How to Use a Home Pregnancy Test

There are a wide range of home pregnancy tests available. Most drugstores have over-the-counter home pregnancy tests for sale between $8 to $20 USD, depending on brand and the number of tests in a single box.

The most popular home pregnancy tests on the market today all work in very similar ways. While each pregnancy test will come with a set of instructions that will enable to you to understand the test and how to perform the test, the following is a general outline of how to use a home pregnancy test.

• Urine Stream: By placing the pregnancy test stick in your urine stream, the test will absorb the urine and give a reading based on the amount of the hCG pregnancy hormone that is detected in the urine.
• Collection Cup: A collection cup is placed into your urine stream and then with a dropper transferred to a special container on the pregnancy test.

For the most accurate results, most home pregnancy tests will recommend that the first morning’s urine is used for testing.

When reading the test of your results, you may find that the majority of tests have a “result window.” In this window, the results will display one or two lines or a plus symbol, typically meaning you’re pregnant. A line or plus symbol, whether bold or faint, provides a positive result.

You may also find that your test has a “control indicator” in the result window. This line or symbol shows if the test is working. Should the control indicator not appear, the test is not working accurately and the results should not be trusted.

Recommendations included with your pregnancy test may suggest that a second test, regardless of the first result, is performed within the next few days. One negative result, especially soon after a missed period, does not always mean that you’re not pregnant.

If you have any questions about your pregnancy test, consult the instructions provided with your test or look on the packaging for a toll-free phone number to call.