Femme la Phoenix
19-05-2006, 11:10
In recent weeks on the threads there has being much speculation about pregnancy tests, HCG tests they are all the same.
Are all tests created equal? Which tests give the best results? What happens if I get a faint line? What about those dreaded "evap lines"? Is there a better brand?
I will discuss all of these things and hopefully we will all find the test that is right for us. All women are differant, and each of us have a differant time frame of when after conception takes places our bodies are producing enough HCG to show on a test, faint or otherwise.
Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of the hormone hCG in a woman's urine. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. Most doctors recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period before taking a home pregnancy pregnancy test. This is usually about two weeks after conception.
Tests Sensitivity
The sensitivity of a pregnancy test determines how soon after conception, pregnancy can be detected by the diagnostic kit. Concentrations of hCG are reported in milliInternational Units (mIU) or amounts equal to 1/1000th of an IU per milliliter. Pregnancy tests with a sensitivity of 20 mIU/ml are more sensitive than tests with 50 to 100 mIU/ml. Tests which can detect levels of hCG as low as 20 - 25 mIU/ml tests are ideal for early detection of pregnancy. That means you can begin testing accurately as early as eight days after conception. Conception may take place several days after date of intercourse, so the date of intercourse should not be viewed as the necessary day of conception.
Follow these tips for best results using a home pregnancy test
The first morning urine is the ideal sample for accurate home pregnancy results.
Remember not to drink large volumes of water before sleeping or during the night. This will dilute the urine sample that you have to collect in the morning. Also it is advisable to hold your urine for a while before testing for pregnancy.
Be sure to read all the instructions on the home pregnancy tests and follow them to the letter.
Be alert and do not interpret the test results after the allotted test "Reaction Time". These are usually incorrect results.
Whether you are using the dip test or the stream test, you must use precision. For best results, allow sufficient urine saturation of the test strip or midstream tip as per test instructions. Also pay attention that the liquid does not touch the test area (where you read results). For test strips, do not dip the strip below the submersion marker or arrow line. For midstream tests, hold the test so the test area (window) is facing away from your stream of urine.
If you are taking medications, especially fertility medications, consult your physicians to make sure that they do not interfere with pregnancy test results. The only medications that can cause a false positive on a home pregnancy test are those than contain hCG itself.
Evapouration Lines
The first type of home pregnancy tests - dip tests, involves collecting your urine in a cup and dipping a stick into the urine, or putting urine into a special container with an eyedropper. A second type of home pregnancy tests-stream tests, involves placing a stick into your urine stream and catching your urine in midstream.
Tests vary in how long you have to wait to get a result. This time period is called reaction time of the test. You will be looking for a change in color, a line or symbol (like a plus or minus). All tests come with instructions and it is important that you follow these instructions to get an accurate reading.
Evaporation lines, as the name suggests are caused due to evaporation of the urine in then test area. These are lines that shows in the result window of the test, exactly where a positive sign would be. An evaporation line develops when the urine on the test area begins to dry, leaving a faint, usually colorless line. Evaporation lines appear to show up (or not show up) as a result of the composition of the particular urine specimen - and they may appear on any test regardless of brand.
How can you avoid Evapouration Lines?
You should always read the literature that comes with the test and look for instructions on when to read your results. Usually home pregnancy tests have a reaction time of three to five minutes. While some tests are no longer accurate after a certain amount of time, others have been known to pick up Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) after a longer period of time than is recommended. You can only know for sure by testing again a few days or a week later. If you don't see a positive result in the amount of time that the manufacturer states, you should not rely on that test result. Evaporation lines can cause confusion if the home pregnancy test is not interpreted within the clinically recommended time frame.
Sensitivity Comparisons
The pregnancy tests on the market today range widely in their sensitivity in picking up the pregnancy hormone, hCG. In the chart below, the lower the number in the "hCG Detected" column, the earlier you can use the pregnancy tests. As a general rule, hCG levels, if you are pregnant, are between 5 - 50 mIU a week before your period is due. The hCG levels in your system should double every two to three days.
Please remember that every woman is different and the time it takes for the fertilized egg to implant in your uterus wall can vary. A common misconception is that implantion occurs 7 days after conception, but the research findings showed that first appearance of HCG (implantation) occurred 6-12 days after ovulation, with 84% of the pregnancies implanting on days 8-10 after ovulation. If you don't get a positive pregnancy test, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are not pregnant. It could be that you ovulated later than you thought (meaning that conception and subsequent hCG production didn't happen as when you expected) or that, for you, implantation took longer than the average. Your period arriving is a sign that you are not pregnant this cycle, as is a negative blood test from your doctor.
Is there a "Super Sensitive" test that is best to use?
For most women, the resounding answer would be YES! It allows you to know earlier if your attempts to conceive were sucessful and get medical care as soon as possible. There *is* a down side to extra sensitive pregnancy tests though. 25% of all pregnancies unfortunately end in miscarriage and many of these being very early pregnancies. If you use a very sensitive pregnancy test, where you test before the day your period is due, you could catch an early pregnancy but end up going on to have your period anyway due to a very early miscarriage. Some women will find it very hard to deal with this sort of emotional rollercoaster.
Brands
25 mIU
Clearblue +/-
Confirm 1 step
First Reponse - Early Result
50 mIU
Clearblue Digital
~if you know of any other's please let me know the values&names and I will add them~
Are all tests created equal? Which tests give the best results? What happens if I get a faint line? What about those dreaded "evap lines"? Is there a better brand?
I will discuss all of these things and hopefully we will all find the test that is right for us. All women are differant, and each of us have a differant time frame of when after conception takes places our bodies are producing enough HCG to show on a test, faint or otherwise.
Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of the hormone hCG in a woman's urine. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. Most doctors recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period before taking a home pregnancy pregnancy test. This is usually about two weeks after conception.
Tests Sensitivity
The sensitivity of a pregnancy test determines how soon after conception, pregnancy can be detected by the diagnostic kit. Concentrations of hCG are reported in milliInternational Units (mIU) or amounts equal to 1/1000th of an IU per milliliter. Pregnancy tests with a sensitivity of 20 mIU/ml are more sensitive than tests with 50 to 100 mIU/ml. Tests which can detect levels of hCG as low as 20 - 25 mIU/ml tests are ideal for early detection of pregnancy. That means you can begin testing accurately as early as eight days after conception. Conception may take place several days after date of intercourse, so the date of intercourse should not be viewed as the necessary day of conception.
Follow these tips for best results using a home pregnancy test
The first morning urine is the ideal sample for accurate home pregnancy results.
Remember not to drink large volumes of water before sleeping or during the night. This will dilute the urine sample that you have to collect in the morning. Also it is advisable to hold your urine for a while before testing for pregnancy.
Be sure to read all the instructions on the home pregnancy tests and follow them to the letter.
Be alert and do not interpret the test results after the allotted test "Reaction Time". These are usually incorrect results.
Whether you are using the dip test or the stream test, you must use precision. For best results, allow sufficient urine saturation of the test strip or midstream tip as per test instructions. Also pay attention that the liquid does not touch the test area (where you read results). For test strips, do not dip the strip below the submersion marker or arrow line. For midstream tests, hold the test so the test area (window) is facing away from your stream of urine.
If you are taking medications, especially fertility medications, consult your physicians to make sure that they do not interfere with pregnancy test results. The only medications that can cause a false positive on a home pregnancy test are those than contain hCG itself.
Evapouration Lines
The first type of home pregnancy tests - dip tests, involves collecting your urine in a cup and dipping a stick into the urine, or putting urine into a special container with an eyedropper. A second type of home pregnancy tests-stream tests, involves placing a stick into your urine stream and catching your urine in midstream.
Tests vary in how long you have to wait to get a result. This time period is called reaction time of the test. You will be looking for a change in color, a line or symbol (like a plus or minus). All tests come with instructions and it is important that you follow these instructions to get an accurate reading.
Evaporation lines, as the name suggests are caused due to evaporation of the urine in then test area. These are lines that shows in the result window of the test, exactly where a positive sign would be. An evaporation line develops when the urine on the test area begins to dry, leaving a faint, usually colorless line. Evaporation lines appear to show up (or not show up) as a result of the composition of the particular urine specimen - and they may appear on any test regardless of brand.
How can you avoid Evapouration Lines?
You should always read the literature that comes with the test and look for instructions on when to read your results. Usually home pregnancy tests have a reaction time of three to five minutes. While some tests are no longer accurate after a certain amount of time, others have been known to pick up Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) after a longer period of time than is recommended. You can only know for sure by testing again a few days or a week later. If you don't see a positive result in the amount of time that the manufacturer states, you should not rely on that test result. Evaporation lines can cause confusion if the home pregnancy test is not interpreted within the clinically recommended time frame.
Sensitivity Comparisons
The pregnancy tests on the market today range widely in their sensitivity in picking up the pregnancy hormone, hCG. In the chart below, the lower the number in the "hCG Detected" column, the earlier you can use the pregnancy tests. As a general rule, hCG levels, if you are pregnant, are between 5 - 50 mIU a week before your period is due. The hCG levels in your system should double every two to three days.
Please remember that every woman is different and the time it takes for the fertilized egg to implant in your uterus wall can vary. A common misconception is that implantion occurs 7 days after conception, but the research findings showed that first appearance of HCG (implantation) occurred 6-12 days after ovulation, with 84% of the pregnancies implanting on days 8-10 after ovulation. If you don't get a positive pregnancy test, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are not pregnant. It could be that you ovulated later than you thought (meaning that conception and subsequent hCG production didn't happen as when you expected) or that, for you, implantation took longer than the average. Your period arriving is a sign that you are not pregnant this cycle, as is a negative blood test from your doctor.
Is there a "Super Sensitive" test that is best to use?
For most women, the resounding answer would be YES! It allows you to know earlier if your attempts to conceive were sucessful and get medical care as soon as possible. There *is* a down side to extra sensitive pregnancy tests though. 25% of all pregnancies unfortunately end in miscarriage and many of these being very early pregnancies. If you use a very sensitive pregnancy test, where you test before the day your period is due, you could catch an early pregnancy but end up going on to have your period anyway due to a very early miscarriage. Some women will find it very hard to deal with this sort of emotional rollercoaster.
Brands
25 mIU
Clearblue +/-
Confirm 1 step
First Reponse - Early Result
50 mIU
Clearblue Digital
~if you know of any other's please let me know the values&names and I will add them~