How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?

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Pregnancy tests were invented back in 1968 when Margaret Crane took obstetric ultrasonography to a whole new level. Their accuracy percentage is said to be around 97%, making them a very reliable source of pregnancy confirmation and determination. Despite having taken a pregnancy test, it is still advised to make an appointment with your GP to ensure everything is normal and healthy.

How Does a Pregnancy Test Work

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How to Use a Pregnancy Test

According to Human Touch of Chemistry, a pregnancy test is a kind of self-determining diagnostic kit that is able to test the pregnancy hormones in urine. Using a pregnancy test is actually quite simple. As you will notice, the test comes equipped with an absorbent pad. This is where you want to direct your urine stream. The best way to do this is to point the test in a slanted downward position. Once the pad has collected the urine sample, it will connect with the immunoassay strip and start to search for traces of the pregnancy hormone.

The Inner Workings

The immunoassay strip is coated with reactive antibodies. These antibodies then begin testing the sample for traces of the pregnancy hormone. If there is no trace, the pregnancy test will show a negative result or the words “Not Pregnant”. On the other hand, detection of the pregnancy hormone will activate the opposite reaction.

The pregnancy hormone is called the “glycoprotein hormone” which will be the main factor used to determine the results. The placenta conceals this hormone in the urine and it is usually not present until around six days after conception. This delay occurs because it may take some time for the fertilized egg to implant itself in the uterus. Once implanted, the placenta will begin to develop.

Pregnancy Test Success

The rise of the pregnancy test meant that woman all over the world could find out if they were pregnant or not, without having to make a doctor’s appointment first. Before it came onto the market, the pregnancy test went through a clinical trial to determine its safety and effectiveness. This clinical trial included Clinical Data Managers from companies such as G and L Scientific that helped ensure the safety of these tests when human contact was made. It is worth remembering that, if you think that you could be pregnant, it is best to wait until you have skipped a period before testing. The reason for this is because it can take several days for fertilization to take place, even after intercourse.

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