Home Pregnancy Tests

Home pregnancy tests work by measuring the level of hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, in your bloodstream. This is the hormone produced by the developing placenta in the early stages of pregnancy, and is the hormone responsible for the feeling of nausea that we so often refer to as "morning sickness." HCG levels start showing up in the blood shortly after implantation occurs.

There are several different types of home pregnancy tests - the strip, the cassette, and the dipstick (or midstream). Every brand and type contains instructions on how to use the product, but generally, here's how they work:

• Pregnancy test strip - You collect your urine in a clean container, and simply hold the strip vertically and immerse it in the sample. There's usually a line indicating how deep you should dip the test strip in. After a period of time (which is specified in the manufacturer's instructions - but usually after 3-5 minutes) you read the results.
• Pregnancy test cassette - Similar to the pregnancy test strip, you collect your urine first in a clean container. Use the dropper provided in the kit to withdraw a small amount of urine, and then put about 2-4 drops of the sample into the designated area on the cassette. You can then read the results after 3-5 minutes, according to the product instructions.
• Pregnancy test dipstick - This is probably the most hassle-free type of pregnancy test to use. You simply position the product such that the absorbent strip will be in contact with your urine when you pee. Wait for 6-10 seconds so that the strip will absorb a significant amount of sample. You can also choose to use this as you would with a pregnancy test strip - to collect the sample urine first in a clean container before dipping the tip into it. Then, after 3-5 minutes, you can read the results.

Are You Pregnant?

How did you know you were pregnant? What symptoms did you first experience that led you to think that you might be carrying a child? Did you accept it right away or did it take some time to sink in?

As for me, when my menstruation did not come when it was expected, I didn't suspect pregnancy right away. At that time, I was also slowly gaining weight from eating too much fastfoods and leading an almost sedentary lifestyle. I was also under a lot of stress, studying day in and day out for Medicine. At first, I just thought that my hormoned simply could have been jammed and I might have been delayed or simply skipped a cycle.

But when two months passed without a single drop of menstruation, I bought myself a pregancy test. I knew I had unprotected contact a couple of months ago, but I was too confident then that my periods would always be predictable. I had used the calendar method for quite a long time already, and it hadn't failed me - yet.