On our usual hangout at the coffee shop, we caught up with Carol, 27, who was discussing the options of a pregnancy tests with her bestie Lisa, 31. The question of taking a pregnancy test haunts each and every one of us some time or the other in our lives, doesn’t it? Find out more information about the options you have if you want to take a pregnancy test.
1. Take a blood test
“If you are not a fan of home pregnancy tests, one of the options that you have is to take a blood test. Your blood sample will be sent to the laboratory and results will be given in a few days time”, said Lisa. She also added that this was one of the safest and surest answers to the question of how to take a pregnancy test because blood tests done by doctors are generally 99% accurate.
2. Take a urine test
“I don’t like needles”, exclaimed Carol when Lisa told her about the blood test. “How is it possible to take a pregnancy test without involving needles and other painful things, Lisa?” asked Carol. Lisa went on and said, “You can even get a urine test done to confirm whether you are pregnant or not. This is quite similar to taking a home pregnancy test”, she added.
3. Use pregnancy test kits
“Most women who want to take a pregnancy test end up buying a home pregnancy test kit”, said Lisa. She also added that the most beneficial aspect of this type of pregnancy test was that women could buy kits from the pharmacy and perform the test in privacy. Carol seemed to like the idea of a home pregnancy test and we did too. Did you know that manufacturers claim up to 96% accuracy if the pregnancy test is carried out as per the instructions? “Tall claims, I must say”, said Lisa who had got inaccurate results with her home pregnancy test.
4. Home pregnancy test kits – How to use them
“How should I go about taking a pregnancy test at home?”, asked Carol who certainly seemed confused at this point. “Home pregnancy tests are generally easy to do. You are provided with strips that you can dip into your urine that has been collected in a small container. Some types of strips can also be held under your urine stream”, explained Lisa. She also mentioned that it is best to take a home pregnancy test when you first urinate after getting out of bed in the morning.
5. Home pregnancy test kits – Cautionary advice
From the conversation between Carol and Lisa, we picked up that home pregnancy tests can sometimes be inaccurate and may give misleading results. Typical situations of a dirty urine collecting container, a fault in the pregnancy test kit, fluid intake, varying HCG levels, tests timed incorrectly, medication or other medical conditions may alter the test results. So watch out for these points before jumping on a conclusion regarding the results of your pregnancy test. If you are not satisfied or are unsure of the results, go consult your doctor.
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