Home Pregnancy Test : A simple guide to understand HPT

What is HPT ?

Home Pregnancy Test is an easy, inexpensive and relatively accurate method of diagnosing pregnancy. Once you encounter any or more of the symptoms listed in Early Pregnancy Signs , you can buy a home pregnancy test kit off the shelf from any medical store and check for it yourself before proceeding to a health center or clinic. It is extremely easy and safe and can be done in the privacy of your bathroom.

 

There are many brands of HPTs available in market today, but all of them work on the same principle. HPTs measure urinary levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone. This hormone is responsible for development of placenta in a pregnant woman’s body. hCG is secreted in your body, as soon as the embryo implants in the uterus, between 6 -12 days after fertilization. The levels of hCG increase rapidly during this time.

HPTs can detect hCG in urine, but they may not be able to detect if the levels are very low, as just a week after conception. Ideally, by the time you miss your first period, there should be enough hCG in your body for HPT to detect and give an accurate result.

How to use HPT ?

HPTs are fairly easy to use. They can be used any time of the day, however morning are considered best, as urine is most concentrated when you wake.  There are many brands of HPTs available and you should read the instructions given with the kit. Some tests might expect you to hold the stick in the stream of urine, while others might instruct to drop few drops in the testing well.

Once the sample has been deposited, you will have to wait for a few minutes and then HPT will show result. Showing result can also vary based on brand, some may show + sign for positive and – sign for negative, while some show two dark lines for positive and one dark line for negative. It is important to read  the directions carefully.

 

Home PregnancyTest kit instructions read positive result will show 2 dark red lines and negative will show 1 dark red line. My test shows two faint lines. What does that mean ?

 

It means, your sample either got contaminated during collection or there was not enough in the testing well, due to which it was not possible for test to give an accurate result and this turned out invalid. You should take a fresh kit and a fresh sample and test again.

HPT Positive                         HPT Negative                     HPT Invalid

 

What if your feel you are pregnant, but HPT shows negative result ?

There can be many reasons to a negative HPT result. One can be low levels of hCG in your urine stream. Your kit may also be contaminated, in which case you will have to repeat the test. You should wait for a week before repeating the test.

You can also go to a clinic and get a blood test done, which is more sensitive than HPTs.

 

HPT result shows positive. What next ?

Congratulations, you have entered the wonderful phase of womanhood, pregnancy. Get an appointment for your first prenatal visit with a good gynaecologist and get it confirmed. Doctor will do either blood test or a physical examination to confirm the pregnancy. If it is confirmed, you will be put on folic acid and other medication as seen fit by the doctor.



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