How to Use a Home Pregnancy Test

By eHow Health Editor

Rate: (17 Ratings)

If you suspect you are pregnant, you might consider using a home pregnancy test, which can be purchased at most major drugstores. Here is an overview of how to use one. Make sure to thoroughly read the directions that come with the test.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Home Pregnancy Tests

Step1
Buy a home pregnancy test kit from a drugstore.
Step2
Wash your hands with soap and hot water.
Step3
Remove the test stick from the foil wrapper.
Step4
Sit on the toilet.
Step5
Place the test stick in your urine stream with the "result window" facing up.
Step6
Urinate onto the test stick for at least 5 seconds.
Step7
Place the stick on a flat, dry surface with the "result window" facing up.
Step8
Wait for the amount of time specified on the instruction sheet until results appear.

Tips & Warnings

  • Home pregnancy tests can be accurate when used anytime past the first day of your missed period.
  • Instead of urinating onto a stick, you can collect your urine in a cup and plunge the stick into the urine.
  • Buy the home pregnancy kit at a large drugstore with lots of product turnover. You don't want an old kit.
  • Consult a physician or nurse practitioner if the test reads positive.
  • Certain medications that contain the pregnancy hormone could affect the results of your pregnancy test. Consult a doctor if you have questions.

Comments

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on 12/26/2006 Pregnancy kits vary substantially on how sensitive they are. They can very by hundreds of miu, the difference of about 10 days. Find out sooner (and waste less time and money worrying/waiting) by checking online for ones which detect lower amount of miu (not necessarily the ones which claim they are early detection.) Here is an list of early detection level kits:

Pregnancy Test Sensitivity

A woman "usually" produces 25 miu of hCG 10 days after conception.

1. Advance Preganancy and Fact Plus
Detects 250 miu's of hCG (this is not a typo!)
2. One Step Be Sure Pregnancy Test
Detects 25 miu's of hCG
3. Clear Blue Easy
Detects 50 miu's of hCG
4. Confirm 1-Step
She didn't have phone number, so couldn't confirm!
5. EPT
Detects 40 miu's of hCG
6. Selfcare Early Pregnancy Test
Detects 50 miu's of hCG
7. Precise and QTest
Didn't have any info yet.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 If you are nervous about the test, ask a trusted friend or relative to be there. They can give you support if you get the "wrong" result, help celebrate if it's the "right" result, and even check the result for you if you don't feel up to it.

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eHow Article:  How to Use a Home Pregnancy Test

eHow Health Editor

eHow Health Editor

Category: Health

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