If you are trying to conceive and missed a period then pregnancy tests at home can give you the good news. It can find the presence of a pregnancy hormone in a sample of urine. The human chorionic gonadotropin hormone increases in urine after you conceive. After the fertilized egg gets attached to the uterus placenta releases HCG hormones. Different types of pregnancy tests can be used to confirm the pregnancy. Sometimes these tests yield false-positive or false-negative results. In this article, we will explain to you the different types of pregnancy tests you can take at home.
All types of home pregnancy tests work on the principle of detecting the level of HCG. 9 days after the fertilization of the egg in the fallopian tube the fertilized egg moves down to the uterus. It sticks to the wall of the uterus and the placenta starts releasing HCG. HCG passes in the urine. In the initial weeks of pregnancy, the amount of HCG in urine doubles every 2 to 3 days. To take a pregnancy at-home test you can either use a stick or a cup. Dipping the pregnancy sticks or cups in urine, you can confirm if you are pregnant.
A point to remember- You need to follow the directions to make sure you get accurate results.
What are the types of pregnancy tests you can take at home?
If you are trying to conceive then tracking your menstrual cycle is the first step. You must know when you are ovulating. The most fertile window is generally between 12 to 16 days of the cycle. If you plan according to the fertile window and miss your periods then you can use pregnancy tests at home to confirm the good news.
Early pregnancy tests
Early pregnancy tests can be done even before you have missed your periods. These tests are highly sensitive and detect even the lower levels of HCG in the body. The more closer you are to the dates of your period the more accurate will be the home pregnancy test.
Pregnancy sticks and strips
A pregnancy test can be done easily at home with different types of pregnancy test kits. Some pregnancy test kits have sticks on which you can pee directly. Strips usually need to be dipped into a cup of urine. You need to collect urine in a cup to take this test. In a third test, you can use a dropper to take urine from a cup and then drop it in a hole made the stick.
Digital Pregnancy tests
Pregnancy sticks are often confusing because most women are unable to understand there is a second pink line or not. In this case, digital pregnancy tests give you the more clear result by writing pregnant and non-pregnant. However, digital tests are expensive for most women.
Non-digital pregnancy tests
These pregnancy tests are cheaper than digital tests. They show the result in form of blue or pink lines. They are sometimes confusing because one of the lines may be faint. In case of confusion, you need to repeat the test after a few days.
Pregnancy tests performed at home have many advantages. It helps you to understand your condition and the steps to take further. The benefits of different types of home pregnancy tests are as follows
Early detection
If you are trying to conceive then home pregnancy tests are the fastest way to detect it. The most sensitive tests can give accurate results four to five days before your period is due. You don’t have to wait for a missed period and other pregnancy symptoms.
Medication
Home pregnancy tests are very helpful to determine which medicines you should start taking or stop taking. Many times your doctor advises you to stop certain medicines when you are pregnant. Finding out that you are pregnant can be helpful in such cases.
Pregnancy lifestyle changes
Most of the women take utmost precaution from the initiation of pregnancy. A home pregnancy test can help women to consider the lifestyle changes they should opt for. Eating well, taking prenatal vitamins, and avoiding alcohol are some changes that should be taken into account.
Birth control failure
Home pregnancy tests are also helpful to find out if the birth control is working. If you are not intending to get pregnant then you can take home pregnancy tests to confirm if your birth control measures are working.
Different types of pregnancy test kits available in the market are very expensive. If you can’t afford it you can try a homemade pregnancy test to detect pregnancy naturally. Some homemade pregnancy tests have scientific evidence as well. The homemade ways to naturally check pregnancy at home are:-
Wheat and barley test
In this test, women urinate on the wheat and barley and leave them for 2 days. If the seeds sprout, the test is positive. A scientific analysis in 1963 found out that in 70% of cases women were pregnant. However, they are not reliable.
Sugar test
Mix equal parts of sugar with urine. After letting the mixture sit for a few minutes if the sugar dissolves, the woman is not pregnant. If it forms clumps then the woman is pregnant. This test has no scientific evidence.
Salt test
Mix equal parts of salt with urine. After letting the mixture sit for a few minutes if the salt dissolves, the result is negative. If it forms clumps then the woman is pregnant. This test has no scientific evidence.
Baking soda
Add urine to an equal amount of baking soda. If it bubbles, the woman is pregnant. If soda doesn’t react then the result is negative. It happens because of HCG levels in urine. There is no scientific evidence.
Shampoo
Mix 2 drops of shampoo with 2 drops of urine. If the shampoo doesn’t react the result is negative. If it bubbles, the woman is pregnant.
Commercial pregnancy test kits are more reliable than homemade tests. They detect the HCG levels in urine more accurately. Fertility monitoring and awareness methods may help to detect pregnancy. An increased basal body temperature and tiredness can also be the early indications of pregnancy.
HERA pro tip- If you want to conceive then you must track your menstrual cycle to find out when you are ovulating..- HERA
The Bottom line
The different types of pregnancy tests help to detect pregnancy in the initial phase. Commercial pregnancy test kits are more reliable than homemade tests. These kits detect the level of human chorionic gonadotropin in urine to find out if the woman is pregnant.