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Home Pregnancy Tests: What You Need to Know

December 22, 2020

Couple kissing holding a home pregnancy test
For most women who think they could be pregnant, taking a home pregnancy test is the first step. But home pregnancy tests may not always provide accurate results. And even if they do accurately detect a pregnancy, women who are pregnant should still visit a doctor to obtain another test to be sure.

Accuracy

Most home pregnancy tests claim to be about 99% accurate when used correctly. However, human error, the time of day at which a test is taken, medications, and other factors can contribute to a home pregnancy test producing an inaccurate result.

Fertility medications that contain human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), the hormone that home pregnancy tests find, may alter the results of a pregnancy test.1-2 Other prescription medications such as antibiotics, birth control pills, etc., should not interfere with the test results.2 Diluted urine may produce a false negative result. This is why it’s recommended that you test your urine first thing in the morning when your urine is more concentrated.2 Several other factors can affect home pregnancy test accuracy, including2:

  • Taking the test too early
  • Checking the test results too soon
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Menopause

How to Use a Home Pregnancy Test

Most women find home pregnancy tests very easy to use. You can buy them from any drug or grocery store. For best results, always follow the instructions on the package. Although home pregnancy test products have some variations, most of them require you to unwrap the individual pregnancy test, expose the absorbent tab or window (most have a removable plastic cover), point the absorbent tip directly into your urine stream for 7 seconds to 10 seconds, replace the cover, lay the test on a flat surface and wait the required amount of time to see the results.3

You also need to make sure the home pregnancy test you’re using has not been tampered with or damaged. Discard any pregnancy test products that have been opened or are missing the control strip (usually a colored line that appears on one side of the result window.)3

Next Steps

If your home pregnancy test produced a positive result, you should contact your doctor right away to schedule an appointment. Your doctor may do a blood test or ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy.2

If your home pregnancy test produced a negative result, wait a week and re-test if you have not gotten your period. Sometimes taking a home pregnancy test too soon after a missed period produces a false negative result.2

If you have taken multiple tests and gotten mixed results, call your healthcare provider to make an appointment. Remember, even with a 99% accuracy rating, home pregnancy tests are not perfect. Only a qualified medical professional can confirm a pregnancy with 100% accuracy.

 

Prenate® Vitamin Family
This post is sponsored by the Prenate® Vitamin Family, a line of prescription prenatal supplements designed to enhance preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nutrition in women. Talk with your doctor about how taking a daily prescription prenatal or postnatal vitamin could help support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum wellness.

Home Pregnancy Tests graphic

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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