Article initially published on June 30, 2020
From the invention of Urinary pregnancy test In the 70s, it is possible to know quickly and in a rather reliable way whether you are pregnant or not.
Before the discovery of monoclonal antibodies, which allow to detect the hormone of pregnancy, the famous HCG hormone, the workshops had much more complex techniques to determine if a pregnancy was coming: the urine of potentially pregnant woman was injected into female ragbit or froghe.
If the animal was ovoous or laid a few days later, it was because the woman was pregnant. Fortunately, these methods have been quickly replaced by others less cruel for the animal world.
How does a urinary pregnancy test work?
The urinary pregnancy test, which can be purchased in pharmacies but also in supermarkets, allows detect the hormone of pregnancy in the urine. He is reliable to 98 or 99 % (depending on the model) from the first alleged day of the rules. Before this date, conventional urinary tests are not sensitive enough, but there are so these “precise” devices that allow you to detect the appearance of the HCG hormone in the body a few days earlier.
For a more technical explanation, the test card on which we must pee contains antibodies of detection of the hormone of pregnancy. Once the urine has been absorbed by the wick, the hormones present are captured by the antibodies, causing a colorful reaction to the detection strip if the pregnancy is demonstrated (First band). The antibodies have not found an HCG with which to tie will continue and react with the control strip (second strip).
Be careful in the same way: all devices, if they have the same operating mode, do not have the same viewing technique. It is therefore important to consult the user’s manual for the pregnancy test to be able to correctly interpret the result.
What is a false negative?
When we talk about a urinary pregnancy test, A false negative is a language that does not show pregnancy while the woman is actually pregnant. It happens, but it is rare. Most of the time, when pregnancy is not detected, that’s that The test was done too early So that the HCG hormone is detectable.
The quality of urine can also be responsible for a false negative : If they are too diluted, antibodies may not be able to reveal the hormone. It is to avoid this problem that producers recommend taking the test in the morning, with the first urine of the day. Test during an urinary tract infection can also give a false negative.
What is a false possession?
On the contrary, A false possession is a test that announces a pregnancy while the woman is not pregnant. It is very rare, but it can happen, especially if we take some drugs such as those used in the treatment of infertility. The presence of an ovarian cyst can also distort the results, as well as an abnormal bladder or a renal function.
Finally, a woman can make an abortion very early in her pregnancy, which sometimes explains a difference in result between the urinary pregnancy test and the blood test to confirm pregnancy.
How to be sure that the pregnancy test is not wrong?
If the urinary test announces a start of pregnancy, there are little possibilities that it is wrong, but to be sure of the result, you have to do A blood test of the blood to know the precise dosage of the HCG hormone in the blood.
This blood test can be prescribed by a healthcare professional (general doctor, gynecologist, midwife …) to be refunded by security, but it is also possible to go without prescription. This test will be the final answer to the question “Am I pregnant?” ».
If the urinary pregnancy test is negative, but a doubt persists, It is completely possible to take a new test a few days later : If it is negative, it is that there is probably no start of pregnancy. If it is positive, the first test was done too early to detect the hormone. You can then go to the blood of the blood to confirm the diagnosis.
The case of extra-warehouse pregnancies
In case of extra-wareal pregnancy, the level of HCG is not as strong as in a uterine pregnancy, therefore the possibility of a false negative. If the test is negative, but unusual stomach and/or bleeding pains appear, it is better to consult a doctor to be quickly treated.
Image Photo Credit From One: Cottonbro Studio on Pexels
Listen to the Aperitif Daronnes, the Madmoizelle show that wants to drop the taboos around parenting.
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
