

If you suspect you may be pregnant, see your doctor and ask for a blood pregnancy test to confirm the result. you are taking certain medicines, including antihistamines.you tested too soon after the pregnancy began.you didn’t follow the instructions correctly.

If you get a negative result, you are probably not pregnant BUT false-negatives can happen if: an ovarian tumour or some other type of hCG-producing growth.recent birth or miscarriage, because a woman’s blood and urine may still contain detectible levels of hCG for a few weeks afterwards.faulty test kit (for example, the kit is damaged, past its use-by date or has been exposed to heat or moisture).dirty urine collecting cup (detergent residue, for example, is known to cause false-positive results).Certain drugs can also cause this (tranquilisers, anticonvulsants, hypnotics and fertility drugs). Be aware that false-positive and false-negative results can happen.įalse positive: Although rare, this can happen if you have blood or protein in your urine. If the test is positive (no matter how faint the line, colour or sign is), you should see your GP (doctor) (or family planning clinic) to confirm the result with a blood test or another urine test. This allows you to test again at a later stage. Most kits come with a second test strip.Most test kits take only a few minutes to complete. Most test strips indicate the presence of hCG by the appearance of a coloured line or dot.Early morning urine is concentrated and contains higher levels of hCG than at other times of the day. To improve accuracy of results, it is best to test your urine when you first get out of bed.Alternatively, some kits offer a test strip that you hold under your stream of urine. You collect urine in a small container and dip the test strip into the urine.Generally speaking, most home pregnancy tests follow the same basic principles: Always strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Most test kits are best used about one to two weeks after your period was due. Home pregnancy test kits vary in their sensitivity to hCG. It is very important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly. The manufacturer’s instructions will tell you when is the best time to use the kit. The most common mistake is to test for pregnancy too soon after the missed period. However, many women who use home pregnancy test kits get inaccurate results. These kits offer accurate readings (up to 99 per cent) if performed strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Home pregnancy test kits are available from pharmacists. The amount of hCG in your blood and urine rise steeply during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and then fall to low levels for the rest of the pregnancy. This is a hormone made by the placenta (the placenta provides your growing baby with oxygen and nutrients from your bloodstream throughout the pregnancy). A pregnancy test checks your blood or urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
