How to Use Pregnancy Test: Easy Step-by-Steps for Different Tests

On the shelves of any pharmacy, you can find a diverse number of pregnancy tests. They can be in a common form of strips or more modern electric devices that can show not one or two lines but a full message and even calculate your pregnancy week.

All tests are slightly different in their sensitivity. Therefore, each one has its specifics and conditions of use to provide an accurate result. Of course, you may get any test strips from the nearest store. Due to the accessibility of this option, most of the expectant mothers opt for buying this particular test, and so did I.
The first thing I did before I bought my pregnancy test was googling some information about these items. As a young mom myself, I was frustrated with finding out that a basic test strip can show a false result, and that such tests are not the most precise ones.

However, I wanted to know whether I got pregnant or not for sure. Thus, I was happy to learn that nowadays, some modern devices can help you to determine this condition, even on its earliest stages. You will be shell-shocked that there are many working methods to check whether you are pregnant or not. Let’s talk about all of them in detail. This way, you will avoid unnecessary frustration and will be ready to take the next step.

Which Test to Use to Get a 100% Accurate Answer

There are more and more options for you to choose from to determine the presence/absence of pregnancy. No matter if you purchase a pregnancy test or a so-called hCG test, it works by checking your body for the hormone hCG, also known as a pregnancy hormone. But you don’t have to worry about any food restrictions or time limitations to take such a test.

Some complex solutions can either check for the condition by measuring the temperature of the mucous membranes (it would be 37.3 degrees if you are pregnant) or ultrasound the internal genital organs of a woman. Still, the most reliable option to find out whether you are pregnant or not is a blood test from the tenth day of your cycle delay. Ultrasound goes further in reliability.

However, for these examinations, you will need to visit your gynecologist, get their prescription for further analysis, and that will take a lot of time, nerves, and some money. Therefore, it’s easier to take a pregnancy test by yourself if you have some doubts regarding this possibility.

For you to select the optimal item, you first need to know the difference among different options available. All of such products work based on a reagent principle, so they all react to the high level of the hCG hormone in the woman’s body. To use any pregnancy test, at least seven days of your cycle delay must pass. But for each option, the guarantee of the accuracy of the result is different.

How Does Early Pregnancy Test Work?

In reality, there is only one universal way to understand that you are expecting a baby. Once fertilization has taken place, the hCG hormone levels in your body increase significantly. Its presence helps to determine if a woman got pregnant.

That is why more accurate results can be obtained only after a certain period because, in the first days, the changes won’t be sufficient enough for the hCG test to determine your condition. The sensitivity of such items is different, so it is always better to check the instructions of the test you’re to take at least twice. This way, you’ll clearly understand what to do.

Also, the maximum level of hCG will appear on the third or fourth day of the delay in your menstrual cycle. Therefore, everyone begins to suspect pregnancy when the menstrual cycle fails.

If you want to be 100% sure of the test results, you can try any popular online pregnancy test calculator to find out the most auspicious dates for the conception and checking for its success. That said, let’s take a quick look at the three most popular pregnancy test options:

• Test strips.

This variant is the simplest and most affordable, yet least accurate. A slightly more advanced option is a tablet test that contains a plastic case. It features the same paper strip that is hidden inside the case for more convenient use and accurate result.

• Inkjet test.

This type of test has better reliability, as it is much more sensitive to the hCG hormone level. Also, it is quite different in application, and we will talk about it later.

• Electronic test.

It is the most advanced option to opt for to verify whether you’re now an expecting mother. Its peculiarity is that an electronic test provides the verdict to you in words and not in stripes, and can even determine the week of your pregnancy.

How to Use Pregnancy Test Step by Step

Before proceeding with any pregnancy test, you need to take into account all the recommendations for its use. Here is my useful advice on how to go about test strips, to begin with:

• Step 1. Prepare for the morning test

As I have already mentioned, most tests check the presence of the hCG hormone in the urine. Thus, when using any test (besides the inkjet one), it is necessary to collect your urine in a separate container. It must be clean, but do not wash it using any alkaline or acidic agent the day before not to influence the result. Such a test will provide the most accurate indicator if you use it on your morning urine obtained during the first emptying of the bladder after sleep.

I advise you to take a pregnancy test early in the morning because it is the time when the concentration of the hormone in your body is the highest. The most sensitive early pregnancy test can inform you about the new status of motherhood as early as seven days after conception. However, most such products can give accurate results only after a cycle delay of one to three days.

In any case, you must follow all the instructions given to a particular test. To sum up, it is necessary to do your check-out in the morning and, if possible, confirm the results by repeating the testing.

• Step 2. Take it easy

When using a test strip, carefully open the blister with the paper, and remove the strip. Then, place it horizontally in the urine container to the level of the indicated mark on the test, hold for ten to twenty seconds until the piece gets wet, remove it, and lay on a horizontal surface. All you need to do is to wait a little bit.

• Step 3. Check the results

After three minutes, you will receive an answer to your question. Two explicit burgundy strips mean that you are expecting a baby. If only one line is visible, and the second is pale, then pregnancy is likely, but its term is small. If there is only one strip, you are not pregnant.

A tablet test differs from test strips by containing an additional device in its kit, namely a pipette. With it, you can take a small amount of urine that you have previously collected in a container and drip it into the test window. The test should be put horizontally on a flat surface. Within the same three minutes, you will see a result. It works the same as with the previous option, meaning that two strips highlight that you are pregnant, and one says that you are not.

A blast test is convenient in that you do not need to collect urine separately to use it. It is enough just to urinate on the item for a few seconds to get the answer within a minute. Also, it does not matter at what time of the day you do it, as such a model can still show a more reliable result than the two previous options.

An electronic test shows the result in a special window with the words “Yes, you are pregnant” or “No, you are not pregnant.” If you are expecting a baby, such a tool can show the period from the moment of conception. It is probably the most accurate solution, being the most costly, as well.

Determining Pregnancy in the Early Stages with Tests

To sum up, the electronic test is considered the most advanced and trustworthy nowadays. It works similar to the tablet test, but you can see the result on a small screen. Unfortunately, even if you perform everything right, there are still some cases when even such a test showed incorrect results.

Besides, the most common mistake for all moms-to-be is to perform the test too early. In some cases, your hormonal levels may differ for other reasons than pregnancy. Therefore, the test will show you a false result. So, If you have any concerns, do a check-up at least twice or consult your doctor.

To be sure that the received results are correct, you need to understand how and when it is better to conduct testing. Due to the misunderstanding of the process, many women get false positive or negative results of their test. However, I hope that now, you’re more aware of how to use pregnancy tests and pick the most suitable option for yourself.

Have you ever tried pregnancy tests? Were they test strips or electronic ones? Share your experience, whether a positive or negative one, with me in the comments below.