How to Tell if You're Pregnant
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Are you wondering how to tell if you're pregnant? Most women are familiar with the number one sign of pregnancy, which is a late or missed period. Even so, it should be kept in mind that there can be many reasons why a period might be late. If you've been sick or you are stressed out, this can sometimes cause your period to be delayed.
If your period is several days late and you have reason to suspect that you may be pregnant you will naturally want to find out as quickly as possible. In the past, it was very difficult to find out early in the pregnancy but today home pregnancy tests have become far more advanced. There are even some home pregnancy tests on the market today that can possibly detect pregnancy as soon as one week before your missed period. Most pregnancy tests do advise that you wait until one week after your expected period to test in order to receive the most accurate results. This is because home pregnancy tests measure the amount of pregnancy hormones in a woman's urine in order to provide a result. Pregnancy hormones double approximately every two days, so the longer you wait to take the test, the more accurate the results will be.
There are also some other ways that you can tell if you're pregnant. Many woman notice a variety of symptoms when they are pregnant. These signs of pregnancy typically include swollen and sore breasts, increased urination, lower backache, increased lethargy and nausea. It should also be noted that while all of these symptoms can be signs of pregnancy, there can also be other reasons which can cause such symptoms besides pregnancy.
Perhaps one of the most certain ways to tell if you're pregnant is to have a blood test performed. If you suspect that you are pregnant and you have taken a home pregnancy test which turned out positive, your doctor will typically follow up with a blood test to confirm the home pregnancy test. Blood tests are even more accurate that urine tests. Although urine tests are fairly accurate they have been known to produce false positives as well as false negatives. There are actually two different types of blood tests that are used by physicians to test for pregnancy. One is a qualitative blood test, which determines whether the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is present in the woman's blood.
There is also a quantitative blood test that actually measures the amount of hCG within the blood. This type of blood test is highly sensitive and will pick up the presence of even a small amount of hCG, which means that it is far more accurate than a qualitative test or even a urine test. This type of test makes it possible for pregnancy to be determined within approximately six to eight days after ovulation, which for most women is about one week before their next period would be due.
If you suspect that you may be pregnant, the best course of action is usually to take a home pregnancy test. If the test is negative, give it a few days and wait to see if your period has started. It is possible that you may have tested too early to pick up the pregnancy hormone. If your period has still not started, take another test and then contact your physician. If the test is positive, you will need to see your doctor regarding prenatal care. If the test is negative you will need to speak to your doctor to determine why your period is delayed.
