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Sex is a healthy, indispensable part of a circle of life. It should be fun and pleasurable for you and your partner equally. Be aware that, having unprotected sex will highly increase the chance of getting pregnant. Therefore, you should always talk to your partner about this kind of change in your lives and ask them about their plans and concerns, before you start thinking about pregnancy – Are you both on the same page? Are you mentally ready to raise a human being?
If the answer is yes, get ready to find out about choosing a pregnancy test.
The Most Common Signs
Not all moms-to-be experience the same symptoms when pregnant, and symptoms vary in severity. Certain early signs, like an absence of menstruation and weight gain, are common in all pregnancies. But even before you miss your period, you might hope that you’re pregnant. These signs will help you indicate possible pregnancy:
- Absence of menstruation – Since we mentioned it, let us explain a bit more. Though it may sound odd, your first week of pregnancy is based on the date of your last menstrual period. Your last menstrual period is considered week 1 of pregnancy, even if you weren’t actually pregnant yet. To simplify, if at least seven days passed without the start of expected menstruation, you might be pregnant.
- Tender and swollen breasts – Early in pregnancy hormonal changes might make your breasts sensitive and sore. The discomfort will likely decrease after a few weeks as your body adjusts to hormonal changes.
- Increased urination – You might find yourself urinating more often than usual. The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, causing your kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in your bladder.
- Fatigue – During early pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone soar — which might make you feel sleepy.
Until the 1970s, women relied on doctors to confirm whether or not they were pregnant. Now, in modern times, women don’t need to rely on doctors to figure out if they are pregnant.
Since at-home pregnancy tests were created, women have been using them to confirm their pregnancy suspicions. An at-home pregnancy test is known to have an accuracy rate of 99%, but is that true? In some cases, yes.
Read on to learn about choosing a pregnancy test that is accurate, reliable, and affordable.
How to Choose a Pregnancy Test
If you suspect that you’re pregnant, you might rush to the store and pick up the first test that you find. However, not all store-bought pregnancy tests are as accurate as they claim to be.
Take the time to choose the right option by considering these tips:
How Early Can It Detect Pregnancy?
A lot of pregnancy tests out there claim that they can detect pregnancy days before your missed period. Although this sounds like an attractive offer, you should avoid choosing a test based on this claim.
Doctors say that if you wish to get the most accurate results from a pregnancy test, you should wait for the hCG levels to be detectable in the urine. This means waiting until your missed period to take a test is best.
Whether you choose a digital or non-digital test, it won’t be as accurate if you check before your missed period.
Will I Recieve Reliable Results?
Of course, the number one thing you should be looking for is reliable results. No matter which test you choose, the way to get more accurate results is by understanding the concentration of your urine and how far you are from conception.
This is not as complicated to figure out as it sounds. If you know the dates for when you could’ve become pregnant or when you will be missing a period, you’ll be in better hands.
Once your period is late, you should start testing for better results. This advice goes for any type of test that you use.
How Does an at-Home Pregnancy Test Detect Pregnancy?
An at-home pregnancy test detects the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). After conception, this hormone is produced by the embryo.
If there is a larger quantity of hCG in the urine, a pregnancy can be detected. Each day during the early pregnancy window, your body will create more hCG. Different tests will show positive results in their own way.
How accurate are pregnancy tests that you can take at home? Generally, they are very accurate and many agree that it is the best pregnancy test option for ease of use and affordability.
An at-home pregnancy test can save you a trip to the doctor if you happen to not be pregnant. When you opt to go to the doctor to take a pregnancy test, you will be taking a blood test.
The process of taking blood and learning results take longer than an at-home urine pregnancy test. A blood test and a urine test both have the same accuracy rate.
When to Take a Pregnancy Test
If you’ve taken anything from our article so far, it’s that the best time to take a pregnancy test is after a missed period. Yet, some women have an irregular menstrual cycle. These are the other signs that suggest pregnancy:
- Nausea or vomiting, commonly in the morning
- Sore breasts
- Unusual fatigue
- Increased appetite
The tests available on the market can detect pregnancy early on, but for best results, wait until a missed period or if you experience any of the above symptoms.
Most tests can detect pregnancy on the first day of a missed period. Reading the instructions of the test you choose is the best chance that your test is reliable.
What Is the Best Pregnancy Test?
It’s easy to get carried away with the pregnancy tests you see at the store, but there are other options out there.
12 Panel Now offers an hCG pregnancy test strip or strips that you can get with same-day shipping. The one-step home pregnancy test contains chemically infused membranes that can detect hCG in the urine.
So, how much is a pregnancy test from 12 Panel Now? We offer this strip in singles or multiple. A 1 pack is only $0.29.
Many want to double-check their pregnancy test results so we recommend purchasing more than 1 pack. We offer a 4 pack for $0.37 per strip. If you need more than that, we have packs with up to 21+ strips in them.
Bulk pregnancy tests, although most beneficial to medical facilities, can be purchased by anyone who needs them. We pride ourselves in being the best bulk pregnancy tests provider because we offer great pricing and accuracy.
This is one of the tests you can use before a missed period. In fact, you can begin testing 7-10 days past ovulation. However, 12panelnow understands that testing this early does not always lead to a conclusive result.
Because hCG increases more gradually after a missed period, it is recommended to take this test after missing your period. If used properly, these tests are 99% accurate.
How to Use a Pregnancy Test
A good pregnancy test that you can take at home is simple to use, yet provides accurate results. Our urine pregnancy test strip comes with instructions, but we’ll outline them here for you as well:
- Remove the test from the sealed pouch
- Hold the strip by the end with the product name
- Vertically hold the strip and dip the test into a urine sample for 10-15 seconds
- Place the strip on a flat and non-absorbent surface
- Set a timer for five minutes
Unlike most store-bought pregnancy tests, this one works best if you take a urine sample instead of urinating directly onto the strip. This will help for more accurate results.
The 12 Panel Now hCG test kit comes with a UA cup for you to take a sample. This drug test cup can be disposed of after the testing is finished.
After five minutes, you should see colored bands appearing. Don’t wait too long to check the results of the pregnancy test. Interpreting the results after 10 minutes might lead to invalid or incorrect results.
Along with following the instructions that you receive, you can gain more accurate results by using your first-morning urine when possible. The morning is the time of day when your hCG levels are more concentrated and easier to detect.
Urine that has been in the bladder for four hours or more will have the most concentrated levels of hCG.
Another tip to follow is to avoid drinking excessive amounts of liquids before taking a pregnancy test. Contrary to popular belief, this will not increase the amount of urine but instead, dilute your hCG levels.
Interpreting Results
Whether you purchase hcg test strips in bulk or purchase them in singles, they will come with the same instructions on testing and interpretation. It’s just as easy to interpret the results as it is to take the test.
You’ll find the results on the membrane of the test strip. The membrane will have a control region (C) and a test region (T).
If two colored bands appear in both the control region (C) and test region (T), the test is positive. If only one colored band appears in the control region (C), the test is negative.
We’re Here to Help!
At 12 Panel Now, we provide drug testing and medical supplies nationwide. We are regarded as the most reasonable supplier of drug test supplies in our area and our main goal is to provide the best possible price to our customers. All our testing strips and drug testing cups are CLIA waived and FDA approved with a stamped 99% accuracy.
The HCG Pregnancy Strips are easy to use and it provides quick and accurate results. Our strips are a quick and easy ideal option when it comes to home pregnancy test solutions.