Is it possible to take a pregnancy test in the evening? How to do a pregnancy test correctly so that its results are reliable and objective

When to take a pregnancy test? It seems that this science is not too difficult - to use the subject of self-diagnosis of an interesting situation, but sometimes girls make annoying mistakes when conducting tests, which is why the result is incorrect. Let's look at the basic rules that need to be followed when diagnosing pregnancy, and the main mistakes that lead to distorted results.

When to take a pregnancy test? If we are talking about the date, then it is best to wait until the first day of your missed period. This is exactly the recommendation that appears on absolutely all pregnancy test packages. But many women do not want to wait so long after possible conception and begin testing 10 days after ovulation, that is, before the start of a missed period. And, accordingly, most of them receive either incorrect or questionable results. The second line, indicating the presence of hCG (“pregnancy hormone”) in a woman’s urine, may not appear or appear barely noticeable, so that it will be impossible to interpret the result. Therefore, advice to those women who do not have the patience to wait for the required period for diagnosis: take a blood test for hCG. Here it shows reliable results already 10 days after possible conception. The doctor is unlikely to give you a free referral unless you are registered for infertility, but you can take this test for a fee. Always keep in mind the pregnancy test when it shows the correct result and do not worry ahead of time.

What time of day is best to take the test? It is recommended in the morning, after waking up, so that the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin is maximum, sufficient for a second strip to appear in case of a positive result. This concerns the early stages. And in the second half of the first trimester and later, when it is better to take a pregnancy test: in the morning, afternoon or evening, it does not matter. Ask: why do the test at such a long time, when the doctor can already make the correct diagnosis during a gynecological examination, and the fetus is already visible on an ultrasound? But the fact is that in this simple way women are trying to identify a possible threat of miscarriage or frozen pregnancy, which is fundamentally wrong. If a test suddenly becomes negative during a long period of pregnancy, this only means that it is not of high quality.

How many days after the delay will the test show pregnancy (video):

Pregnancy test

When and how to take a pregnancy test correctly.

2013-06-05T00:00:00

In conclusion, we list the reasons why tests show incorrect results.

1. Diagnosis too early (before the onset of delayed menstruation).

2. Performing the test not in the morning as recommended.

3. Poor quality test strip (perhaps it was stored under temperature conditions or expired).

4. Evaluation of the result earlier or later than the time specified in the instructions.

5. A woman has a disease that causes the level of hCG to increase.

This happens with some cancers, for example.

An approximate algorithm of actions for those who doubt the result.

1. Buy and make a couple of tests with higher sensitivity from other manufacturers.

2. Measure your basal temperature in the morning without getting up from sweating. If it is above 37 degrees, most likely you are pregnant.

3. Take a blood test for hCG. In this case, the reliability of the result is not even discussed.

4. Go to an appointment with a gynecologist. The doctor will be able to determine the duration of pregnancy (if any) if the delay lasts more than 2-3 weeks.

5. Do an ultrasound. In this way, you can quite accurately not only diagnose the presence of a fertilized egg, but also find out its location. If all the signs of an interesting position are present, and the ultrasound does not show the embryo in the uterus, despite the fact that the delay has already begun, then there is a high probability that the embryo has begun to develop outside the uterus, and this is very dangerous.

Pregnancy tests are certainly convenient and affordable. Every woman who is sexually active should learn to use them and know the features of diagnosing pregnancy.

A pregnancy test is the most accurate method of determining pregnancy. Most modern women buy it if they begin to suspect that they are in an “interesting situation.” The principle of the test is quite simple. The reagents with which the strip is impregnated react to an increase in the level of hCG in the urine.

Immediately after the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, the body begins to produce human chorionic gonadotropin. The production of this hormone is typical only during pregnancy. In rare cases, its synthesis in the body is possible in the presence of quite serious diseases.

The concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine begins to increase immediately after implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall. About 2 weeks after conception, it reaches a certain level at which an increase in hCG in the urine can be detected using a standard pregnancy test.

As a rule, the test makes sense no earlier than the first day of missed menstruation. The later the express analysis is done, the more accurate the result will be, since every 3-4 days the concentration of the hormone in the urine will increase approximately 2 times.

Is it possible to take a pregnancy test at night?

The most favorable time of day to perform the test is considered to be morning. Immediately after waking up, you need to take a portion of urine and dip a test strip into it, following the instructions included in the package.

The highest accuracy of test results done at this time is explained by the fact that the woman does not drink anything at night or go to the toilet, which means that her urine is the most concentrated in the morning. The level of hCG in it will most likely be sufficient to be determined from the first day of the delay.

You can also do the test at night, but it is better to carry out a rapid analysis in the second half of the night, when the woman manages to sleep for at least some time. The reliability of an analysis result taken at 3 am will be significantly higher than the reliability of a test result taken at 12 am.

The test may show a false negative result if the woman eats a large meal and drinks a lot of fluids before collecting urine. But all this matters only when determining pregnancy in very early stages. 1-2 weeks after the delay, the test should show a reliable result at any time of the day.

When pregnancy is a long-awaited event, you want to confirm it as soon as possible. But it doesn't always work out the first time. Doubts and uncertainty about successful conception upset the expectant mother and do not have the best effect on her condition. But there is no need to be nervous in this situation. What method and from what day is it better to confirm pregnancy?

Confirmation methods

Determining pregnancy is not a simple process. There are three fundamentally different methods for confirming successful fertilization. These include:

• Determination of a pregnancy-specific hormone in a woman’s blood or urine.
• Visualization of the fertilized egg or embryo using ultrasound examination of the uterus.
• Confirmation of pregnancy during examination by a gynecologist.

What method should an expectant mother use to get a quick and accurate result?

As a rule, women do not rush to see a gynecologist for many reasons. Instead of visiting a antenatal clinic, expectant mothers think about an ultrasound or hormone determination. What to give preference to?

Ultrasound could be considered an ideal method for confirming pregnancy if it were reliable in the early stages, from the first day of the delay. But this study becomes informative no earlier than the fifth week of gestation, and often later.

A hormonal test can quickly and accurately confirm the success of conception.

Pregnancy hormone

Human chorionic gonadotropin is one of the pregnancy hormones. It begins to be produced almost a week after fertilization and is soon detected by laboratory test systems.

The first way to determine human chorionic gonadotropin in a woman’s body is by biochemical analysis.

To perform it, you need to donate blood from a vein on an empty stomach. The appearance of the hormone in a significant concentration indicates that conception was successful. This analysis can be carried out even before your period is missed. Human chorionic gonadotropin is usually determined only in commercial laboratories and this study is not cheap.

Is there an alternative to hormonal blood testing that works from the first day of the delay?

Alternative test

Probably every woman knows that pregnancy is easily confirmed by a regular pharmacy test. But not everyone understands the principle of operation of this alternative method.

A pharmacy test is also a determination of human chorionic gonadotropin.

But unlike laboratory analysis, in this situation urine is examined. This is how the hormone is eliminated from the body. Its concentration in urine will always be less than in the blood. This is especially true for the early stages – the first weeks of gestation. When the laboratory blood test is already positive, the pharmacy test will most likely still show one line. However, it has undeniable advantages.

Advantages

What are the advantages of a pharmacy test if it is inferior to a blood test in terms of information content? Although you need to use this method a little later, it is more convenient to do so for the following reasons:

• The pharmacy test is available during the day and evening.
• Its cost is significantly lower than a blood test.
• The result can be found out in 3-5 minutes, and it is clear - in the form of stripes, not numbers.

But in order for the pharmacy test to be as informative as possible, you should use it correctly.

Test time

Most instructions for tests say that it is advisable to conduct it in the morning. Why at this time of day and is it possible to take a pregnancy test in the evening?

The answer lies in the peculiarities of the hormonal metabolism of the expectant mother and the functioning of the kidneys. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is excreted in the urine in a certain amount. Its concentration will depend on the volume of urine excreted. The more it is, the less the hormone content per unit volume will be and vice versa.

Having understood the exchange of hCG, it is easy to answer the question of when it is better to take a pregnancy test - in the morning or in the evening. During the night, the expectant mother does not drink liquid or urinate. Thus, the amount of hormone in the urine increases, but its volume does not change. In the evening the opposite situation occurs. HCG is excreted throughout the day, and the volume of urine is constantly changing due to the fluid drunk. The hormone concentration is minimal in the evening.

But there are tests for which the time of use does not matter - highly sensitive ones.

Sensitivity

The sensitivity of a pharmacy test is determined by its ability to respond to a certain amount of hormone in the urine:

• If it becomes positive at a hCG concentration of 10 mIU/ml, then this is an indicator of high sensitivity.
• A positive reaction to the hormone content within 20–25 mIU/ml indicates low sensitivity.
• Tests that respond to a reading of 15 mIU/ml are classified as moderately sensitive.

The timing of using the tests also depends on the sensitivity of the indicators. So, highly sensitive ones can be safely purchased 2-3 days before the expected delay. They will be informative in most cases.

For moderately sensitive indicators, it is better to wait for the expected delay when the concentration of hCG in the body increases. But you can use them not only in the morning, but during the day or even in the evening. It is advisable not to drink a lot of liquid before use and not to urinate for at least one to two hours.

Low-sensitivity tests on the day of the expected missed period usually show a negative result. The same can happen if you use them in the evening or during the day, even if the delay has already lasted 1-2 days. With regard to low-sensitivity indicators, the most important thing is correct use, respecting the timing and timing. It is best to use them on the second or third day of the delay and always in the morning.

Is it necessary to use only a highly sensitive indicator to confirm pregnancy? No, a regular test is enough if you follow the instructions. It is worth remembering common mistakes and avoiding them.

Errors

Why can even the most expensive tests show the wrong result? What you need to do to avoid false negatives:

• Each woman’s body is individual, and even if, according to her calculations, there are only one or two days left until her period, the test result may be negative. This happens for many reasons. If ovulation occurs late, the timing of fertilization will also shift, as will the beginning of hCG production. This cannot be determined or assumed by any method.
• Sometimes the expectant mother carries out the test during the day, as the instructions allow, but at the same time drinks a lot of liquid, and even the most highly sensitive indicator becomes unable to detect the reduced concentration of hCG. You should try to limit your intake of drinks for several hours.
• It happens that expectant mothers try to see the coveted stripes without waiting the allotted time, or, conversely, evaluate the test several hours later.

All these errors have a significant impact on the information content of a pharmacy test of any sensitivity.

There is no need to rush into determining pregnancy. If it exists, it will not disappear. It is better to wait one or two days and perform the test according to the instructions, at the appointed time, in order to be guaranteed to get a reliable result.

So, you saw the coveted two stripes on the test, but doubts creep into your head - what if there was an error? We've collected answers to the 10 most common questions about pregnancy tests.

1. How does a pregnancy test work?

All pregnancy tests operate on the same principle - they recognize a special hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine (tests for home use) or blood (laboratory tests). It is produced only during pregnancy. A non-pregnant woman simply cannot have it. The level of hCG in the body from the moment the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus doubles approximately every 2-3 days and reaches a maximum at 7-12 weeks of pregnancy. Its presence in the blood and urine persists until approximately the third week after the birth of the child.

2. Can a pregnancy test be taken during the day? What time of day is best to do it?

Usually, morning urine is used to perform a pregnancy test, as it is more concentrated. But there is a test that can be done both during the day and in the evening - the exact time does not matter. This is a jet test. They are especially sensitive (look for the 10 mIU/ml mark on the package), and when using them, there is no need to collect urine anywhere - just put the test under the stream.

3. Are pregnancy tests wrong?

All instructions say that pregnancy tests are 95–99% accurate. This means that there is a chance that the result will be incorrect. So, false negative the result (the test does not show pregnancy, although there is one) is possible if:
you performed the test too early and the level of hCG in the urine is still too low;
the test has expired (read the packaging carefully before buying the test);
you performed the test incorrectly (read the instructions carefully, everything is extremely simple there);
Drinking too much liquid the day before the test can dilute the urine and reduce the concentration of hCG.

The test can also show false positive result (there is no pregnancy, but the test says that there is).
This happens if you are taking fertility drugs that contain hCG (usually in the form of injections);
In the presence of malignant tumors;
A positive pregnancy test result may also mean that remnants of the fertilized egg remain in the uterus after premature birth or miscarriage.

4. On what day of delay should I test? Does it make sense to take a pregnancy test before your delay?

The sensitivity of pregnancy tests plays a big role. In general, most tests have a sensitivity of 20–25 mIU/mL (international units per mL). They are able to recognize pregnancy only from the first day of missed menstruation. Whereas there are more sensitive (10 mIU/ml), but also more expensive tests that determine pregnancy before the delay - already 7-10 days from the moment of expected conception. And after a week of delay, any tests will show pregnancy (if there is one). The level of hCG in the blood grows faster than in the urine, so pregnancy can be determined even before the expected menstruation (but not earlier than 7 days from the date of expected conception) - using a blood test for hCG, which can be done in a antenatal clinic or in commercial laboratories.

5. How to use a pregnancy test correctly?

There are different types of pregnancy tests, and they must be used in accordance with the instructions for each of them. For example:

Strip tests (test strips)
These are the simplest, cheapest and most common tests. The strip needs to be lowered for 10–20 seconds to a certain mark in a container with morning urine (it is the most concentrated). After this, the test should be placed on a horizontal surface and after a few minutes the result can be assessed. One line means you are not pregnant, the test showed two lines - pregnancy has occurred.

Tablet tests
They are designed in the same way as strip tests. Only the paper strip is placed in a plastic case. And the previously collected morning urine needs to be dropped into a special hole with the pipette included with the test. One or two stripes on the test will also tell you about the result.

Inkjet tests
Their convenience is that there is no need to collect urine anywhere - just place the test under the stream. In this case, urine does not have to be morning. Inkjet pregnancy tests are usually more sensitive. Again, a positive test result means two lines, and if only one line appears, then the test shows a negative result.

Electronic tests
These tests have a special strip - a sample receiver, which can optionally be lowered into a container with urine or placed under the stream. The result is read in 3 minutes. If “+” or the inscription “pregnant” appears on the test, you are pregnant, but if “–” or “not pregnant”, you are not.

6. Why is there a weak second stripe?

Even if the test shows a weak second line, this still means that you are pregnant, it’s just that the level of hCG in your blood is not that high yet. If in doubt, retest in 3-4 days. The hCG level will become much higher, and then the strip will be much brighter.

7. The best pregnancy test - what is it?

The answer to this question may vary depending on what you need. If you want to find out as early as possible whether you are pregnant, it is best to donate blood in a laboratory (no earlier than 7 days after the expected conception). If convenience is important to you, then some people prefer jet tests, which can be used during the day and for which you do not need to collect urine anywhere. For some, on the contrary, putting the test under the stream seems labor-intensive, and it is easier for them to collect the urine in a special jar, and then put the cheapest paper test (strip test) in there.

8. Online pregnancy test - what is it?

At best, it's just a hoax. At worst, it’s a way for scammers to make money (when, for example, to pass a test you first need to send an SMS to a specific number). There are different types of tests. Some suggest placing your finger on the blue square on the screen, and if within a few minutes it turns red, you are pregnant. However, even if you don’t put your finger on the screen, the square will turn red on its own after a while. Other tests ask you to answer a series of questions before making a verdict. For example, “Have you had unprotected sex recently?” and “Do you feel engorgement in your breasts?”

9. Does the test indicate an ectopic pregnancy?

If the fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus, a regular pregnancy test will still be positive. True, if you do not intervene in time, the ectopic pregnancy will terminate on its own at 7-8 weeks, and all this will be accompanied by significant blood loss, pain and serious problems for the woman’s health. To avoid this, it is better to detect early signs of an ectopic pregnancy in advance and terminate such a pregnancy in a hospital. An ectopic pregnancy may be indicated, in particular, by nagging pain in the lower abdomen and spotting against the background of a positive pregnancy test. If you notice these symptoms, immediately go to the gynecologist. It will carry out, and if the pregnancy is ectopic, then there will be no fertilized egg in the uterus, but there will be epithelial growth, as in a normal pregnancy. If you belong to a risk group (adhesions, inflammation of the appendages, or have had an ectopic pregnancy before), it is better to do a qualitative blood test over time. During an ectopic pregnancy, the level of hCG in the blood is lower than during a normal pregnancy, and the test will immediately show this.

10. What stage of pregnancy does the test show? Will the test show the week of pregnancy?

Neither a strip test, nor a tablet, nor an inkjet, nor an electronic test will tell you your gestational age. They are exclusively qualitative in nature - “yes” or “no”. But you can still find out the approximate gestational age. If you do a quantitative blood test in the laboratory. He will determine the exact level of hCG in the blood, after which the doctor will be able to tell which week of pregnancy it corresponds to. Doing such a test is, in particular, useful to recognize a frozen pregnancy in the early stages. If the embryo freezes in development, the hCG level stops growing, which will be seen in this analysis.

Aglaya Jaermund

When planning a pregnancy, women always look forward to the results. The fastest way to find out about pregnancy is to take a test. The article will tell you when it is better to take a pregnancy test in order to get a true result.

What is a pregnancy test?

A pregnancy test is a simple procedure that allows you to determine the signs of a woman's pregnancy at the earliest stage. A pregnancy test can be performed both in a clinic and at home - its reliability remains almost unchanged if you strictly follow the instructions that come with the test.

There are three types of pregnancy tests.

• The test strip (strip test) is temporarily lowered into the container with urine. To do this, you need a clean jar or disposable cup. The test is lowered into the urine to the mark and the required time is waited.

• The plate test works by placing a few drops of urine on the plate using a syringe or pipette.

• The jet test is the most convenient, it can be used in any conditions - all you need is a jet to work.

It is advisable to follow the instructions exactly and carry out the test exactly as described. If you change the test method, for example, use a test strip based on the inkjet principle, the result may turn out to be completely false.

If you have to store urine, you need to close the container tightly so that nothing unnecessary gets inside. It is best to store it in the refrigerator, but before using it, be sure to wait until the urine itself warms up to room temperature. Under no circumstances should it be heated using a stove or water bath.

How does the test work, what is hCG and why is it so important?

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that is secreted by the female body (the future placenta) when pregnancy occurs - the implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterus.

A pregnancy test determines whether there is human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine or not. Each test has two strips: one strip is diagnostic, the other is control. The control shows the serviceability of the test; it reacts to any liquid. You can check by dropping some plain water on the test. The diagnostic strip only works on liquid that contains the hCG hormone.

When is it time?

The hCG hormone begins to be released after the fertilized egg is implanted into the lining of the uterine wall. Before this, it is still just making its journey from the fallopian tube into the uterus and it is impossible to check whether the egg is fertilized.

When is the best time to take a pregnancy test, on what day will it show a true result? Implantation of the fertilized egg occurs approximately on the 7th day, so there is no point in doing the test earlier. A sufficient amount of hCG to diagnose pregnancy appears in the urine only in the second week after fertilization.

Another question that concerns the most impatient: is it worth taking a pregnancy test before the delay? On average, egg implantation occurs on the seventh day. All women are different, for some it may happen earlier, for others later. The norm can be minus 2 days or plus 2 days. If the test is carried out before the delay, the result may be either a false negative or a false positive, but in any case it is unreliable.

It is better to take a pregnancy test after a delay. If you carefully read the instructions, you will notice the advice of pregnancy test manufacturers: do the test at least 2 weeks after ovulation.

What time of day is optimal for the test?

Women often doubt when it is better to take a pregnancy test, in the morning or in the evening? In the morning, urine is usually dark - this means that it has been collected all night, it is concentrated and there are many different substances in it. And hormones, too. Therefore, manufacturers in the test instructions advise conducting a pregnancy test in the morning due to the high concentration of the hormone. If waiting until the morning is too tedious, many women simply do not urinate for several hours in the evening in order to immediately take the test. Apart from refusing to go to the toilet, there is no need to limit yourself in anything. You can eat regular food or take medicine. Even birth control pills cannot affect the test result. But if you have taken medications containing hCG, then it is better to wait a couple of weeks before taking the test, otherwise the result will be positive.

Coffee during pregnancy is very harmful. Is it possible to replace it with chicory? What are the contraindications? Experts talk about the benefits and harms of this drink

How to get reliable results?

• Be sure to check the expiration date of the test. Although this is not for oral administration, an expired test can distort the results. The test left over from last time can only be used if it was stored exactly as written in the instructions. Humidity, temperature changes, or foreign substances entering the test may affect the results.

• Too cheap tests are of poor quality: on average, for every 2 accurate tests, there is 1 bad one.

• When choosing a test, you need to look at the quality of its packaging. It's better if it's individual. Be sure to pay attention to whether the packaging is intact and whether there are any small holes or tears on it. If the test is not tightly packaged, it cannot be used!

Many people wonder: how many days after the first pregnancy test can you take a second one? Every couple of days the hCG hormone increases. Therefore, unless there is an urgent need to confirm the result, it is good to wait a few days or a week. If the result is needed urgently and the wait is unbearable, you can conduct another test in a couple of days, when the hormone level is already sufficient.