Pregnancy Tests

Pregnancy tests, whether testing your blood or your urine, test for the same hormone. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone that is only present when a woman is pregnant. It is commonly called the pregnancy hormone. HCG becomes present when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, usually around day six. The hormone level increases with each day after embryo implantation.

Home pregnancy tests test your urine for the presence of the HCG hormone. The tests are either midstream test sticks or urine collection tests. They are easy to use, and the results are often evident in only a few minutes. These tests can tell you if you are pregnant about two weeks after ovulation. Home pregnancy tests range in price from $8 to $20 and are available over the counter.

This can cause false readings as every woman produces a different level of hCG. Some women will produce enough hCG to be detected on the first day of their missed period. Others will not. Waiting for one week after your missed period increases the chance that hCG will be detected in your urine.

Follow the directions in your home pregnancy test carefully. If you suspect you are pregnant, see your physician for the more accurate blood tests.

Your physician can perform a pregnancy blood test. The blood test, which must be analyzed in a lab, tests the amount of hCG hormone in the blood.

Since these tests measure the exact amount of hCG in your blood, they can detect pregnancy accurately and much earlier than a home pregnancy test.

Your physician will also check for cervical changes that occur in early pregnancy.