Joanna Marie O. Santos
August 3, 2023

For many people, pregnancy test kits have been a game-changer. Instead of going through the harrowing and potentially stressful episode of visiting a doctor to get a urine or blood test to check for possible pregnancy, test kits are conveniently available in pharmacies and supermarkets instead. Pregnancy test kits save people a lot of time and effort in figuring out if they are pregnant or not.

 

Responsible family planning is very important, especially for mothers. As parents, moms should carefully envision their future plans– regardless of the number of children they want to have, or if they want to bear the responsibility of becoming a parent to another person again. Pregnancy test kits play a very vital role for mothers in family planning since it helps sexually active couples to know their reproductive status and be able to plan out their next course of action. In this article, we will discuss just how accurate pregnancy test kits are, as well as the methods to follow to get the most reliable result.

 

Are At-Home Pregnancy Test Kits Highly Accurate? 

 

_{Image from Sitharam Barthia Institute of Science and Research} 

 

Many moms rely on at-home pregnancy test kits, especially if they are in a sexually active relationship. Pregnancy tests are known to be easy to use and yield accurate results as the person who will use the test kit will essentially simply pee on a stick. Unlike booking a visit with the doctor and waiting hours for the test results, moms can visit their local pharmacy or convenience store to purchase an at-home pregnancy test kit instead. 

 

Apart from being easily accessible, at-home pregnancy test kits are also known to give highly accurate results when used correctly. At-home pregnancy test kits available at the pharmacy and drug stores yield a result with more than 99% accuracy and work 99 out of 100 times. This means that if the pregnancy test kit is used properly, and not too soon, the result given by the test will be just as accurate as the test result you will get at the clinic. 

 

How Do At-Home Pregnancy Test Kits Work?

 

Just like the urine tests done at the doctor’s office, at-home pregnancy tests are used to detect the HCG hormone in the pee. HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that the body produces during pregnancy. If a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus, the body produces the HCG hormone to help preserve and support the egg and allow the person to carry out the pregnancy. 

 

At-home pregnancy test kits are designed to detect the presence of HCG hormones in a person’s urine. If the test kit detects the hormone, it will come out positive. If the test kit was used properly and yielded a negative test result, then the person’s body does produce the HCG hormone and is therefore not pregnant. 

 

How To Use Pregnancy Test Kits At Home 

 

_{Image from The New York Times}

 

The most important thing to remember when using a pregnancy test kit at home is that the proper process should be followed to get the most accurate results. It is also important to remember that these pregnancy test kits give the most accurate result when the person takes the test after they have already missed their period. Depending on the brand purchased, the instructions for use may differ. Below are the three most common ways to take an at-home pregnancy test kit.

 

Urine Drop

 

1. Collect your pee in a clean cup.

2. Use a sanitized dropper to collect a few drops of urine.

3. Apply a few drops of urine to the chemical strip. 

4. Wait for the result.

 

Dip The Chemical Strip

 

1. Collect your urine in an unused cup.

2. Dip the chemical strip into the cup.

3. Wait for the result.

 

Direct

 

1. Position the chemical test strip directly in your urine stream.

2. Wait for the result.   

 

With most at-home pregnancy test kits, you only need to wait for three minutes before you can get results. It’s important to leave the chemical test strip alone and not let it get contaminated, especially with other liquids. A line should start to appear if the test result is positive, even if the line appears smudged or faded. 

 

The Significance Of Pregnancy Test Kits

 

Pregnancy test kits are very helpful for moms since it is a reliable tool needed for responsible family planning. These devices yield very accurate results and moms can trust that at-home pregnancy test kits will give accurate results as long as they are used correctly and not too soon. If you strongly suspect that you are pregnant but the test gives a negative result, then feel free to use the test again after a couple of days. Make sure to use at-home pregnancy test kits properly to get the best results.