Pregnancy Tests: Types & Interpretation
Types of Pregnancy Tests: Home Pregnancy Tests (HPTs): Urine Tests: These are the most common type of home pregnancy tests. They detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine, a hormone produced during pregnancy. Strip Tests: These are simple, affordable tests where you dip a strip into a urine sample or expose it to urine directly. Midstream Tests: Similar to strip tests, but you hold them directly in your urine stream during the test. Digital Tests: These provide a clear result in words (like "pregnant" or "not pregnant") rather than relying on lines. They often also have additional features like estimating how many weeks you might be pregnant. Blood Pregnancy Tests: Q ualitative hCG Test: This checks if hCG is present in the blood. It's usually done early in pregnancy. Quantitative hCG Test: This measures the exact amount of hCG in the blood. It can help determine the age of the pregnancy and identify potential issues. How to ...