The Ideal Time To Take A Pregnancy Test

Whenever a couple is trying to conceive, it can be a situation that happens quickly, while others have to wait for years to finally have a baby. There can be quite a variety of reasons why some couples get lucky right off the bat,, while others struggle so mightily. However, one thing that all of these couples share in common, is the great anticipation that they will feel whenever waiting for the results of a pregnancy test. In most cases a pregnancy test can be highly accurate, when taken at the right time. Unfortunately, many women take them at the wrong time leading to inaccurate results and bitter disappointment.

Doctors Office Or Home Pregnancy Test?

One of the most accurate ways for a woman to find out if she is pregnant or not, is by taking a blood test. However this has to be done at a doctor's office, which of course makes it inconvenient for many couples. This is why a majority of expectant mothers end up taking an at-home pregnancy test.

Most at home pregnancy tests will use traces of urine to look for human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), which indicates that the placenta is starting to develop in the expectant mother. HCG can often be confused for other hormones, which is why most home pregnancy tests will use what is known as a monoclonal antibody. This helps to greatly reduce the chances that there are any false positives.

Whenever the results for these tests are inaccurate, it is usually because the test was not taken at the right time. In a majority of inaccurate tests, the result will usually be a false negative. This means that the results show you are not pregnant, when in fact you are. It is very rare that a pregnancy test will result in a false positive, leading you to believe you are pregnant, when in fact you aren't (which can be a heartbreaking scenario for many couples).

The most important thing required for getting the most accurate results from a pregnancy test, is to do it at the right time. It is highly recommended that you wait at least a week or more after missing your period, before you take a test. You also will want to take the test in the morning, when your urine has not been diluted by water or other fluids. By following this advice, you are much more likely to get an accurate result. Keep in mind that there is still a chance you could end up with inaccurate results, but it is much less likely to happen.


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William Jason is an enthusiastic father who reads everything he can get his hands on about the development of babies. His new blog posts this week looks at some of the best cribs for twins.