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Home Pregnancy Tests
Ages ago, when a woman thought she was pregnant, her only choice was to go to her doctor for a pregnancy test. Not only was that expensive and time consuming, it could be embarrassing for women who might not want others to know of their pregnancy for whatever reason.
Thank goodness that has changed. Today you can go into any supermarket or pharmacy and get a pregnancy test to do in private. Most of these tests cost about $8-$18. They all test for the same thing: the amount of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in your urine.
This hormone is generally referred to as the pregnancy hormone. It is produced in your body as soon as you become pregnant and is present in your urine.
Some newer pregnancy tests claim they can determine if you're pregnant as early as the first day after you've missed a period. However, very few can actually meet that claim. You will get a more accurate reading if you wait a week or so after you expect your period.
False positives and false negatives are possible with any pregnancy test, including a doctor's test, which is virtually the same as a home pregnancy test. For best results, read the instructions on your test thoroughly and follow them to the letter. Make sure you understand the indicator and what the symbols mean. Some tests use a pink or blue line, some use a plus or minus sign, some use words. Most tests will show a definitive positive or negative, but you might find a faint line instead of a dark colored line. What does that mean? You might have a defective test, or you might not have enough hCG in your system for it to register. Wait a few days and try again.
Whether you are eagerly wanting to be pregnant or dreading it, if you get a negative result but feel in your gut that you are pregnant, act as if you are. Take care of yourself and your potential baby. Until you are proven to be wrong by another negative test or the start of your period, it won't hurt you to assume you are pregnant and act accordingly.
If you get a positive result, you will of course want to start making preparations. Many doctors will not see a pregnant woman until close to the end of the first trimester, or 12 weeks. The reason for this is that miscarriages are most common in the first weeks of pregnancy, as well as the fact that they cannot hear the heartbeat or see the baby on the ultrasound until that time. So you will want to make your first appointment, but don't be disappointed if the doctor doesn't plan to see you right away. Your best prenatal care at this point is to take scrupulous care of yourself.
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