Pregnancy tests are used by women to determine if they have become pregnant. They come in two forms, one of which tests the hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels in urine and blood, and the other by ultrasonography. Blood testing via hCG provides the quickest detection rate, and the majority of pregnant females will display a positive result about seven days after missing their first menstrual period.
Ultrasonography can also be used for diagnosing pregnancy, but it requires a trip to a doctor. As such, most women will take a home based pregnancy test prior to going in for an ultrasound. The ultrasound tests may be vaginal or abdominal based, with the vaginal tests providing earlier pregnancy visualization.
Most home based tests are highly affordable and will test a woman’s urine. The hCG hormone was first discovered in the 20th century and is important because it rises rapidly during the first three weeks of pregnancy, achieving a peak during the eight to ten week gestational stage.
The placenta is responsible from producing the hCG hormone, and it can be tested by taking a woman’s blood or urine sample. The assays which are utilized for detecting hCG within urine or blood are considered both dependable and cost effective. The secretion of hCG might appear as early as six days after ovulation, but usually appears from eight to ten days after. Generally, the concentration of hCG within blood is larger than urine, so there have been instances where the blood test might be positive whereas a urine test still shows negative.
The detection thresholds in tests vary depending on the brand. For example, low sensitivity urine tests will usually range from 1500 mL to 2000mL, while high sensitivity tests will range from 20 mL to 50 mL. Pregnancy blood tests will range from 1 mL to 2 mL for ultrasensitive brands while more qualitative tests range from 5 mL to 10 mL.
Studies reveal that home based pregnancy tests are exceptionally accurate, especially those which are sold by McDaid Pharmacy. This includes the Clearblue Pregnancy Test, which has an accuracy of 99 percent, along with the First Response Pregnancy test. Aside from testing women for pregnancy, McDaid also carries pregnancy support products such as Optibac Probiotics, Spotlight Oral Pregnancy Toothpaste and Active Iron Pregnancy Plus capsules. These products are safe, tested and designed to help pregnant women develop and deliver healthy babies.
