Home Pregnancy Tests

Recently missed your period and are you wondering how early it is possible to see accurate readings from a pregnancy test at home? When you go to the drugstore, you will notice plenty of products that claim that you can get accurate readings as early as the day you miss your period. Learn precisely how accurate that is and what can happen if you take the test too soon.

When you go to the drugstore to pick up your home pregnancy test, you will likely see a few kits that promise you accurate pregnancy test results when your period is just one day late. In fact while your pregnancy may be detected this early on, it might not be as well.

You can take one of these home pregnancy tests as soon as your period is late, but it might be too early and the test could return a false negative result. It is considered best to wait at least a week after you miss your period to take an over the counter home pregnancy test.

An additional way to increase the odds that you recieve an accurate reading is to take the pregnancy test when you wake up in the morning when your urine has been in your bladder longer. The first urine of the morning has the highest concentration of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin - a.k.a.hCG, which is what most modern pregnancy tests read for.

Be sure to thoroughly read and follow the specific directions that accompany your test. Each test varies and some tests have specific things you must do.

Typically, taking a home pregnancy test is a piece of cake. Simply hold the device under your flow of urine for several seconds. Next, you just wait a bit for the results. Take a look at the example that came with your test to understand exactly what to look for and how to determine the results.

If you get a negative result and you have not yet had your period after another few days, you can always retest yourself or call your OBgyn. A doctors office will use urine testing but may also do blood testing that is more precise at detecting a pregnancy.

For more information on pregnancy and what to expect, visit: Pregnancy Articles and Stage of Pregnancy - What to Expect