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Everything about the best pregnancy tests, types and sensitivity

pregnancy test types sensitivity

Pregnancy tests: what they are and how they work

Trying to conceive is a process that can be shorter or longer, and different for each couple. But if there's one thing common to anyone trying to get pregnant, it's taking a pregnancy test. 

That waiting, those nerves, that eagerness to see a positive result. And also the disappointment when that positive result never comes. 

But “who” is responsible for these positive or negative results? 

Yes. Pregnancy tests. 

The truth is, taking a pregnancy test can often be quite stressful. And it can be even more so if you're unsure how it works, which method to use, and especially if you don't know how reliable the results are. 

We're going to look at exactly how pregnancy tests work, how and when to use them, and also which are the best pregnancy tests and their sensitivity.

At the end of the post you will see the different sensitivities of the tests and when to take the test to find out if you are pregnant according to the sensitivity characteristics of the pregnancy tests.

But first… where do home pregnancy tests come from? 

 

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The history of pregnancy tests

To find out where (and when) home pregnancy tests came from, we have to go back almost 100 years. We've always wanted to know if we're pregnant, and the good news is that now we can find out very easily. Pregnancy tests have certainly evolved a lot, especially in terms of increased sensitivity and reliability. We'll tell you all about it. 

It was discovered in 1925 that elevated levels of the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) were somehow related to pregnancy. 

And yes, this is precisely the hormone that pregnancy tests measure to determine whether they are positive or not. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. 

In fact, despite having discovered this involvement of HCG in pregnancy, it was not until the 70s that pregnancy tests began to be marketed through the outpatient measurement of this hormone. 

The first tests involved a complicated system with test tubes, and the results took hours to arrive. Furthermore, these early pregnancy tests produced a high number of false negatives.

From the 80s onwards, pregnancy tests were developed that were somewhat more similar to those we know today.

The first pregnancy test similar to the ones we use today was a urine test strip. With just 10 minutes and a small amount of urine on the strip, you could get a clear result. However, these tests were still not very sensitive, so it was usually necessary to wait up to two weeks after a missed period to reliably confirm a positive result. 

Research to date has focused on improving the sensitivity of tests to the hormone hCG. As a result, we now have tests that offer reliable results from the first day of a missed period. 

The evolution of pregnancy tests, especially in the last decade, has led to the development of some very easy-to-use digital tests that can even detect the stage of pregnancy. And what's more, they're quite affordable for most people. 

⏰When should the test be performed?

The current reliability of pregnancy tests is high, although haste is often a bad advisor - as in so many other things in life.  

In fact, Taking a pregnancy test too early could give us a wrong result. 

Currently, the vast majority of pregnancy tests claim to be accurate. from the first day of the absence of a period, or even before. However, more accurate results are usually obtained if you wait until after the first day your period is due (or what is known as the first day of a missed period).

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Why wait to take a pregnancy test? 

The wait before taking a pregnancy test is related to the egg implantation process. 

After sexual intercourse, if a sperm has managed to reach the egg and fertilization has occurred, the fertilized egg adheres to the uterine lining and implantation takes place. 

This usually occurs about 15 days after fertilization, and the formation of the placenta also begins, in addition to the production of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). 

This is precisely the hormone that pregnancy tests detect, but it is necessary for the hormone to enter the bloodstream, and from there pass into the urine, where we can detect it thanks to current pregnancy tests. 

Once implantation is established, the concentration of the hCG hormone increases rapidly, doubling every two to three days. For this reason, the later the pregnancy test is taken, the easier it will be to detect a positive result. Conversely, the earlier the pregnancy test is taken, the more difficult it will be for the test to detect hCG because its concentration will be lower.  

La Most pregnancy tests detect the hormone starting at a concentration of 20 mIU/ml (milliInternational Units per milliliter of urine). Other Pregnancy tests detect 10mIU/ml and the most sensitive 5mIU/ml that this is before the first foul. 

Furthermore, to understand the variability in pregnancy test results, it's important to consider that the timing of ovulation can vary from month to month, and the fertilized egg can implant in the uterus at different times. This timing directly influences hCG production and determines when it can be detected (i.e., when a pregnancy test will give a reliable result). 

If the cycles are also irregular, it's easy to miscalculate the ovulation date, so taking the test too early can result in a false negative, as well as a major disappointment.  

When should you take a pregnancy test to get a reliable result?

Although there are ultrasensitive tests that seem to detect the hCG hormone as early as the first week after conception, the most reliable method is to take a pregnancy test at least one day after your missed period. However, if you use an ultrasensitive pregnancy test, you can take it even before your period is due. We'll tell you all about it in this post. PREGNANCY TEST BEFORE YOUR MISSED PERIOD

That said, and if nerves allow, the ideal thing would be to perform the test one week after the expected date for the next spotting. 

What time of day should a pregnancy test be taken?

Although a pregnancy test can be taken at any time of day, it is recommended to use the first urine of the daya, which has a higher concentration of the HCG hormone, so it is best to do the test right after waking up with the first urine of the morning if you have not peed in the previous 3 hours.

If for any reason the test cannot be performed first thing in the morning, it is recommended not to drink too much water, in this way the urine will be concentrated and the pregnancy hormone to be detected in the pregnancy test, also having more options to see the the actual test result and avoid a false negative when there really is a pregnancy. 

Which test to choose depending on when to take the test?

Depending on when the test is to be performed, attention should be paid to the maximum sensitivity level of the pregnancy test. 

In a normal pregnancy, the pregnancy hormone hCG can be detected in urine and blood as early as 7 days after conception. hCG levels continue to rise, exceeding 100 mIU/ml after the first missed period and doubling approximately every two days until reaching a range of 11500–300000 mIU/ml by weeks 10–12 of gestation, at the end of the first trimester.

Seven to ten days after conception, hCG levels reach 10 mIU/ml or higher. In regular cycles, this would correspond to four to five days before a missed period.

Ten to fourteen days after conception, the concentration of 25 mIU/ml or higher is reached. This is roughly equivalent to the date your period is due. Most pregnancy tests have this standard sensitivity.

📌Types of pregnancy tests according to their sensitivity to hCG

Pregnancy tests are super easy to use. The choice will depend more on your sensitivity to clear up any doubts. and this is where Buying a pregnancy test can be complicated and it's easy to choose the wrong one.Based on their sensitivity, pregnancy tests can be classified as follows:

From the first day of a missed period, assuming regular cycles, all pregnancy tests are sensitive enough to detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone.

Here are the two tests that are currently the best-selling and most reliable, which is reflected in the price:

  clear blue test pregnancy Ultra-sensitive pregnancy test to use before your missed period

Clear Blue digital weeks  Digital pregnancy test that tells you how many weeks pregnant you are.

Remember, if you want to know if you're pregnant, you can buy a pregnancy test online or at your pharmacy and find out in less than 5 minutes. You just need to consider the sensitivity of the pregnancy test and the time of day depending on the stage of your cycle or how late your period is.

 

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