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Diagnosis of Pregnancy
Home Pregnancy Tests & Obstetric Ultrasound
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Here is an extract from the ebook "Pregnancy from A to Z"
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Diagnosis of Pregnancy: Confirmation with Medical Tests
There are a few different kinds of tests which can confirm your pregnancy; urine tests, blood tests and
ultrasound. You can also use a Home Pregnancy Tests (HPT) and then get a positive indication from
that confirmed or denied through the more stringent tests used by doctors.
Modern urine pregnancy tests used by doctors are nearly as accurate as blood tests. These new urine
tests have been developed through genetic engineering techniques to enable the unique hormone of
pregnancy (known as ‘human chorionic gonadotrophin’) to be detected as early as two days before
the expected period, or twelve days after the sexual intercourse that was responsible for the
pregnancy.
Any woman who is late in having her period and feels that she may be pregnant, should visit her
medical practitioner. Few doctors will accept the result of a home testing kit as proof of pregnancy.
A blood test is only marginally more accurate, and usually only ordered for women whose kidneys
failed to excrete the pregnancy hormone.
How Home Pregnancy Tests Detect Pregnancy
As soon as a fertilized egg is implanted in your uterus, your body starts releasing a hormone called
‘human chorionic gonadotropin’ (HCG) into your bloodstream. Your blood and urine contain HCG
throughout pregnancy. If a test detects HCG in your blood or urine, it almost always means you're
pregnant. All H.P.T’s check for HCG in the urine instead of the blood. The tests come in three types:
The Dipstick Test
This type of HPT requires that you either place the end of the dipstick in your urine stream as you
urinate or immerse the dipstick in a container of collected urine for five to ten seconds. A minute or
two later, the result will appear on the strip as a symbol (such as a plus or minus sign), a line, a color-
change or even the words pregnant or not pregnant.
The Collection Cup Test
For this test, you need a sample of urine collected midstream; a few seconds after you've started to
urinate. When you have the sample, you take up some of the urine into an eyedropper and squeeze
five or six drops on a test disc that is provided in the HPT kit. The urine makes the disc change to a
particular color if you are pregnant and to a different color if you aren't.
The Chemical Mixing Test
In this test, you place a small amount of urine in a test tube with a liquid or powdered chemical
mixture. If the chemicals make the urine change color, it means that you're pregnant.
Why Incorrect Results may Occur
You may get a false-positive or false-negative result.
Possible Causes of False-Positives:
Using an unclean urine collection cup. If your HPT uses a cup, be sure that it's clean and free of any
soap residue. Detergent buildup on the cup may cause a false-positive result.
Using an old or damaged kit. Be sure to check the expiration date on the box before taking the test.
Also, a kit that has been exposed to heat, dampness or vibration may produce a false-positive result.
Having an impure urine sample. This can happen if you have blood in your urine — from a urinary
tract infection, for example. Protein, which sometimes gets into the urine if you have kidney damage,
may also lead to a false-positive result. Certain rare tumors may also secrete HCG and cause a false-
positive result.
Taking certain prescription drugs. Certain medications, such as anticonvulsants, anti-Parkinson
drugs and tranquilizers, may cause false-positive results. Also, diuretics (often used to treat high
blood pressure) and promethazine (used to treat allergy symptoms and nausea) may trigger a false-
positive result.
Possible Causes of a False Negative Result:
Taking the test too early. Taking a pregnancy test too early may give you a negative result when you
actually are pregnant. Hold off on the HPT until your period is at least one day late. That’s the earliest
that an HPT can possibly detect pregnancy — in fact, most HPTs are unreliable until your period is a
week late.
The bottom line is that if you have a negative HPT on the day after your period was due, wait a week
and then, if your period hasn't started, repeat the test.
Wrong timing of the test. Perform the test within 15 minutes of collecting the urine sample. After you
start the test, be sure to give it time to work, but don't wait longer than the instructions tell you to. If
you tend to lose track of minutes, use a timer or a clock.
Using diluted urine. Consuming large amounts of fluid before taking an HPT may also cause a false-
negative test result. It's best to take an HPT first thing in the morning because that's when your urine
is the most concentrated.
This should be performed only when clinically indicated. Some reasons may be:
- To establish the presence of a living embryo
- To estimate the age of the pregnancy.
- To diagnose congenital abnormalities.
- To evaluate the position of the fetus.
- To evaluate the position of the placenta.
- To determine if there are multiple pregnancies.
- To determine the amount of amniotic fluid around the fetus.
- To check for opening or shortening of the cervix or mouth of the womb.
Only the lower abdominal area needs to be exposed during this procedure.
If an ultrasound needs to be done early in your pregnancy, you may be instructed to have a full
bladder for the procedure. This helps the operator to see your uterus better.
You may be instructed to drink up to six glasses of water and avoid urinating until the procedure is
completed.
The sonographer (person performing the ultrasound) may elect to examine an early pregnancy by
means of an transvaginal ultrasound. This requires an empty urinary bladder.
You should ask for instructions when you make your appointment.
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You like the above extract from the ebook "Pregnancy from A to Z"? Then, read on...
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Dear Mom To Be,
Whether you are trying to get pregnant or are already expecting you no doubt have dozens of
questions that you would like to have answered.
Written by a medical professional, “Pregnancy From A to Z” is just what the doctor ordered to answer
all your questions. In fact, it probably has answers to questions you haven’t even asked yet!
“Pregnancy From A to Z” not only discusses the entire aspects of pregnancy, it also sheds light on
what you should do before becoming pregnant to insure a healthy and happy child.
What’s more is a full chapter discussion about increasing the odds for having a boy or a girl! No
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What we hope you will learn is how to be prepared for what is to come as your pregnancy
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Because of the author!
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As you can see in the following list “Pregnancy From A to Z” covers it all:
- Symptoms of early pregnancy
- Calculation of delivery date
- Development of pregnancy: what happens to your baby inside the womb on different
pregnancy stages
- What happens to your body as pregnancy progresses
- What to avoid during pregnancy
- Effect of smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs on fetus
- Bleeding during early and late pregnancy
- Morning sickness: what can be done to help
- Risk factors for baby, abnormalities; when some investigations need to be done (like US and/or
amniocentesis)
- The use of anti-D in pregnancy
- Group Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy
- Childbirth explanation – normal labor, Caesarean section
- Anesthetics used for childbirth
- Evaluation of newborn – Apgar score- what does it mean?
- Two to tango: father’s role during pregnancy
- Birth choices. Water birth
- What is ectopic pregnancy (risk, future chances for normal pregnancy)?
All this and more await you in “Pregnancy From A to Z” a definite must have to answer all those
burning questions about becoming pregnant.
Who better to teach you than a medical professional who is also a wife and mother?
Grab your copy now for yourself or as the ultimate gift to a friend or loved one.
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Brought to you by Jacob Gan, PhD (Michigan)
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