How Long Does A Pregnancy Test Take
How long does a pregnancy test take?
Whether the anticipation is negative or positive, if you think you may be pregnant, it can feel like an eternity while you are waiting to discover the results. It is counterproductive, however, to purchase a pregnancy test too soon. If you are asking yourself, how long does a pregnancy test take, the answer is patience.
There is more than one way to discover if you are pregnant. The most common method used by women around the world is to procure a home pregnancy test, and there are a variety to choose from. If you suspect you may be pregnant prior to missing your period, you are most likely wasting your money on a pregnancy test. These tests detect the presence of HCG, a hormone secreted during pregnancy, and this hormone does not manifest until around six to 12 days after ovulation.
If you have taken your home pregnancy test and have received a negative result, you may still be pregnant. In the event that you have not yet missed your normal menstrual cycle, it is highly possible that HCG has not yet been released in your body. When trying to determine if you are pregnant, you should wait about a week after the time you should have had your period.
Another factor that those wondering how long does a pregnancy test take should take into consideration is the brand of test they purchase. You get what you pay for, and those that are cheap may take longer to yield the correct results. Various brands pick up different levels of the pregnancy hormone, so the earlier the conception occurred, the longer it will take some brands to pick up these traces. More expensive products can detect 25 MIU of HCG while other brands can be purchased which only detect 250 mIU.
While many feel the investment in a more expensive brand that detects lower traces of HCG is worth it, there are downsides to these products. Around one quarter of all early pregnancies result in miscarriage. Millions of women have conceived yet never knew it because the miscarriage was ejected in menstrual blood without them ever being aware. Those who knew of their pregnancy this early on are often emotionally affected when a common early miscarriage occurs.
A little known fact that can impact the results of a pregnancy test is that there are certain medications that can cause pregnancy tests to result in a false positive reading. Normally those used in fertility, these drugs contain the hormone HCG. Those taking pregnancy tests who have taken these types of medications should consider this and may choose to seek alternative testing.
There are alternatives to the home pregnancy tests. If you wish to know quickly and for certain if you are with child without the possibility of false positive or negative readings, a blood test may be a better option. Although this method is more invasive and does require a blood sample to be taken, the results can be obtained in as little as seven days following conception. The HCG hormone is released directly into the bloodstream via the placenta, so those who receive a positive result through a medically administered blood test know that the results are accurate.
If you choose to pursue a blood pregnancy test, you should ask your doctor if they will be doing a qualitative or quantitative test. Qualitative blood tests simply indicate whether or not you are pregnant while a quantitative test will analyze the actual level of HCG present in the blood. Either way, a blood test is a method you can take if you have the money to invest and really need to know if you are pregnant sooner than your first period.
Pregnancy is an exciting time in the life of any woman. If you suspect you may be pregnant and cannot wait to find out, there are various ways to quickly discover the results.
