You have missed your period and are starting to wonder if you are pregnant or not. You aren’t ready to go to the doctor yet, but would like to try a home pregnancy test. Luckily, home pregnancy tests are easy to use and they are also quite affordable. That makes them a great option for women who think they may be pregnant but aren’t sure. Home pregnancy tests may be purchased at drug stores, grocery stores, and many large warehouse stores.

Most pregnancy tests work about the same way, although not all are the same so it’s worth reading the directions for each brand. Generally, the stick should be held under the urine stream for several seconds. The cap should be off of the stick before doing this. Other women find it easier to pee in a plastic cup and then stick the applicator in the cup. Once the urine has been applied to the tester stick it takes a couple minutes to return the results. Each brand has a specific time period and usually women who are pregnant will see results very fast. The result appears in the “result window” and if there is a plus sign, line, or a smiley face then you are indeed pregnant! Even if the line is extremely faint it is still a positive test. There are even some digital tests you may purchase that will make it easy and tell you “pregnant” or “not pregnant.”

There is also a second window on the test called the control indicator. A line will always appear in this box to ensure the test is working as it should. If a line does not appear in the control box then the test is not working correctly and you should re-test. The majority of tests recommend that women test again a couple days later, regardless of whether the test was positive or negative. That’s because sometimes women test too soon for a positive result and very rarely a false positive may result.

Home pregnancy tests are actually very accurate as long as they are used following the directions. Don’t use a home pregnancy test until the first day of your missed period to ensure your body has had time to produce enough hormones to result in a positive test if you are indeed pregnant.

• Can you take a home pregnancy test before you miss your period?
• I See A Faint Line On My Home Pregnancy Test, Am I Pregnant?
• Evaporation Lines and Early Pregnancy Tests
• How reliable are home pregnancy tests as compared to blood pregnancy tests?
• Can Stress Affect a Home Pregnancy Test Results?
• How Accurate Will a Home Pregnancy Test Be?
• Home Pregnancy Test FAQ
• How Common Is A False Positive Pregnancy Test And What Causes It?
• The home pregnancy test was positive but the blood test was negative. Why?
• Is It Possible To Get A False Positive When You Take A Pregnancy Test Your Dr’s Office?
• Can Depo Provera Affect Home Pregnancy Tests?
• Can Drug Use Affect Pregnancy Test Results?

This entry was posted under About Pregnancy Tests.