Some 100 years ago, women had to pretty much guess whether they’re pregnant or not.
The first sign was, obviously, the missed periods, which could also be due to many other reasons. This shot in the dark changed as technology evolved.
Having changed from critical tests and ultrasounds to a mini test kit, the latter is all that you need now to know whether you are pregnant or not.
But how accurate are these pregnancy test kits? How safe is it to rely on them? To solve these confusions, here are certain important things you should know about pregnancy tests.
1. Paying more doesn’t mean better results
Though some expensive brands claim to be more accurate than cheaper ones, that’s not true. The only difference between the cheaper and the costlier ones is in the way the output is displayed. The cheaper ones show lines and expensive ones explicitly says if you are pregnant or not. So, spending more on a pregnancy test kit makes hardly any difference. In fact, what matters is to check whether a test is faulty, damaged, expired, or used incorrectly. As a matter of fact, issues like these can occur with any brand or style. So, while buying a test kit, check the expiration date on the package and read the instructions thoroughly.
4. They definitely cannot tell the gender of your baby
This is one widespread pregnancy test myth that needs to be busted. The amount of hGC in your pee can rise equally either you’re expecting a boy or a girl. Any test that promises to tell you ‘pink or blue’ is, honestly, lying. So, it’s best to stop Googling most popular baby names until your post 20-week scan and test.
6. Drinking lots of water can dilute the test
You should not drink much water before taking the pregnancy test as it may dilute your urine and may not give accurate results.
7. Other substances can affect the results
Women who take fertility drugs that contain hCG may not get accurate results with the pregnancy test kit. However, normal medication, birth control pills and alcohol does not affect the test.
8. Faint lines don’t mean something is wrong
The test results which have two lines, indicating pregnancy, are a little confusing when one of the lines is faint. Some women may think they are not pregnant but that’s not true. A faint line also indicates a pregnancy. The faintness or darkness of a line can depend on the brand and how sensitive the test strips are. So, it is better to go and meet your gynaecologists after such a result.
What is hCG?
hCG is a hormone that is produced by your body when you are pregnant. Its detectable in the blood and urine shortly after you conceive. hCG is made by cells formed in the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall.