Are pregnancy tests accurate?

Speaking of pregnancy test sticks, I believe many female friends often use this product as the main method of pregnancy testing. In addition to being convenient and fast, it is also very easy to operate. But after all, we are not professionals. If some problems occur during the operation of the pregnancy test stick, it will cause a certain degree of error in the accuracy of the pregnancy test stick. So, are pregnancy tests accurate?

Gynecologists told us that, generally speaking, the accuracy of pregnancy test sticks is relatively high, and the accuracy rate can generally reach about 85% to 95%, but the quality of the pregnancy test stick and errors during use may lead to errors in the results. Below I will give you a detailed introduction on whether the pregnancy test stick is accurate and the correct way to use the pregnancy test stick.

Are pregnancy tests accurate?

Pregnancy test sticks are one of the pregnancy test methods used by most women because they are convenient and quick. However, many women have also made mistakes because of this. So, is the accuracy of pregnancy test sticks high? What is its accuracy? Below, I will give you a detailed introduction.

Are pregnancy test sticks accurate? As a widely used pregnancy test method, it is necessary for female friends to figure this out. But pregnancy test sticks are just a self-test after all. It is recommended that female friends go to the hospital for confirmation to avoid mistakes.

The principle of pregnancy test stick: Urine hCG test is to check the hCG contained in urine. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone secreted by pregnant women and can be detected through urine and blood tests. General pregnancy test agents use the reaction of single and multiple hCG antibodies in the device binding to antigens in urine to determine whether the pregnancy is present. It is commonly known as pregnancy test sticks, pregnancy test pieces or pregnancy test cards.

Pregnancy test time: A positive urine HCG result can be read after 1 minute (30 seconds at the fastest), which means that if two lines are clearly shown after 1 minute in the urine test, it indicates a positive result and there is no need to wait for 3 minutes before reading. The result of not being pregnant must be confirmed after 3 minutes. This is because in the early stages of pregnancy, the HCG hormone content in the urine is very low, and a weakly positive result may appear during the test. The weakly positive result may not be displayed after 1 minute. As the reaction time increases, it will take 3 minutes for two lines to appear. At this time, the appearance of two lines should still be interpreted as a pregnancy (positive) result. If there is still only one control line after 3 minutes, it can be judged as a not being pregnant (negative) result.

1. Is the pregnancy test stick accurate?

Experts tell us that, generally speaking, the accuracy rate of pregnancy test sticks from regular brands is around 85% to 95%. First of all, we need to clarify some issues. Ovulation occurs around the 14th day of the menstrual cycle. Assuming that fertilization is successful at this time, it will take at least 6 or 7 days for the fertilized egg to produce HCG. Pregnancy test sticks are determined by testing urine HCG. HCG actually starts to be secreted in large quantities after the fertilized egg implants, and the syncytial trophoblast begins to secrete large amounts of HCG. It takes at least 11 days for the fertilized egg to implant. So, if you want to use a pregnancy test stick, the earliest time is 6 days. If you want it to be more accurate, wait until 11 days later, when it will be more accurate. Here, I would like to remind all female friends that self-testing with pregnancy test sticks is just a self-examination after all. Various environmental reasons or inaccurate use may produce wrong results. You can self-test but don't believe it blindly. The more accurate method is to go to the hospital for a diagnosis.

2. The correct way to use the pregnancy test stick

When using, tear open the aluminum foil bag along the notch and take out the pregnancy test stick; put on the disposable plastic film gloves included in the box, hold one end of the handle of the pregnancy test stick tightly with your thumb, and tilt one end of the urine absorption hole downward. Note that the observation side of the pregnancy test stick should face downward and the plum blossom pattern should face upward; urinate at the urine absorption hole on the side of the pregnancy test stick to allow the urine to pass through the urine absorption hole and maintain the urine collection time for 1 to 2 seconds; then turn the pregnancy test stick over with the observation window facing upward, continue to hold the pregnancy test stick obliquely, when you see purple-red liquid crawling over the observation window, purple-red lines will appear in the observation window within 1 minute, the pregnancy result can be judged after 1 minute, and the result of not being pregnant must be determined after 3 minutes. The result read after 5 minutes is invalid! Urine samples at any time are suitable for pregnancy test sticks. If you are in early pregnancy, morning urine is best.

3. How to read the pregnancy test results

Not pregnant: Only one control line appears, indicating no pregnancy. Pregnancy: If two lines appear, that is, both the control line and the test line are colored, and the test line is obviously clear, it means that you are pregnant; if the control line is obviously clear and the test line is very light, it means that you may be pregnant. Please collect morning urine with a new morning paper and retest every 2 days. Invalid: No control line appears within 5 minutes, indicating that the test is invalid or failed.

Tips

1. When purchasing a pregnancy test stick, be sure to go to a regular pharmacy, be sure to follow the instructions on the box, and make sure the drug has not expired. Common brands include: David, Pregnancy Friend, Early Pregnancy, etc. After detecting pregnancy with a pregnancy test stick, it is still necessary to go to the hospital for further diagnosis. A positive reaction on the pregnancy test stick does not necessarily mean a normal pregnancy, it may also be an ectopic pregnancy or hydatidiform mole. 2. Use morning urine: Try to use the first urine in the morning for testing, because the hormone level at this time is easiest to detect. If this is not possible, make sure the urine stays in the bladder for at least 4 hours before testing. 3. Drink less water: Do not drink too much water to increase urine, as this will dilute hormone levels. 4. Strictly follow the instructions: Read the instructions carefully before starting the test and follow each step accurately. Some medications may affect the results of the test, so be sure to read the label instructions carefully.

After reading the detailed introduction above about whether pregnancy test sticks are accurate and what is the correct way to use pregnancy test sticks, I believe that all female friends already know how to use pregnancy test sticks. Experts tell us that as long as the pregnancy test stick is used correctly, the test results are generally accurate. However, in order to detect whether you are pregnant in detail, the best way is to go directly to a regular gynecological hospital for a check-up, so that the results will be more accurate.