pregnancy test
Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Overdue Period and Morning Sickness? A pregnancy test then clarifies the question “Pregnant or not?”. These tests are available in pharmacies and drug stores and are easy to use. Read everything you need to know about the pregnancy test here: When can it be used, how does it work and how reliable is the test result?
When can I determine if I am pregnant?
About seven days after fertilization, when the egg has established itself in the lining of the uterus, the seedling begins to produce the pregnancy hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). This hormone ensures that the corpus luteum in the ovary continues to produce the hormone progesterone so that the uterine lining is not rejected as it is during menstruation. This ensures that the pregnancy is sustained.
When can I take a pregnancy test?
The common pregnancy tests, which you can buy in pharmacies or drugstores, examine a urine sample for the pregnancy hormone HCG. The question “When can I take a pregnancy test?” Can easily be answered: From the eighth day after conception, the HCG can be detected in the urine of the pregnant woman. The test result is then correct with a probability of 90 to 98 percent. The eighth day after conception roughly corresponds to the time of the expected menstrual period.
Pregnancy test: early test
Pregnancy can be determined with a urine test even before the absence of menstruation. However, these early tests or pre-tests are not that reliable.If the test is negative but you still suspect you may be pregnant, you should repeat the test a few days later. An alternative to this is going to the gynecologist to have the HCG level measured in the blood.
Positive pregnancy test
If the pregnancy test is positive, then the next step is to visit your gynecologist. This can definitely confirm the pregnancy. He does a urine and a blood test, which can be positive as early as the sixth day after conception.
Pregnancy test positive - still not pregnant
This case is also possible - you have a positive pregnancy test and are still not pregnant. The reason for such a false-positive result can be that a fertilized egg has implanted itself, i.e. the pregnancy hormone HCG was formed, but then an early abortion, i.e. a miscarriage, occurred that is often not noticed at all.
Medicines that contain HCG also lead to a false-positive pregnancy test. This includes preparations that are given as part of artificial insemination.
Taking hormonal drugs and antidepressants can also cause a pregnancy test to be positive even though fertilization has not taken place. The same goes for cancer and kidney failure.
Test negative - still pregnant
The opposite case would be a false-negative pregnancy test: You can therefore be pregnant despite a negative test. There are several reasons for this. For example, you may have taken the pregnancy test too early, i.e. at a time when there is not enough HCG in the urine. If you suspect you are pregnant despite a negative test result, you should repeat the test a little later or see a doctor for a blood test. The pregnancy can thus be confirmed at an early stage.
Another possible reason for a “pregnancy test negative, but still pregnant” are handling errors: If too much urine has got onto the test strip or if the urine has been left to act on the strip for too long, a false negative test result can also result.
Advanced pregnancy: test negative - still pregnant
Sometimes pregnancy is only noticed late. However, if a woman does a pregnancy test only after the second or third missed menstrual period, it can be negative even though she is pregnant. The reason is that the pregnancy hormone HCG drops again after a maximum, which is reached in the eighth to twelfth week of pregnancy. In the case of an advanced pregnancy, it can no longer be detected.
Pregnancy test despite the pill
Even if a woman takes the pill, she can get pregnant. While this is not very likely, it is still possible. The contraceptive pill has a so-called Pearl index of 0.1 to 0.9, which means that if 100 women use the pill for one year, 0.1 to 0.9 will still become pregnant. The Pearl Index for the mini pill is between 0.5 and 3.0. Oral contraceptives do not offer one hundred percent contraception. So the question arises: When is the pregnancy test when taking pills? The answer: whenever there is no monthly bleeding and / or other possible signs of pregnancy occur (such as morning sickness).
Pregnancy test: what to look for
When purchasing a pregnancy test, pay attention to the storage instructions and expiration date. Read the instructions for use carefully before use so that you get a reliable test result. If it is positive, you should go to the gynecologist. He can confirm with absolute certainty that you are actually expecting a child and initiate the first steps of antenatal care. You should also see a doctor if the pregnancy test is negative but you suspect a pregnancy. A missing menstrual period should always be clarified!
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