Almost every woman at a certain time raises the question of whether she is pregnant. Now, to find out whether a woman is in an "interesting position", there are special tests. What types are they? How does a pregnancy test work? You will learn the answers to these questions by reading the article.
Principle of operation
What is the principle of a pregnancy test? According to the principle of the presence of the hCG hormone in the urine, which appears as soon as the fertilized egg is fixed in the uterus and begins to develop. If a week has passed from the moment of conception, then this time will be enough to determine whether a woman became pregnant by urine analysis.
Tests work
The surface of the test is treated with a special reagent. If there has been fertilization, a reaction begins between the special compound and the hCG hormone. It is reflected in the diagnostic zone in the form of a strip, the color of which can be of varying degrees of intensity.
Accordingly, if the indicated hormone is absent in the body, that is, the woman is not pregnant, no reaction will follow and the test will remain unchanged. The test also contains the so-called control zone. It is in it that an additional line appears with a positive result. To summarize, if a woman is “in position”, the test will reflect two strips.
Types of Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests are as follows:
- test strips;
- tablet
- inkjet;
- test systems with tanks.
Test strips
How to use a pregnancy test of this type? This is the very first generation. They are the easiest to use. Therefore, their cost is low. Very popular with girls, take first place in terms of sales. There are a huge selection of such tests in almost every pharmacy.
How does a pregnancy test strip work? The principle is simple. Tests are reagent-impregnated paper or cloth strips. They need to be lowered for a few seconds in urine collected especially for this purpose, preferably morning urine (due to the highest content of hormones in it). Leave in it for up to ten seconds and after that see the result. In this case, the strip is not completely immersed, but only the part specially allocated for this.
How long does a pregnancy test work? Already on the first day of menstruation delays, up to ninety percent of the veracity of the information is guaranteed. Over time, the reliability of the result becomes higher. And in a week the data will be one hundred percent accurate.
Among the minuses of such tests, a rather low sensitivity can be noted. It is also not very convenient that for an express analysis, an additional capacity for urine is needed. Strips often show an inaccurate result due to the fact that the reagent is applied to paper that does not withstand concentration. In addition, when using it, mistakes are often made, which also leads to unreliable results.
Tablet tests
And how does a pregnancy test of this type work? This species is more sensitive. Such tests determine the "interesting" position much earlier. They also examine urine. For this, a droplet of urine is applied with a pipette into the window on the test. It, spreading over the embedded tissue, reacts with the reagent impregnating it, the result appears. Such tests are much more expensive, but also more reliable. They are even used in medical facilities.
The advantage of this variety can be called the presence of a pipette. However, such a test also requires preliminary collection of material for analysis in a separate, clean container.
Ink tests
Inkjet tests are the most advanced method for detecting hCG. It is enough to know how a pregnancy test works to recognize its undeniable superiority. This is a more complex device with a high level of sensitivity. In the jet test, the concentration of the reagent that detects the hCG hormone is higher. The result can be seen after just one minute, and it is very reliable. That's just the cost of these tests is disproportionately high when compared with strips and tablets.
However, the high cost can be forgiven for ease of use. There is no need to look for a jar, just the tip of the test is substituted under a stream of urine. And you can do this at any time of the day due to the very high sensitivity of the test, and not just in the morning.
The core of these tests consists of fibers impregnated with a special reagent. Its high concentration allows you to isolate the hormone of pregnancy, even with its very small content in the urine.
Test systems with tanks
From the name it’s already clear that the tank includes the test itself. All this makes the procedure extremely clear and simple. Urine is collected in the reservoir, and the result is subsequently displayed on the test.
Electronic tests
So far, how the electronic pregnancy test works has been of great interest. The first generation test strips are easy to use and affordable. But it is their electronic counterpart that can create a real miracle. After all, he will not only determine the existence of an emerging life, but will also name the approximate gestational age.
Moreover, the test is very unambiguous. It shows only plus or minus. When a pregnancy is present, its duration is additionally reported.
Test selection
In order not to make a mistake with the choice, you need to know how long and how a pregnancy test of one kind or another works. Regardless of whether it is a desired child or not, every woman wants to make sure of a positive or negative result as soon as possible in order to dispel her tormenting doubts. Of course, you can buy cheaper tests, but the result is not guaranteed reliable.
How to choose a good test? His sensitivity must be high. It would be nice to choose a test from a well-known manufacturer. This to some extent can protect against fakes. After all, it is known: the lower the price, the worse the quality.
Using the test at home
How to use a pregnancy test? Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to carefully read the attached instructions as much as possible in order to avoid various problems in the future. The testing methodology by and large is the same for all types of tests. But there are important little things, if you ignore them, then the reliability of the result may be in question.
First, urine is collected. It is best to determine pregnancy in the morning. Since it is at this time of day that the concentration of the hormone reaches its highest value. Recent developments of rapid tests are considered hypersensitive, so they can detect hCG at any time of the day. But still, you should not specifically drink a lot of liquid in order to quickly go to the toilet and find out the result.
When can i use it?
When does a pregnancy test start working? Depending on the degree of sensitivity of the test, the result may be a week after the delay, on the first day of the delay. Electronic tests are ready to diagnose the result long before the alleged menstruation. Thus, how long a pregnancy test works depends on the individual characteristics of the female body, on the cost and quality of the diagnostic tool.
Usage errors
It is necessary to wait for the result during the time specified in the instructions.
As a rule, this takes several minutes, after which the reagent dries. A second weak streak may appear, but it will not mean pregnancy. Do not use tests after the expiration date.
Little conclusion
Now you know how a pregnancy test works. The information in the article will allow you to choose the right option and use it yourself.