by Melanie Hicks

Created on: April 17, 2009

You're feeling nauseas, your breasts are tender, your period is late, and your mind is racing. As the mother of three the question "am I pregnant" is an all too familiar one. What now? Well, the first thing to do is take a pregnancy test. There are many great options on the market today and some can give you answers as soon as five days before your missed period (although waiting until after your missed period is best).

What is a pregnancy test? A pregnancy test is a simple at home tests that detects hCG (human chorionic gonadotrapin or "pregnancy hormone") in your urine, but be advised that different tests detect different levels of hCG. There are generally two different kinds of tests: mid-stream and cassette tests. The midstream tests are known for their convenience and some (such as the First Response Early Response) can detect pregnancy days before your missed period but generally cost more. On the market today, there are two kinds of midstream tests: lines and digital. The cassette tests are much cheaper than the midstream tests (many can be purchased for a dollar at your local dollar store) and can be even more of just as accurate as a midstream test. When purchasing a test, look on the box for the sensitivity which is measured in mIU/ml (milli International Units per milli-liter) which ranges from 20 mIU/ml to 100 mIU/ml depending on the test.

Okay you've bought the test, now what? For midstream tests you simply take the cap off and hold the stick end in you stream of urine for 5-10 seconds, replace the cap, and place the test on a flat surface. If you are using the cassette tests you need to collect your urine in a clean dry container. Once you have the urine in the container you take the dropper that comes with the test and place four drops in the "sample" area (usually marked with an "s"). Now it's time to await the results which usually takes as little as one to three minutes. If you are using the kind with the lines, look and make sure the control line is formed (the appearance of the control line means the test is working properly). If the control line is there look for the test line (some tests have parallel control and test lines and some have perpendicular control and test lines that form a plus sign) and if you see either a + or ll (again, depending on what test you have. Consult the box so you know what your positive result should look like) you are pregnant. The intensity of the test line may vary, but if it is there with the control line then the test is positive. Congratulations!

What if the control line doesn't form? If your control line doesn't form then the test is invalid and should be disposed of. Simply try again with another test.

What if I see the control line, but no test line? If you only see the control line and no test line, then the test is negative. If you get a negative result, do not look at the test after ten minutes. After ten minutes any test result is invalid and should be disregarded. Sometimes tests will form what look like test lines after the ten minute time frame. As many women have no doubt learned this line is called an evaporation line and should not be considered a positive result. If you get a negative result but still feel that you are pregnant, call a doctor and have a blood test. Blood tests are usually able to detect the hCG levels better than at home urine tests.

What if I used a digital test? Well, if you sprung for a digital test then you have it easy. You simply follow the process for the traditional line tests, but when it comes time to read your results the test will either say "pregnant" or "not pregnant". Simple!

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