Six situations where pregnancy test sticks are inaccurate

Pregnancy test sticks are a common method of pregnancy testing, but many people do not have a clear understanding of them. Pregnancy test sticks are also prone to inaccuracy, which is mainly related to improper usage. For example, if the test is performed too early, such as a few days after intercourse, the result is generally inaccurate, and it is necessary to test again two weeks after intercourse.

1. If the test is performed too early, such as a few days after intercourse, the measurement results may be inaccurate. It is best to test two weeks after intercourse.

2. When the pregnancy test stick is damp or expired, the result will be inaccurate.

3. If you drink a lot of water before the test, it will also affect the pregnancy test results.

4. Taking medications containing hormones can also cause inaccurate pregnancy test results.

5. The pregnancy stick was not used correctly and was not operated according to the instructions.

6. Pregnancy test sticks are unqualified products. Therefore, in order to ensure the accuracy of the pregnancy test stick, you must choose a regular pharmacy to purchase it.

How pregnancy tests work

After a woman becomes pregnant, her body secretes a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG. This hormone exists in urine and blood. As long as the presence of this hormone can be detected in the body, it is very likely that pregnancy is imminent. The pregnancy test stick uses the reaction of HCG antigen combining with antibodies in urine to detect whether HCG is contained in urine, so as to determine whether you are pregnant.

Pregnancy test sticks can help women detect and confirm their pregnancy status without going to the hospital, and the accuracy of pregnancy test sticks is still very high. However, the premise of high accuracy is that the detection method is correct and the detection time is appropriate. And if pregnancy is detected by pregnancy test stick, you need to go to the hospital for further examination.

How to read the pregnancy test stick?

1. Control line

Usually the red line above is called the control line. After taking urine, if only the control line appears, it means that you are not pregnant.

2. Testing line

If the test results show two red lines at the same time, both the test line and the control line are red, and the test line is clearly visible, then it means that you are pregnant. If the control line and the test line appear to be one darker and one lighter, it means you may be pregnant. You can test again after two days to confirm whether you are pregnant.

3. Invalid

After absorbing the urine, place the pregnancy test stick on a flat surface and let it sit. If no control line appears within five minutes, it means that the test result is invalid. Invalid results may be due to operational errors by the tester, or the pregnancy test stick may be expired or have quality problems. In this case, another pregnancy test stick should be replaced and tested again.

4. False Positives

False positives may occur very rarely during monitoring. This is caused by the testers being too nervous. You should relax before monitoring. Excessive pressure may affect the test results.