Home Pregnancy Tests

Test Overview

Home pregnancy tests can find the presence of a pregnancy hormone (called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG) in a sample of urine. High levels of hCG are made during pregnancy. The home tests have similar results to the pregnancy tests done on urine in most doctors' offices if they are used exactly as instructed.

There are two basic types of home pregnancy tests.

  • The most common types of home pregnancy tests use a test strip or dipstick that you hold in the urine stream or dip into a sample of urine.
  • A second type uses a urine collection cup with a test device. To use this type of test, you may place several drops of urine into a well in the test device. Or you may put the test device into urine collected in a cup.

The accuracy of home pregnancy tests is different for every woman. That's because:

  • The days of a woman's menstrual cycle and ovulation can change each month.
  • The exact day of implantation of the fertilized egg is not always known.
  • Each home pregnancy test kit has a different sensitivity to find hCG.

A few home pregnancy tests may be sensitive enough to show a pregnancy on the first day of a woman's missed period. But most test kits are more accurate about a week after a missed period.

Information about Home Pregnancy Tests

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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