Health Tips

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PREGNANCY TESTS

In today’s society, pregnancy tests are used often by women as they’re accessible at one’s fingertips at community pharmacies without a prescription. Did you know Malaysia’s 2021 total fertility rate is 1.7 babies born to every woman within 15-49 years old through confirmations from pregnancy tests? 10 Thus, it is vital to be knowledgeable, up to date with the latest information on pregnancy tests. Scroll down to read more about it!  

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  1. How does a pregnancy test work? 1,2,3

Pregnancy test determines a woman's pregnancy by detecting a hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine and blood. The hCG hormone is generated from cells developing into placenta after implantation of fertilised egg to the uterine lining and only produced during pregnancy with rapid elevation of hCG hormones in the beginning.

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  1.  Signs that you should take a pregnancy test 2,3,4 

Take it if you:  

  • missed your period (most crucial sign)
  • recently had unprotected sex
  • had contraceptives failure or misuse 
  • are experiencing: 

       -   cramps 

       -   swollen, tender breasts

       -   fatigue, exhaustion

       -   frequent urination

       -   morning sickness (nausea and vomiting)

       -   abdomen bloating 

       -   light bleeding or spotting

       -   unusual hunger or cravings

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  1. When is it ideal to take a pregnancy test? 1,3,5,6 

The ideal time to take the test is on the first day of the missed period or one week after as they demonstrate accurate results. If you’re unsure when’s your next period, do the test 21 days from last unprotected sex. It’s also best to take in the morning as the urine will be concentrated with the build-up of hCG hormones leading to high likelihood of positive result.    

It’s also advised to not take it too early as the hCG hormones level may be too low for the test to detect which leads to an inaccurate reading. This is because the hCG hormones will only produce 6 days after fertilisation of sperm and egg. 

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  1.  Do's & Don'ts for at-home pregnancy test 8,9

Do's:

  1. Do dip test in a urine cup.

If it’s done under the urine stream, it results in an unreliable result due to the insufficient urine to detect hCG hormones and high probability of dropping into the toilet.  

  1. Do read and follow the instructions thoroughly before using it. 

Never assume that you recall everything from past pregnancy tests if done before.

Don'ts:

  1. Don't let non-digital test strips sit in urine for a long period.

When the test strip is soaked for too long, there’s a possibility of evaporation line (second line) being faintly visible as urine dries up which you start assuming you’re pregnant even though you’re not. Hence, set a timer to the designated time, remove the test strip once rings and read the results. 

  1. Don't take an expired pregnancy test.

It may not identify the rise of hCG hormones precisely.

  1. Don't drink a lot of water or liquids before taking the pregnancy test.

Excess fluids cause dilution of urine (pale yellow or clear colour) which consist of diluted levels of hCG hormones, resulting in biassed negative results.

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  1. Accuracy of at-home pregnancy tests 1,3,6,7,8,9,11 

At-home pregnancy tests are claimed to be 97%-99% accurate when used correctly. Consequently, there are factors which need to be considered to ensure optimal accuracy:

  1. Sensitivities of pregnancy tests to hCG hormones: 6,11  

All pregnancy tests are not equally sensitive as some are more sensitive to hCG hormones and can be taken before missed period (as early as 8 days after fertilisation).

  1. Difference in ovulation (phase where matured egg is produced, released from ovary) in menstrual cycle: 1,3,8

It’s unlikely that you’re pregnant if you obtained a negative result. If you’re still worried you might be pregnant, take another test in a few days’ time or speak to your doctor to reconfirm as tests taken by them are rarely inaccurate. 

The doctor can conduct a blood test to detect the hCG levels in the bloodstream earlier, within one week of fertilisation compared to at-home pregnancy tests. Thus, the blood tests are more reliable with 99% accuracy.

  1. Avoiding false positive results (a positive pregnancy although the person is not): 3,7,8

The likelihood of obtaining a false positive is less than 1%. The main reason is due to user errors. There are some other circumstances which also cause false positives such as: 

  • biochemical pregnancy (pregnancy loss after fertilised egg is attached to uterine lining)
  • ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy where fertilised egg is attached outside of the uterus, commonly fallopian tube)
  • menopause (time where the individual did not experience period for 12 months) and ovaries conditions. 
  1.  Avoiding false negative results (a negative pregnancy although the person is): 3,7,8

The probability of receiving a false negative result is up to 5% due to user errors. The most common user error is testing for pregnancy too early. 

 

Now we have reached the end of the article. Hopefully, this article gives you more insight and knowledge on the correct information about oral contraceptive pills. Do you still have any questions regarding OCPs? Consult our online pharmacists for free HERE! You can also get a FREE OXWHITE premium cloth mask and FREE OCPs DELIVERY!

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REFERENCES

  1. https://www.howuknow.com/en/your-body/pregnancy 

  2. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/pregnancy-test/  

  3. https://www.forbes.com/health/family/when-to-take-a-pregnancy-test/ 

  4. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/five-signs-to-take-pregnancy-test#expert-q-a 

  5. https://www.howuknow.com/en/your-questions/about-pregnancy 

  6. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/doing-a-pregnancy-test/ 

  7. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/home-pregnancy-tests/art-20047940

  8. https://www.thesource.org/post/tips-for-taking-a-pregnancy-test-correctly

  9. https://www.medicinenet.com/pregnancy_test/article.htm

  10. https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/cthemeByCat&cat=165&bul_id=UDlnQ05GMittVXJWZUVDYUFDcjVTZz09&menu_id=L0pheU43NWJwRWVSZklWdzQ4TlhUUT09

  11. https://www.insider.com/what-is-the-most-accurate-pregnancy-test#:~:text=Digital%20tests%20are%20the%20ones,are%20not%20necessarily%20more%20accurate. 

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Written By

Ms. Hean Shi Wen

Reviewed By

Doc2us Medical Board

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