Becoming a mother is a wonderful thing that can happen to any woman. But the nine months of the pregnancy is not a piece of cake and so is conducting a pregnancy test.
It’s a natural thing if you want to keep your pregnancy private, rather than going to a doctor’s lab.
The good thing is you can do a pregnancy test at home. There are many ways you can try. But first, let’s get to know when you should take a pregnancy test.
Table of Contents
When Should You Take a Home Pregnancy Test?
The first indication of a pregnancy is a missed period. If you are already trying to conceive, it can be good news for you. It’s better to confirm the doubts with a pregnancy test.
Shortly after implantation, a fertilized egg attaches to your uterine lining. The placenta forms and starts producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This hormone enters your bloodstream and urine, and it indicates the positive results of pregnancy.
Dr. Rabbia Ashraf, a renowned gynecologist, says during early pregnancy, the HCG concentration increases rapidly. It doubles every two to three days. The earlier you take the home pregnancy test, the harder it might be for the test to detect HCG. It is advised to take a test one day after a missed period.
What Are Your Options for a Pregnancy Test?
There are different options available for you. Your doctor can recommend you to do a blood or urine test. Studies show that a urine test is the most accurate, as it contains a unique blend of hormones. You can give your sample at a doctor’s lab, or you can perform a pregnancy test at home, using the pregnancy test kit.
Urine Test
When you take an at-home test, you place a few drops of urine on a chemical strip, or you can place the strip in the urine stream. This strip detects hCG. If it’s positive, two lines will appear on the kit.
You should keep in mind a few things when you take a home pregnancy test, including:
- Use your early morning urine. This is the time of day when your hCG levels will be the most concentrated and easily detected. If you do it at another time of day, try and make sure your urine has been in your bladder for at least four hours.
- Don’t drink excessive fluids before you take a pregnancy test. Many people think this will increase the volume of urine, but it can also dilute your hCG levels.
- Read the directions that come with the test thoroughly before starting the test, and follow every step precisely.
Read more about pregnancy urine color, what it means, and when you should worry.
Blood Test
You can confirm your pregnancy through a blood test as well. This is done at medical labs. Blood tests are rare, because they are expensive, and tend to have the same results as a urine test.
Are There Any Home Remedies for Pregnancy Tests?
If you can’t afford a blood test or are skeptical of a urine test, you can try certain remedies at home as well. It was our grandmothers who invented these home remedies for confirming a pregnancy.
Keep on reading to find some easy yet effective home remedies for pregnancy tests.
Sugar Pregnancy Test
This is an easy method. Just take one tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and add one tablespoon of urine to it.
You must notice how the sugar reacts when you pour urine over it. If it starts forming clumps, it means you are pregnant. If it dissolves quickly in the urine, it means you aren’t.
The science behind it is the ability of hCG to restrict the dissolution of sugar in the urine.
Salt Pregnancy Test
This DIT pregnancy test works just like sugar. Just use salt in place of sugar, and mix equal portions of salt and urine.
Wait for a minute!
If the salt starts forming creamy white clumps, it means a positive result. If no change occurs, it means you are not pregnant.
Vinegar Pregnancy Test
You may be surprised, but yes! Vinegar can help you in detecting your pregnancy. You need white vinegar, not apple cider vinegar.
Just take two tablespoons of white vinegar in a plastic container. Add your urine to this, and mix it properly with vinegar. If the vinegar changes its color and starts forming bubbles, you are pregnant. If there is no change, you aren’t.
Wheat and Barley Pregnancy Test
Wheat and barley are a part of every Pakistani kitchen. Do you know these grains can help you confirm your pregnancy as well?
Yes!
The interesting thing is these seeds germinate twice as quickly in a pregnant woman’s urine than in water. Mind-blowing, right?
To do this test, you need barley and wheat seeds and a clean bowel. Add urine to this bowl, and leave it for two days. If you see the seeds germinating in two days, it’s an indication of pregnancy.
Toothpaste Pregnancy Test
Toothpaste can be used to test pregnancy at home as well. You need to select white toothpaste.
Take two tablespoons of white toothpaste in a container and add the urine sample to it. If the toothpaste changes its color and becomes frothy, you are pregnant.
How You Can Increase the Accuracy of Home Pregnancy Tests?
You can increase the reliability of these home remedies for a pregnancy test by following some simple steps:
- Use the first urine of the day as it has concentrated hCG levels
- Make sure to use a clean plastic container to collect the urine
- Collect a considerable amount of urine for the test
- Wait for five to 10 minutes for the reaction to occur
- You can also repeat the method or use the second method to be double sure
Read more about the early signs of pregnancy.
Bottom Line!
You can do a pregnancy test at home using any of these home remedies. These tests are great for women who wish to keep their pregnancy secret. But you must keep in mind that you might not get accurate results. If nothing is working for you, it’s impertinent to consult a doctor and get a lab test done. It will indicate the status of your pregnancy, as well as how far you are in your pregnancy.
Consult a well-known gynecologist in Lahore to satisfy all your queries related to pregnancy. You may book an appointment via Healthwire.pk or call at (042)32500989.
