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How Accurate are Pregnancy Tests?

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are home pregnancy tests accurate? MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin

After missing my period for two months and since I had a severe case of sore boobs, my husband and I decided it was time for a pregnancy test.

Instead of calling the doctor for an appointment, I walked over to the local pharmacy during my lunch hour and purchased a home pregnancy test. For the first time in my life, I didn't have to skulk around the pharmacy looking for one. However, I still felt the sweat starting to accumulate under my arm pits and at my temples.

The selection of tests was pretty impressive and some of the boxes were decorated with frilly pink flowers. The cost of the pregnancy tests ranged from $10.99-23.99 and some included two tests per package. I opted for the store brand for 11 bucks and headed back to my office to pee on the stick (which is the wrong way to take a home pregnancy test).

For accurate results, you should urinate in a cup and dip the stick in the cup of urine. Unless you have great aim, urinating directly on the stick is messy and difficult. But there is a high probability that you will drop the stick in the toilet and render your result inaccurate. So to avoid any headaches, grab a disposable cup.

As I sat and waited 10 minutes for the results, I started to ask myself a bunch of questions: how accurate is the test? Did I take the test right? Should I take another one? Maybe I should have bought the two pack?

Here are some things you need to know about pregnancy tests:

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over-the-counter pregnancy tests claim to be 99 percent accurate on the first day of your missed period. However, you should take another test one full week after your first missed period as they may not detect low levels of the pregnancy hormone.

The way a home pregnancy test works is it detects a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (kohr-ee-ON-ihk goh-NAD-uh-TROH-puhn), or hCG through your urine. About six days after the egg attaches to the uterus hCH builds up in your body and this hormone triggers a positive result in a home pregnancy test.

Drugs and booze do not render a home pregnancy test positive. Also, most medications won't turn the pregnancy test positive. However, some infertility medications which contain hCG may trigger a false-positive test.

In my case, my pregnancy test was negative and I repeated the test a few days later which also turned out negative and probably means Mother Menopause may be coming for a visit.

If your test is positive, you may want to repeat the test a few days later and also contact your doctor or visit a clinic to confirm your pregnancy with a blood test.

Sources:

"Pregnancy Test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003432.htm

"Pregnancy Tests Fact Sheet." Womenshealth.gov. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/pregnancy-tests.html

Reviewed April 7, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

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Anonymous

You should use early pregnancy test kit which is available in market easily. If you don't get result accurately contact doctor immediately or read the symptoms of pregnancy click here

June 23, 2014 - 12:28am

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.