What does a pregnancy blood test show?

A pregnancy test is a test that can tell you whether you are pregnant or not. Here are the answers to some common questions about pregnancy blood tests.

What is a pregnancy test?

A pregnancy test checks your blood or urine (wee) for a hormone called human chronic gonadotropin (hCG).

Your body produces the hCG hormone after a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of your uterus. This usually happens about 6 days after fertilization.

Levels of hCG rise quickly after this happens, usually doubling in amount every two to three days.

What types of pregnancy tests are available?

There are two main types of pregnancy tests – pregnancy blood tests and pregnancy urine tests.

Blood Pregnancy Tests

Blood pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy earlier than urine pregnancy tests, sometimes as early as six to eight days after ovulation.

A blood test is a reliable and sensitive way to find out if you are pregnant, and they are frequently used in hospitals to confirm a positive urine pregnancy test.

Blood pregnancy tests can detect the rise in the pregnancy hormone (hCG) earlier than urine tests. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, a pregnancy blood test may therefore give you a positive result when a urine test performed at home or by your doctor is still negative.

The Test2Go Pregnancy Blood test contains:

• One pregnancy blood test
• One plastic pipetter
• One dropper bottle containing 1ml of dilutent
• Two sterile lancets
• One alcohol pad

Urine Pregnancy Test

With a urine pregnancy test you test your urine by either:

• Holding the pregnancy test stick in your stream of urine
• Collecting your urine in a cup and dipping the test stick into it
• Collecting your urine in a cup and using a dropped to put it in another container

Which method you use will depend on the pregnancy test you buy.

After you take a urine pregnancy test you should make an appointment with your doctor to see the results, as they can do a more sensitive pregnancy test.

How accurate are pregnancy tests?

The Pregnancy Blood Test shows an overall agreement of at least 98% (92.4% to 99.5%) against a reference laboratory method.

The accuracy of a home test will depend on:

• How closely the instructions are followed
• When you ovulate and how soon the egg implants
• How soon after pregnancy you take the test

Although this test is reliable, all pregnancy tests may give a small number of false-positive or false-negative results.

When should the pregnancy test be used?

Some pregnancy tests can spot hCG before a period is missed. But the results will always be more accurate if you wait until the first day of a missed period.

With urine pregnancy tests, it is always better to take them first thing in the morning when your urine is at its most concentrated.

With the Test2Go Pregnancy Blood Test, this isn’t the case, you can take it at any time of the day or night – whenever is best for you.

The blood test can detect pregnancy earlier than most urine tests because the hCG hormone produced in the placenta is first released into the blood and then into the urine.

Where can I buy a home pregnancy test?

You can order a home pregnancy blood test online at Fit2FlyTest with free shipping. If you order it before 2 pm you will get same day dispatch. It should be delivered within one to two days via tracked Royal Mail.

What do the pregnancy test results mean?

Pregnancy blood test results show up as a line.

• If two coloured lines appear in the window under the marks T (Test) and C (Control), then the result is postive
• If only one coloured line appears under the mark C (Control), then the result is negative
• If there is no line under the C (Control) mark then the test is invalid and so the result cannot be interpreted

If the result is positive, then you are pregnant and you should consult your doctor to discuss your pregnancy and the next steps. Early prenatal care is really important for a healthy pregnancy.

If the result is negative, it is most likely that your blood either does not contain hCG or very low levels of hCG and so you are probably not pregnant. However, you may have miscalculated the date of your last period, especially if you have irregular periods. If your period does not start within a week after you took the test, then repeat the blood pregnancy test. If you still get a negative result and your period has not started, you should speak with your doctor, as a late period could be caused by other reasons.

If you think you might be pregnant and want to make sure – now you can find out earlier in the comfort in your home. Order an at-home pregnancy blood test from fit2flytest for a fast and reliable answer.

References

• NHS – Pregnancy
• NCT – Your guide to pregnancy
• Tommy’s – How to get pregnant