That’s why after taking a pregnancy test you absolutely need to go to a consultation if it comes out positive. Especially if you performed it after the first day when you noticed that your period is late. Pregnancy tests, in general, the later they are taken after the cycle is missed, the safer they are.
Why? The pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), can be detected by the pregnancy test as safely as possible one week after the delay of menstruation. The level of HCG hormones increases significantly when the fertilized egg has settled in the uterus.
Several types of pregnancy tests and how safe they are
There are several types of pregnancy tests, each with its own instructions, which must be taken into account for the most reliable result. So, there is a test that shows the result if you urinate directly on it, a test that must be inserted into a clean container after urinating in it, and a test in which you have to drip the urine using a test tube. Anyway, all these tests have the same functioning mechanism, the detection of the HCG hormone in the urine.
If you want a reliable pregnancy detection as soon as possible, you can do the blood test (Beta HCG), the level of HCG in the body will be better seen in the analysis. This is done at a medical office and shows the most reliable result.
How safe is the pregnancy test when you are on medication?
Medicines containing the hormone HCG, usually prescribed when you are undergoing fertility treatment, can influence the result of the pregnancy test. If you follow such a treatment, you must not rush to find out the result, because it can be fake and you will be disappointed.
Other drugs, such as contraceptives, cannot influence the test result.
How safe is a positive pregnancy test result?
It happens, less often, that the positive result of the pregnancy test is still not conclusive. This happens when you’ve recently had HCG hormone treatment for fertility, if you’ve recently become pregnant or, rarely, if you’ve had a cyst or entered menopause early.
How safe is a negative pregnancy test result?
For some women, the pregnancy test is a scary thing, that’s why they want too much for it to be a negative result. However, not all negative results show the reality. You can be pregnant even if the test shows you otherwise, most likely when you don’t follow the test instructions properly, when you take the test too early (if you have an irregular cycle, it’s good to wait several days after the delay to you have the most reliable result) or when you have consumed too much liquid before taking the test and it is very diluted and the pregnancy hormone cannot be detected. That’s why it’s best to do the test in the morning (even if they are for the whole day), when the urine is more concentrated and you haven’t had a chance to drink a lot of fluids.
If your period is late, but you do not have symptoms of a pregnant woman, for better safety it is good to repeat the pregnancy test for a few days. And to know the result for sure, go to the doctor.
In conclusion, the pregnancy test can be safe if you follow the instructions properly and if you take it when the pregnancy hormone is easier to detect in the urine, after a few days after your period is late.
