated. Where can I get a home pregnancy test?You can buy a home pregnancy test in a drugstore without a prescription. The cost depends on the brand. But most tests aren’t very expensive. What do the pregnancy test results mean?Results may show up as a line, a color, or a symbol such as a "+" or "-" sign. Digital tests show the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant." It's important to know what a positive or negative result means. If you get a positive result, you’re pregnant. This is true no matter how faint the line, color, or sign is. If you get a positive result, you may want to call your doctor to talk about what comes next. In very rare cases, you can have a false-positive result. This means you're not pregnant but the test says you are. You could have a false-positive result if you have blood or protein in your pee. Certain drugs, such as tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, hypnotics, and fertility drugs, could cause false-positive results. If you get a negative result, you’re probably not pregnant. But you may be pregnant if:
If you get a negative result, try retesting within about a week to double-check. Some home pregnancy tests suggest doing this no matter what your first results are. If you take the test twice and get different results, call your doctor. A blood test is a good idea to confirm results. If you have any other questions about the pregnancy test or the results, call your doctor or the telephone number listed with the test. |
How soon can blood pregnancy test detect
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 en.apacode Inc.
