Why shouldn't a pregnancy test be taken in the evening?

How do pregnancy tests work?

Absolutely all pregnancy tests check whether there is a special Pregnancy Tests hormone in the urine or blood (if we are talking about a laboratory test) - human chorionic gonadotropin, abbreviated as hCG. It begins to be produced immediately after the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus.

If there is no pregnancy, hCG has nowhere to come from. If it is there, hCG will definitely be present.

Typically, the egg attaches to the uterus six days after fertilization. There is no point in doing a test during this period: it will not show anything. But then the hCG level increases quickly, doubling every 2-3 days.

Most doctors recommend taking a pregnancy test in the morning. Why and is it possible to do this in the evening? To answer this question, you need to know how it works. Its purpose is to detect whether your body has begun to produce the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).

Is it possible to take a pregnancy test in the evening or not?

As we have already said, during pregnancy a woman’s body begins to produce a certain hormone, which is precisely what is a sign that she is expecting a child. It begins to be produced 6 days after conception. Initially, its concentration in the blood is very low, so identifying the hormone in the early stages is quite difficult. But every week its number increases.

Modern pregnancy tests are sensitive, so most of them are able to determine the state of the female body even in the evening. But if you want to get a more accurate result early, carry out the procedure in the morning.

To answer your question about the time of day, read the test instructions. Most of them state that you can check at any time of the day. But if you want to get the most accurate version possible, do it in the morning. Why? It is in the morning that the hormone level reaches its maximum level.

The advantage of taking a test in the morning is that you can determine pregnancy even in the very early stages, when the hormone level is too low. Therefore, if you suspect that conception occurred 1-2 weeks ago, we recommend doing the test in the morning.

Can I do the test in the evening? Of course you can, according to the instructions you can do it whenever you want. If, according to your calculations, conception occurred 2-3 weeks or more ago, you can conduct the test in the evening.

As a rule, most women prefer not to take risks and carry out the procedure after sleep, in the morning. In this case, you must take into account that you need to use the first urine after sleep, it is the most concentrated. What to do if you need to go to the toilet at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning? In this situation, you need to do the test at night, since in the morning the hormone will not be in such a concentrated form and the test may give an incorrect result.

For a more accurate result, we recommend doing one test in the morning and the second in the evening. If they show different results, wait another week and repeat the procedure. If you are pregnant, after this time the amount of the hormone in the blood will increase and the test will show the most accurate result.

In some cases, the test may give an incorrect result:

• If you do it too early
• If you do not follow the rules listed in the instructions
• Are you taking hormonal medications?
• Presence of tumors
• Problems with the endocrine system, kidneys or heart
• If you drank too much liquid the day before.

If you follow all the recommendations from the test manufacturer and adhere to the instructions from the instructions, you will not have any problems and it will show the most accurate result. Each test works differently, so be sure to carefully read the instructions several times before proceeding with the procedure. After a few days, repeat the procedure again to determine whether you are pregnant or not. If you have any doubts or questions, be sure to consult your doctor, he will prescribe the necessary tests.

Women's online magazine Delafe.ru

When to take a pregnancy test

Already 8 days after ovulation, during which the egg meets its sperm, the level of hCG becomes sufficient for pregnancy to be confirmed using a laboratory blood test.

In a few more days - that is, on the 10th-12th day after fertilization - the pregnancy will be detected by ordinary pharmacy tests.

Although the instructions for many of them promise an accurate result already on the first day of the delay, doctors advise not to rush Home pregnancy tests: Can you trust the results? . The reason is simple.

If you ovulate on the 10th–14th day of your cycle, then by the beginning of the next cycle at least 13 days will have passed since fertilization. This means that the test will signal you with two stripes.

However, ovulation may shift. If the egg was released on the 22nd day of the cycle, then by the beginning of the delay the actual gestational age may be less than 7 days. This means that even perfect tests will most likely not capture anything.

If your cycle is more or less than 28 days, things are even more confusing.

Therefore, in order to get the most accurate result, you should wait 5–7 days from the start of the delay.

If you are pregnant, the hCG level by this time will in any case be such that even the cheapest tests with low sensitivity will clearly recognize it

But even if you met all the deadlines, the test can still mislead you. For example, it will not see a high level of hCG and will show a negative result if there is an existing pregnancy, or, on the contrary, it will give two stripes, although it does not smell like pregnancy. To be fair, let’s say that it’s not so much the test that’s to blame for this, but you yourself. Five reasons for false-positive pregnancy tests.

Can the test show an ectopic pregnancy?

In some cases the stripe is bright, in others it is faint. In any case, it is there. here it is important to proceed from the general condition and if you discover symptoms that the fertilized egg is located in the fallopian tube, immediately contact a specialist. Since its rupture at 7-8 weeks can lead to serious health problems and difficulties with subsequent conception.

The tests are different, so it is important to read the instructions for each of them and follow all recommendations. And if you experience unpleasant or incomprehensible sensations, seek advice from a specialist, since health is not something to joke about.

Why do rapid pregnancy tests lie?

You used an expired or damaged test

Express tests contain special highly sensitive substances that react to hCG levels. It is they who, when in contact with the urine of a pregnant woman, are painted with a bright second stripe or plus sign.

But if the test is expired or improperly stored, the sensitivity of these substances may decrease. As a result, they will give a negative result, which may turn out to be false.

What to do

Buy tests only in pharmacies, where, unlike supermarkets, they try to provide them with the correct storage conditions. When purchasing, be sure to check the expiration date.

You bought a test with low sensitivity

The sensitivity of rapid tests is indicated by numbers - 10, 20, 25, 30. These numbers indicate the concentration of hCG in urine (in mIU/ml) that they are able to detect. The higher the number, the less accurate the test. The most expensive and accurate options have a sensitivity of 10. But cheap ones may not detect hCG and deceive you by showing a negative result.

What to do

When purchasing a test, be sure to check with your pharmacist how sensitive it is. Also, this information can often be found on the packaging and always in the instructions.

You took the test this afternoon

It’s not for nothing that in the instructions for the vast majority of tests, the manufacturer talks about morning urine. It is more concentrated, there is more chorionic gonadotropin in it, which means the test will be more reliable.

In the afternoon, the content of hCG in the urine is lower.

What to do

Use the test exclusively in the morning, as the manufacturer instructs.

Did you drink a lot of water before taking the test?

Water dilutes the urine, which lowers hCG levels. The rapid test may not detect the hormone and give a false negative result.

What to do

Try not to eat or drink anything before the test.

You didn't look at the results in time

The instructions for each test stipulate the rules for its use. For example, like this: “The result can be assessed 4–5 minutes after the test, but no later than 15 minutes.” These minutes were not taken out of thin air.

The lower limit indicates the time it takes for the test to allow the sensitive substances it contains to react to the hCG level. If you look at a test earlier than the agreed upon date, the second line (or the plus sign in the corresponding window) may not yet appear and you will see a false negative result.

If you look at the strip after the time indicated as the upper limit, you risk getting a false positive result. Evaporated urine may leave a line that can easily be confused with the second line.

What to do

Before using the test, read the instructions and follow them strictly.

You are taking certain medications

Some diuretics and antihistamines affect the composition of urine, diluting it. This reduces the level of hCG, which means there is a risk of getting a false negative result.

Other drugs, on the contrary, can give you two stripes, although in fact there is no pregnancy. Such medications include:

• some tranquilizers and sleeping pills;
• anticonvulsants;
• drugs that enhance fertility.

What to do

If you are taking any medications on this list, you should not rely on a paper rapid test. To determine whether you are pregnant or not, do a laboratory blood test.

you are sick

If there is increased blood or protein in the urine, this may also affect the result of the rapid test. But it is important to note that this situation in itself is extremely unhealthy. Blood in the urine indicates problems with the bladder or kidneys; increased protein indicates internal inflammation.

Therefore, most likely, the erroneous two stripes on the test will be accompanied by increased temperature and/or discomfort in the genital area and kidneys.

What to do

Do not rely on a rapid test if you have a fever and pain in your lower back or lower abdomen. In case of such ailments, you should contact a therapist, gynecologist or urologist as soon as possible so as not to miss a serious illness.

You develop an ovarian tumor

Some types of tumors can trick the test into showing two lines.

What to do

Once you receive a positive result, do not delay your visit to the gynecologist. The doctor will conduct research during which he will determine the actual duration of pregnancy (if any) or send you for additional tests and to specialized specialists.

Error percentage

Almost all manufacturers of pregnancy tests guarantee that in 95-100% of cases their devices will accurately determine the result. But sometimes even the most expensive and high-quality test does not show pregnancy if it is present.

In most cases, this occurs due to failure to follow the instructions included with the device. According to statistics, 50-75% of women ignore manufacturers' recommendations. Therefore, there is no need to talk about the complete veracity of the result obtained.

Depending on the stage of pregnancy, the effectiveness and accuracy of evening testing is judged. The longer the period, the more truthful the result.

Another reason for the error is a malfunction of the test, for example, if a woman purchased a defective device. You just need to repeat the steps with another test. It is also important that the technique of use is followed (it is unacceptable to use the same test several times).

It also happens that the presence of two red stripes is observed in the absence of pregnancy. It is especially alarming if a woman is completely sure that conception is impossible.

And a dangerous sign, since there is a high probability of health problems. It is possible that the body gave such a reaction to the presence of a hormone-producing tumor.

If the device does not show the correct result, you should repeat the procedure after some time. It is better to do this after a couple of days, when the concentration of the hCG hormone in the urine increases significantly.

How to take a pregnancy test correctly

1. Read the instructions. And follow it, of course!
2. Remember the rule: if you are healthy and the test shows a positive result, the probability of pregnancy is 99%. A negative result may be false up to a week after the delay.
3. Choose tests with a high level of sensitivity. 10 is ideal.
4. Do the test in the morning, not in the afternoon, and especially not in the evening.
5. Try not to drink at least an hour before the test.
6. Do not rely on the test if you are taking the medications listed above or if you have fever or lower abdominal pain.
7. Buy two tests at once so you can double-check the results.
8. If rapid tests contradict each other, don't wonder what's wrong. Get a laboratory blood test to get a reliable result.

Important! A positive test, even if you have been waiting for it for a long time, is, alas, not yet a reason to rejoice. An increased level of hCG in the urine can also be recorded during an ectopic or frozen pregnancy. Therefore, after receiving two strips, go to the gynecologist as soon as possible.

How does the time of day affect hCG levels?

Many girls doubt whether the test will show reliable results if carried out in the evening.

• It is not for nothing that the manufacturer indicates on the packaging that it is advisable to carry out diagnostics with morning urine, on an empty stomach and immediately after waking up, because it is the first portion of urine in the morning that is considered the most concentrated and informative.
• A test done in the evening hours may well be able to show the presence of pregnancy, but still erroneous results in the latter case are more common.
• It also happened that the morning test on the first day of the delay showed the presence of a weak second line, and repeated diagnostics in the evening reported that there was no pregnancy. Which research should you believe?
• In this situation, you need to repeat the test in a couple of days and preferably in the morning, then the second band will become brighter and clearer. Why? It’s just that morning tests should be considered more reliable in this situation than evening tests.

And yet, is it possible to carry out testing in the evening or is morning diagnosis more reliable? This can be clearly explained by the peculiarities of hormonal processes and the renal activity of the mother. Gonadotropic chorionic hormone is excreted in urine, so its level depends on the volume of urine excreted before the test. The more urination there was before diagnosis, the lower the concentration of the pregnancy hormone will be in the urine. But at night, the mother does not urinate or drink, so in the morning the concentration of gonadotropic chorionic hormone will be maximum, while in the evening, after many trips to the toilet, hCG in the urine will be minimal.

Of course, morning research is more reliable than evening research. Although no one forbids conducting the study at night, you still cannot unconditionally trust the results obtained, especially in the first couple of days of the delay. When the gestation period reaches 5 weeks, testing at any time of the day will produce two thick lines. If you have no patience at all, then it is better to go to the laboratory and donate blood for testing. The analysis will be able to detect an increase in human chorionic gonadotropic hormone, because its content in the blood increases much faster.

At what time of day is the reliability of the result higher?

As you know, most tests are taken in the morning, preferably before meals, and in the case of urine, immediately after waking up. This is because the first portion of urine is the cleanest, and therefore tests taken in the morning will be the most reliable. This rule is also used in the case of determining pregnancy using a test. It is recommended that this condition be strictly followed before the delay begins.

Manufacturers do not indicate the preferred time for using the strips in the instructions. In the first weeks of gestation, there is not so much hCG in the blood and urine that it can be recognized using a test. If you do it 10 days after fertilization, the device will only indicate the presence of pregnancy in the morning hours. Perhaps the second stripe will be only slightly noticeable.

Having carried out an evening procedure with a test of the same brand, you cannot count on the fact that it will show the changes that have occurred in the body. In this case, you should focus on morning indicators, as they are more reliable. Evening manipulations should be carried out using high-quality test strips.

The most popular and effective medical devices with average sensitivity are Evitest, Frautest. The highly sensitive Clearblue test is considered popular and accurate.

It includes three main factors:

1. Easy to use.
2. High accuracy of results, starting from the first day of missed menstruation.
3. Readable information.

In a situation where a delay in menstruation has already begun, it is permissible to use tests of any sensitivity and at any time of the day or night.

It is only important to adhere to some simple rules:

• Avoid frequent urination for 3-4 hours before the test;
• avoid excessive fluid intake before the procedure;
• urine collected for analysis should always be fresh.

How to choose the right test

There are several types of pregnancy tests:

• test strip - its popularity is explained by its low cost;
• tablet tests are more expensive, but you only need two drops to find out the result;
• Inkjet tests are very convenient to use: you don’t need to look for a container or worry about dropping the strip during the test and ruining the test.

If you need to determine pregnancy as early as possible, it is better to use innovative tests, although they are more expensive. If the timing is not so important, then why guess which pregnancy test to buy when you can simply ask the pharmacist at the pharmacy to recommend an option that is suitable for the price. As for the reviews about this product, the opinion of the majority of representatives of the fair half of humanity boils down to the fact that it is not a matter of price at all, and the cheapest test has never let them down.