At what week of pregnancy does the test show a positive result: how to test correctly?

Pregnancy test:

1. Start online test.
2. When to do it?
3. Which is correct?
4. Could he be wrong?
5. Signs of pregnancy.

My hands are shaking, my head is foggy, there is an incomprehensible mix of emotions inside, and the reason for everything is a positive pregnancy test. Some women rejoice at it as if it were a miracle, others begin to panic, and others completely fall into a stupor. But within a few minutes/hours/days everyone has the same question - what next?

A step-by-step action plan is further in the article.

Calm down

It is better not to neglect this advice. Very often, women who really want or, conversely, are afraid to get pregnant, “think out” a second stripe. In any case, pulling yourself together will be an excellent decision.

You don’t have to try to be distracted by something else - it won’t work. Instead, deep, calm breathing or talking to your spouse will help.

A typical mistake is to immediately rush to read reviews on online forums of pregnant women or young mothers. Information from these sources is not always true. Moreover, on such web pages, users often like to write some horror stories about pregnancy and childbirth. It is better to save your nerves and read only professional literature or immediately sign up for a medical consultation.

How to choose the most accurate one?

The operating principle of all tests is the same ; they “look” for hCG in the biomaterial. The only difference is the level of accuracy and ease of use.

By the way, these parameters are interconnected - if the test is inconvenient, then it is possible that the urine is contaminated with foreign impurities, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the home examination.

The price of the accessory is of great importance . If it is too cheap, then the most inexpensive reagents are used in production; their sensitivity leaves much to be desired.

Also pay attention to the sensitivity level indicated on the packaging. Manufacturers call the most effective those products that have a prescribed value of 10 mIU/ml.

A dubious statement, since it is difficult to prove the real degree of sensitivity of such “mega-tests”. In reality, even those accessories that are labeled 25 mIU/ml show very good results.

Recheck the result

As soon as the ability to think clearly returns, it is advisable to begin rechecking the result. To do this, it is better to buy 2-3 tests, but of a different brand and type. Ideally, at another pharmacy. Reading the instructions for them is a must. Tests may produce false positive results due to improper use, storage, or expiration.

A false positive result also occurs in the following cases:

• recent abortion, miscarriage;
• ectopic pregnancy;
• ingress of organic particles into the test from the outside;
• treatment with hormonal drugs;
• menopause;
• oncology;
• some types of cysts, uterine fibroids and similar diseases.

You can repeat the procedure after 2-3 days if in doubt. If you are pregnant, the stripes will become brighter after this period. If the tests still show pregnancy, it’s time to move on to the third step.

How to test correctly

Following all the rules will help reduce the chance of a false result.

1. Testing is carried out in the morning upon first visit to the toilet. If a woman gets up at night to relieve herself, you should try to wait about 6 hours before diagnosis. It is advisable not to drink water before urinating in order to obtain the most concentrated portion of urine. If it becomes necessary to repeat the diagnosis, the procedures should be carried out at the same time.
2. Before testing, you need to wash yourself without using soap. Then wipe dry. To ensure safety when urinating, apply a cotton pad to the vaginal opening so that the secretion does not accidentally fall into the container with urine.
3. “Medium” urine is collected - the container is placed a couple of seconds after the start of urination and removed shortly before it ends.

Different types of tests are used for diagnosis. The testing scheme and principle depend on the device used.

The cheapest and most popular are test strips. A reagent is applied to a special cardboard that reacts to the amount of the hormone in the urine. Typically such tests have a sensitivity of 25 mIU/ml. To use them, you must first collect the urine in a sterile container. Then do the following:

• open the container with the strip;
• remove the test and lower it into the urine until about;
• hold for the time specified in the instructions (usually 5 seconds);
• remove the strip and place it on a horizontal non-absorbent surface;
• the result appears in 2-7 minutes.

If the second strip appears after 10 minutes or more, the result is most often uninformative.

It is important to note that the accuracy of tests from different manufacturers varies greatly. The cheaper the device, the weaker the reagent applied to it and, as a result, the less accurate the answer.

Inkjet tests are more reliable than strip tests, but they are also several times more expensive. Their sensitivity ranges from 10 to 20 mIU/ml. Such devices are made of plastic and have a window in which the result is displayed.

To use, remove the cap from one end of the device and lower the sensitive part into the urine according to the instructions. Jet tests can be used in a simplified version: place the desired part of the device under a stream of urine for 3-5 seconds, and then wait for the result.

Before using the test, for maximum accuracy of the answer, it is important to carefully read the instructions for use.

Chat with mom

And not only for moral support and sharing joy. A conversation with your mother is needed to find out how her pregnancy and childbirth went. This information will subsequently help the doctor better understand how to manage the pregnancy of the expectant mother. A few questions to ask your parent:

• What weight and height was I born with?
• Were there any complications during pregnancy or childbirth?
• Did you suffer from high blood pressure during pregnancy?
• What childhood diseases did I have (rubella, chickenpox, etc.)?

It also makes sense to remember all your chronic or serious illnesses in the past, and the presence of allergies. Perhaps mom can help with this too.

Features and Chinese know-how

All sorts of Chinese know-how that promise an instant, accurate result on exhalation is a canard, such tests do not exist. Only four main types of products are known.

• Test strip. The most popular type, which is inexpensive, and shows fairly accurate results. To use, you need to urinate in a jar and then dip the test into it. Accuracy approaches 99%.
• Jet test. It is not very convenient to use, but the accuracy is excellent - it is almost impossible to contaminate urine with foreign impurities. You should urinate on the designated sector of the product, and then wait for the result. However, it has a significant drawback - its high price.
• Tablet tests. They are expensive and inconvenient to use. One of the advantages is usually the possibility of using it not after the first delay, but immediately after conception. To carry out the analysis, you need to collect urine in a pipette and drop it into a special hole. They are rarely used in everyday life due to their high cost; they are mainly found in hospitals.
• Reservoir system. The most accurate, but also the most expensive option. It is large in size, which does not allow the accessory to be used away from home. The urine is placed in a special reservoir, after which the result is displayed on the screen.

When choosing a test, pay attention to consumer reviews , and, of course, the cost. You shouldn’t spend a lot of money on a one-time accessory, but don’t buy tests that are too cheap either, they have low accuracy.

Sign up for an appointment with the doctor

A logical and obvious step. However, as practice shows, many women postpone visiting the doctor or do not consider it necessary to go to the clinic at all. And in vain. The sooner the expectant mother makes an appointment, the greater the doctor’s chances of preventing the development of pathologies in the fetus or complications during pregnancy.

If the test shows two lines not due to pregnancy or a defective product, the doctor will determine the cause and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

What can a doctor do during the first visits?

4.1. Send for a laboratory test for hCG

If the period is still short, even a gynecological examination may not reveal pregnancy. But a gonadotropin test will do an excellent job of this. There is much more of it in the blood than in the urine. If the pharmacy test shows an incorrect result, the laboratory test will reveal this.

4.2. Carry out diagnostics

The doctor may order several blood tests, urine tests, and a thyroid examination. He will probably recommend a general examination by a therapist, ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist and several other specialists.

You will have to take tests frequently during pregnancy, almost before every visit to the gynecologist. However, it is best not to skip them as they are really important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. All procedures are aimed not only at monitoring the condition of the child, but also at caring for the well-being of the mother.

4.3. Recommend vitamins

Low hemoglobin levels, weak immunity, too strong hormonal fluctuations and discomfort in general - for all this, a gynecologist can prescribe vitamins. They will improve a woman's health and even make her more attractive.

4.4. Schedule an ultrasound

The first ultrasound will be scheduled no earlier than 2 weeks after the start of the delay. Its main goal is to exclude ectopic pregnancy. It will also be able to identify problems with the genitals, if any.

An ultrasound to determine the sex of the child and the characteristics of its development will be prescribed much later.

4.5. Agree on a visit schedule

You will have to see the doctor almost more often than your husband. If the pregnancy proceeds without complications, then the frequency of visits will most likely be equal to one visit per month, but not less often. Closer to the due date, a woman will have to visit the gynecologist even more often.

To avoid having to cancel plans later and rush to see a doctor, it is advisable to immediately discuss an approximate schedule of visits with the doctor.

Should I take a pregnancy test on day 24 of my cycle?

For some reason, it is on the 24-25th day of the menstrual cycle that the need most often arises to check the fact of pregnancy. Some people are so impatient to wait for the delay that tests are done on the 10-12th day after the date of conception. To understand how it all works, it wouldn’t hurt to find out in more detail what happens in the mother’s body immediately after conception.

Child gender determination table 100%

Pregnancy and menstrual cycle:

• In most cases, conception occurs on ovulation, the first or second day after it. The cycle is usually 28 days, and then ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle, on the 14th day. Immediately after menstruation, the body begins to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
• The endometrium softens and thickens in order to accept the fertilized egg, at this time the follicle degenerates into the corpus luteum, the production of progesterone starts, and the basal body temperature increases to 37 degrees. And the body remains in this state for more than a week.
• If fertilization has occurred, the egg continues to move through the fallopian tube, and along this path it begins division and development. And after a week, the implantation of the fertilized egg itself begins. And it is from this moment that the chorion, the fetal membrane, starts producing the hormone hCG. Yes, the very same thing that the test reacts to.

As you can see, not everything is so fast that from the first days the tests are full of scarlet stripes. 10 days is the minimum you need to wait. It would be better, of course, to wait for a delay. And then go to the doctor with the test.

Enjoy your pregnancy

Almost every pregnancy is accompanied by discomfort. This is natural and quite tolerable. However, it is still better to try to provide yourself with the most comfortable environment possible.

Communication with pleasant people, visiting beautiful places, positive emotions have a good effect on the baby’s nervous system and his health in general. And mom will only benefit from this.

And yet there is a “but”. Pregnancy is not the best time for drastic changes . Therefore, if a young mother:

• smokes , she shouldn’t give up this habit abruptly. It is better to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes and then gradually give them up;
• lives according to a broken schedule , she will have to try to slowly restore it. It makes sense to ask the future dad about this;
• If you are used to physical activity , it is recommended to exclude strength and intensive training. You can replace them with simple walks or yoga for pregnant women;
• loves fast food , it is advisable to reduce the amount. A woman’s tastes can change greatly, which often provokes cravings for junk food. You shouldn’t completely deny yourself pleasure, but seriously limiting the amount of such food is necessary. It is important to ensure that the main diet consists mainly of healthy dishes.
• an active person who does not sit still, she can leave her previous way of life. But she will definitely have to monitor her daily schedule and nutrition, and eliminate negativity and overwork.

A positive pregnancy test can be either the result of a defective product or an omen of motherhood. Regardless of this, it is better to play it safe and still visit the doctor's office. This step will help protect your health and that of your baby.

How to use it correctly?

We will look at the features of different types of tests a little below; the principle of operation is the same for all, so for now we will limit ourselves to general recommendations. Remember an important point - you need to use morning urine as a biomaterial.

It is at this time of day that it contains the maximum natural concentration of hormones, including hCG. In this case, before performing the test, you need to thoroughly wash and wipe dry.

An admixture of foreign substances is almost guaranteed to lead to a false result; it is almost impossible to determine pregnancy under such conditions.

After preparation, you need to collect the urine in a pipette or a special container (if you decide to use the jet test, then you need to urinate directly on it).

The biomaterial is placed on an absorbent layer. We just have to wait a little for the result. As mentioned above, if there are two stripes - you can congratulate you on conception, one strip - there is no pregnancy, not a single strip - buy another test.