Rapid Pregnancy Test - Instructions, Pros And Cons

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Rapid pregnancy test

The Rapid Pregnancy Test is an early pregnancy diagnostic system that allows you to perform the procedure at home. Rapid test is the general name for all pregnancy tests that exist at a given time. Thanks to these devices, a woman can find out about the onset of conception without visiting a doctor's office. If earlier it was possible to determine pregnancy only from the first day of the delay in menstruation, then new-generation express tests allow you to do this much earlier.

Today there are many types of express tests. They all differ in the way they operate, in price and in a set of functions. Therefore, in order to make the right choice, it is necessary to navigate the main characteristics of the product.

Content:

• The principle of the express test
• Instructions for using rapid pregnancy tests
• Pros and cons of various rapid pregnancy tests
• Can Rapid Tests Be Wrong?

The principle of the express test

All rapid pregnancy tests are based on a single mechanism of action; they determine a specific hormone in the urine. This hormone is called chorionic gonadotropin or hCG. It begins to be produced in a woman's body at an accelerated pace from the moment when the villi of the growing placenta are implanted into the wall of the uterus, that is, after the embryo is fixed. From this moment on, the level of hCG is constantly increasing, but in the early stages of pregnancy, it can only be determined in venous blood.

Modern rapid tests can detect hCG in urine, starting from 10-12 days from the moment of conception.

This largely depends on the sensitivity level of the device, which was selected for diagnostics:

• Tests with a sensitivity of 25 mIU / ml can detect pregnancy from the first day of missed periods.
• Tests with a sensitivity of 15 mIU / ml can detect pregnancy 1-2 days before the date of the expected period.
• Ultrasensitive tests with a susceptibility to hCG at 10 mIU / ml detect pregnancy 4 days before the date of the onset of the expected menstruation.

The principle of operation of express tests is based on the interaction of a special reagent with the hCG hormone. In each of these devices, a special substance is applied in a special way - antibodies to hCG. When interacting with urine, which contains chorionic gonadotropin, the test gives a reaction. Depending on the type of device, stripes may appear on it, or the result may be displayed in signs, letters, etc. If there is no hCG in a woman's urine or there is too little of it, then the test will be negative.

Instructions for using rapid pregnancy tests

• The test is best purchased at a pharmacy. This is the only way to be sure that the conditions of its storage have been met in full.
• When buying, it is important to familiarize yourself with the expiration date of the test. An expired test may simply not work or give an unreliable result.
• The integrity of the package with the dough must not be damaged.
• It is unacceptable to use the same test 2 times (subject to the purchase of a one-time express test).
• It is better if the morning urine sample is used for diagnosis.
• You only need to open the test before using it.
• Before collecting urine or urinating directly for the test, it is advisable to wash well and dry with a towel.
• If the procedure involves the preliminary collection of urine, then for this you need to choose a clean and dry container. It can be glass or plastic.
• Before using the test, you must carefully read the instructions. You should not move away from her.

When is the best time to take a rapid pregnancy test?

If you refer to the instructions for using rapid tests, then the manufacturers do not indicate when it is best to carry out the procedure. However, gynecologists give an unequivocal recommendation in this regard - for the study it is necessary to take the first portion of morning urine. This is especially true when the study is carried out at an early stage of pregnancy.

The fact is that the likelihood of an error increases when urine is collected during the day or evening. During the day, urine becomes less concentrated due to the consumption of water and other drinks. Accordingly, the level of hCG decreases in it, which can adversely affect the reliability of the results.

Pros and cons of various rapid pregnancy tests

There are several options for rapid pregnancy tests on the market. They all have some differences in terms of the methodology for their implementation:

Strip tests or strip tests. Strip tests are the cheapest device among the entire range of rapid pregnancy tests, due to which they have the highest popularity among the female population. Such devices are represented by a paper strip that sits on a plastic backing. There are impregnation zones on this paper that become visible. If there is a pregnancy, then two vertical stripes will appear, and if there is no pregnancy, then one vertical stripe will appear.

For testing, you will need a clean container where urine is collected. Then a strip is dipped into it (to a certain level), and it is kept in the liquid for about 10 seconds. After this time, the test is laid out on a dry and flat surface. After another 3-5 minutes, it will be possible to evaluate the result.

Strip tests usually give a reliable result if done on the first day of your missed period.

If we consider the disadvantages of such tests, then among them we can distinguish not too comfortable use of strip tests and a relatively high risk of errors.

Tablet or cassette tests. These tests are flat plastic boxes with small windows. One window is a urine collection container, into which a few drops of urine are pipetted. The result appears in the second window. These devices are not very expensive in terms of price, but they give more accurate results compared to test strips.

If we consider the disadvantages of tablet tests, then among them we can highlight the complexity of the procedure and the inability to find out the result a few days before the onset of menstruation.

Inkjet tests. Inkjet express tests are elongated devices. Using such devices is very simple. For the procedure, it is enough to bring the test under the stream of urine for a few seconds. After 3-5 minutes, the device will give a result.

Inkjet tests can be done several days before the expected period begins. Moreover, they are very comfortable to use.

As for the cost of such devices, it is determined by the complexity of their internal structure. If inkjet tests are equipped with a digital display and USB port, then the price will be higher.

Electronic or digital tests. These devices are state of the art. Using them is very simple: the tip must be placed in the urine. To do this, you can either simply put it under the stream while urinating, or draw the liquid into a container and lower the device there. The exposure time of urine to the test is 3-5 seconds. Then it is laid out on a dry and flat surface, and after another 3-5 minutes the result is evaluated. He appears in the window.

One of the advantages of such a device is that it can show pregnancy several days before the onset of the expected period. In addition, reusable digital tests as well as tests with a USB port can be purchased. However, the price for them will be much more expensive than for the classic test strips.

Can Rapid Tests Be Wrong?

Although rapid tests are fairly reliable in detecting pregnancy, they can be wrong.

1. First, the level of chorionic gonadotropin in the body of each woman rises differently.
2. Secondly, the test can give a negative result due to endocrine dysfunction in women, as well as the threat of miscarriage.
3. Third, a false negative result can be obtained if the study is performed too early. This is especially common in women with an unstable menstrual schedule.
4. The fourth reason why the test gives an incorrect result or does not work at all is a violation of the rules for performing the testing procedure, or a marriage of the device itself.

A woman should take into account that rapid tests can give not only false negative, but also false positive results.

Possible reasons for these errors:

• The woman has recently given birth (no more than 2 months ago);
• The woman has disturbances in the work of the ovaries;
• The woman has had a miscarriage or abortion (about 30 days ago);
• The woman develops a tumor that produces hormones;
• The woman is taking fertility drugs containing hCG or has taken them less than 2 weeks ago;
• An expired test was used.

There are cases when menstruation continues even after pregnancy. Therefore, if a woman has doubts about this, a rapid test can be done even during her period. Menstrual blood cannot affect the determination of hCG in any way. Therefore, if there is a pregnancy, the test will give a positive result.

Women ask many questions about ectopic pregnancy and the results of diagnostics. As you know, in this case, the embryo in the ovum is attached not to the wall of the uterus, but to the fallopian tube. Chorionic gonadotropin during an ectopic pregnancy is produced, but its level rises extremely slowly, or completely stands still. Most likely, the rapid test will still give a positive result. However, the streaks may be blurry or very pale. In the early stages of an ectopic pregnancy, the test will be negative.

Sometimes there are pathologies of pregnancy such as a frozen embryo. In this case, express tests first give a positive result, then it becomes doubtful, and then completely negative. In this case, it is impossible to hesitate to contact a specialist.

So, the use of express tests makes it possible to determine pregnancy at the early stages of its development, without even leaving home. Thanks to a wide range of express tests, every woman will be able to choose the best option for herself.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.