Which test is more accurate for detecting pregnancy- Urine or Blood?
If you are experiencing symptoms of pregnancy, you should take a pregnancy test. For such a test is it necessary to visit a doctor? Can a pregnancy test be done at home? Thankfully, today you can do a pregnancy test right in the privacy of your own home. And what's more, such home pregnancy tests are reliable, easy to use and give instant results. So, let's examine what are the types of home pregnancy tests available and which tests are prefered? First, let's the have a close look at the different types of pregnancy tests.
There are two types of home pregnancy test, urine test and blood test. Let us first try to understand these tests and then look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Urine test
The urine test for pregnancy is primarily a test for the presence of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) because this hormone is present only in the body of a pregnant woman. There are wide varieties of Urine based pregnancy tests available in the market. Women prefre these urine bases pregnancy tests because they can be performed in complete privacy. However, the sensitivity range differs from product to product. To get the best results, read the instructions carefully and try to do the test with the first urine discharge doen early in the morning.
Blood test
The blood test also attempts to detect the presence of HCG in blood. However, this test is performed only at your doctor's clinic or a diagnostic clinic. The two kinds of blood test for pregnancy are Quantitative and qualitative blood tests.
A Quantitative blood test measures the exact amount of HCG levels in the blood while a Qualitative blood test gives the result only in the form of a "yes"or a "no".
Which pregnancy test is better?
Researchers believe that a blood test for pregnancy gives more accurate result as compared to urine test. It has been found that six percent of the urine test for pregnancy can give inaccurate results. It means that 6 out of 100 women whose urine test for pregnancy showed negative results may actually have the HCG hormone present in their urine. This inaccurate result may occur due to not following the instructions properly, or by taking the test too early or too late in the pregnancy.
A Blood test has also one advantage of detecting a pregnancy earlier than a home pregnancy test. In fact, a blood test can detect the pregnancy about 7-12 days from possible conception. In addition, a blood test also provides information regarding the amount of HCG hormone present in the blood. This information is valuable for doctors evaluating potential problems in the pregnancy.
The drawbacks of a Blood test for pregnancy are as follows:
- It is more expensive.
- The results often take longer.
- The test can not be performed in privacy. It must be performed by a doctor the doctor's clinic.
Home pregnancy tests usually gives 97% accurate results but a blood test is more reliable. If you still want to opt for urine test, read the instructions carefully and take the results as recommended by the brand.
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