HCG pregnancy test
The hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) pregnancy test (or hCG pregnancy strip test) is performed to determine pregnancy. It is one of many pregnancy tests to determine if conception has taken place.
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[edit] How the hCG pregnancy test is performed
Urine and blood are tested for determining pregnancy. There are certain markers present in them which help one in knowing whether a woman is expecting or not. Human chorionic conadotropin (hCG) is one of these markers. It is a reliable means of knowing about pregnancy, but only after the implantation process is complete. If conducted at a very early stage, the results are often incorrect. The hCG test is successful when done after 6-12 days of implantation, i.e. when the ovulation process is complete.
Multiple testing is also done in case there is a health issue. To keep track of healthy pregnancy, the hCG test is conducted after every few days.
There are different types of hCG tests. One test is done to detect presence of HCG in blood. This test is termed as Qualitative HCG Test. Quantitative hCG Test, as the name denotes, is done to know the amount of hormone in blood.
hCG testing becomes a necessity if a person is bleeding; having severe cramps or is prone to miscarriages.
[edit] Low and high hCG levels
Different levels of hormone present in the blood may indicate different things. One should be aware that low levels of HCG might mean danger of miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancy. A high level on the other hand might indicate Molar Pregnancy or Multiple Pregnancy.
[edit] Types of hCG Testing
Women use an hCG pregnancy test to detect the human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) hormone, which is a hormone present during pregnancy. With many at-home hCG tests and ones provided by a gynecologist, pregnancy can be detected before any symptoms indicate a woman is pregnant. A gynecologist may also ask a woman to take this particular test, if he or she suspects a miscarriage has occurred. Generally, women take a urinalysis to detect pregnancy at-home and a blood test in the gynecologist's office to further test hormone levels.
Although conception happens within days of sexual intercourse, implantation does not happen until seven to 10 days after conception. In some cases, it may take up to 14 days based upon when the woman ovulated. Implantation takes place when a fertilized egg attaches to the walls of the uterus. At this point, the embryo begins to produce the hCG hormone, and pregnancy will be detectable on more sensitive hormone tests. For a majority of pregnancy tests, a woman should wait until her missed period for the most accurate test results.
At-home tests are a urine test that senses the hormone, while a gynecologist performs a blood test that provides an accurate reading of the presence of hCG. Two types of blood tests are conducted by a gynecologist/obstetrician—a quantitative hCG test and a qualitative hCG test. Both can be performed as early as 10 days after conception; however, a quantitative test only proves there is a pregnancy and a qualitative test detects levels of the hormone. Hormone levels variations may arise at any given time during a pregnancy starting with a woman’s initial hCG levels. For instance, 25 mlU/ml is a common hormone level for a first quantitative tests; however, anything over 5 mIU/ml is an indication of pregnancy.
[edit] What is hCG?
hCG is a hormone which is produced when a woman is pregnant. Cells from the placenta form this hormone. There are different levels of hormone that is evolved during pregnancy. One can determine these levels through blood tests carried out at different times during the duration of pregnancy. A blood test can be undertaken after eleven days of conception. Urine test can be carried out on the 12th, 13th or the 14th day after conception. After every 72 hours hCG level doubles up. Till the eleventh week, this level keeps going up. After the eleventh week it starts coming down and becomes stable and leveled for the rest of the period.
hCG is measured for its level in milli-international units for every milliliter. If hCG level comes to be below 5mlU/ml, then the pregnancy report is considered to be negative. A positive report generally shows hCG to be above 25mlU/ml.
Human chorionic gonadotropin is comprised of 244 amino acids and is oftentimes used as a supplement to combat weight issues. In pregnant women, the hormone is produced by the embryo and triggers the productions of progesterone, a hormone that maintains the pregnancy. Women and men produce hCG, but a pregnant women's levels may exceed 100,000 mIU/ml, while a non-pregnant person will produce a level under 5 mIU/ml.
[edit] Abnormal Test Results
While it is true that hCG levels fluctuate from person to person and even pregnancy to pregnancy, some levels signify a problem in a pregnant woman. During a pregnancy, low hCG hormone levels might be normal for some, but in other cases may mean fetal death occurred. Incomplete miscarriages and threatened miscarriages also result in low levels. An ectopic pregnancy is sometimes a cause of lower than normal hormone levels. On the contrary, hormone levels may rise to abnormal levels as well. This can be caused by pregnancy in general or multiple fetuses.
[edit] At-home hCG pregnancy test kits
Laboratories are the best place to get accurate hCG level testing reports. But there are kits available in the market with which you can check hCG level in the urine. Reports are not very reliable in this context. Instructions are available online as to how to conduct the test.
[edit] How to Take a Home Test
Purchase a pregnancy test from your local drug store or supermarket. Follow the instructions that come with the test. Choose a test based on how far along you[I am not pregnant] think you are. Certain tests only work after your missed period, while other tests give results days before. Every test has different instructions, but basically each test requires the women to go through the same process. Open the package and read the instructions prior to taking the test. Some tests come with a specimen cup, which you can use to collect the urine and then dip the stick into the specimen. Other tests do not come with this cup, so you may need to use your own up or aim for the end of the stick when you go to take it. Wait the amount of time specified by the test and read the results.
[edit] False Positives & False Negatives
Pregnancy tests sometimes are not accurate. Though these instances are rare, they do occur. A woman might receive a false positive if the pregnancy is a chemical pregnancy. If a woman takes hCG as a fertility treatment or a weight loss method, the hormone will stay in her system for a period of time causing a false positive result on a pregnancy test. A woman may also read line tests incorrectly or see an evaporation line rather than a positive result. If the test is not read in a timely manner, the results might not be accurate.
A false negative may occur as well because of a misread test. If a woman tries to early in her pregnancy to test, it is possible that she is not even producing the hormone yet or the level is so minuet that the test did not detect it. Drinking excessive amounts of water dilutes the urine causing the test to not sense the hormone. If the test does not come in contact with enough urine, it could result in a false negative. Other instances occur when a woman waits too long to read the test.
[edit] Reasons behind a false hCG pregnancy report
We already know that an early hCG pregnancy test can produce false results. Besides this there are other factors also which can give us untrue reports. A person suffering from disease like cancer, from problems of liver or other medical unfitness symptoms, can also contribute to generation of false hCG pregnancy report.
[edit] References
- http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/when-does-implantation-take-place-after-conception.html
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003510.htm
- http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/falsepositive.html
- http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/chemical-pregnancy.html
- http://www.americanpregnancy.org/duringpregnancy/hcglevels.html – online retrieved 27th July, 2011
- http://www.emedicinehealth.com/home_pregnancy_test/page2_em.htm – online retrieved 27th July, 2011
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy_test – online retrieved 26th July, 2011
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