Missed periods, morning sickness, increased urination and so on…
All these changes in your body might be indicators of pregnancy.
As soon as a woman starts experiencing these early signs of pregnancy, a confirmation test is required.
For this, what’s better than a pregnancy test at home?
Yes, you got me right.
I am talking about the pregnancy test strips, an easiest pregnancy confirmation tool.
The best part is that these test strips are generally available and anyone can use it on their own.
Let’s know more about pregnancy strips!
Table of Contents
Pregnancy Test Strips – How it Works?
Pregnancy strips contain a test window and make at-home testing more convenient than ever.
Let’s know how it works!
Pregnancy tends to change a lot of things in our bodies.
The hormonal level is one among these.
During pregnancy, the level of HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin), also known as ‘hormone of pregnancy’ increases which is detected in our blood or urine. Pregnancy test strips detect it in urine.
The embryo in your body actively secretes this hormone after finding its attachment in the womb. After embryo placement in the uterus, the level of HCG in your body rises quickly.
HCG hormone is detectable 10-14 days after you conceive and is highest between 8-11 weeks of pregnancy.
According to the top reviewed gynecologist in Lahore, Dr. Zobia Jawad “Pregnancy test strips are a fast and quick way to confirm pregnancy as it is an efficient way to monitor the level of HCG hormone in urine.” However, the HCG level in your blood also confirms your pregnancy status. Your doctor takes your blood sample and sends it to the laboratory for performing an HCG test in the laboratory.
HCG pregnancy test is one of the common tests in CMH Hospital Lahore which is recognized for its well-established gynecology department.
Read more about: HCG test in Pakistan
How to Perform Pregnancy Tests Using Strips at Home?
Fact Alert: Men with prostate cancer have positive pregnancy test results in strips
You can easily perform this test at home using pregnancy test strips. Here is the step-by-step procedure for doing it.
1- Get Pregnancy Test Strips
These strips are generally available in the market. You can get it from any pharmacy or any store. There is a test window on the strip where you have to put the sample.
2- Get the Sample
As discussed, these strips detect the level of HCG hormone in your urine. So, you need a urine sample required to perform the test. An early morning sample can work best as it contains the highest level of hormone. You may also use urine samples any time during the day. Collect urine in a clean and dry container.
3- Perform the Test
After you collect the urine sample, take the sample and add it to the test window on the strip or you can place the strip in the urine sample. You can also place the strip in your urine stream.
Some strips show a maximum line, make sure that your urine sample doesn’t cross the line.
4- Know the Results
Now place the pregnancy test strip on a flat surface and wait for some time to make lines appear. This time can vary from strip to strip and ranges from a few seconds to minutes. After a few minutes, there will be lines shown on the strip.
The timing is mentioned on the packaging. Here is how you interpret pregnancy test results:
| How does it Appear? | Test Interpretation | What to do? |
| Double lines on the strip | Positive result One line will be lighter than the other but having same thickness | Talk to your doctor for further pregnancy planning |
| Single line on the strip | Negative pregnancy test | Try after a few days if you experience pregnancy signs & symptoms |
| Double lines with one faint line | Uncertain(Level of HCG is too low or you have performed test early) | Repeat it after a few days |
| No lines on the strip | Invalid test result(Test was not done properly) | Repeat test |
5- Discard Properly
After performing the test, make sure to discard the remaining sample and test strip properly. If possible, label it as infectious.
This way you can easily perform a pregnancy test at home and confirm it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy Test Strips
Are pregnancy test results accurate?
Yes, the accuracy of the pregnancy test strip results is 90%. This test is an easy way to confirm the pregnancy status at home.
Do medicines interfere with pregnancy test strips’ results?
Yes, certain medications can affect the outcomes of pregnancy test results at home. Some of these medicines include:
- Diuretics
- Allergy tablets (Promethazine)
- Sleeping pills
- Antipsychotics
- Opioids
- Anticonvulsants
- Infertility medications
- Tranquillizers
Other than this, medicines used to treat Parkinson’s disease can also interfere with the results. If you are using any of these medications then your physician can guide you to go for other pregnancy tests.
Is there any medical condition that can affect pregnancy test strips results?
Yes, certain medical conditions can result in a positive pregnancy test result even when you are not pregnant. These include:
- IgA (antibody) deficiency in the body
- Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (uterine tumour)
- Gestational trophoblastic disease (pregnancy-related tumour)
- Renal cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancers
What is the accuracy of pregnancy test results from strips?
The result of pregnancy testing done via strips varies from strip to strip. The accuracy of strip-based pregnancy testing ranges from 90-99% based on the quality of strips used. These strips follow different quality standards and can come with different types of accessories in the pack.
When should I go for a pregnancy strip test?
Well, as soon as you start witnessing early signs of pregnancy while you are trying to conceive and not on any birth control, a pregnancy strip can be done. Here are the early signs you need to know:
- Missed period
- Changes in urine frequency
- Nausea and vomiting
How long does it take to perform pregnancy testing using strips?
The duration can range from seconds to minutes based on the strip brand you are using.
Are ovulation strips the same as pregnancy strips?
No, ovulation strips are similar to pregnancy strips in appearance but has a different function. Rather than indicating your pregnancy status, ovulation strips tell about your fertility window.
What are some of the pregnancy test strips in Pakistan?
There are different kinds of pregnancy test strips available on the market. In Pakistan, following are the some of the renowned brands selling these test strips:
- Bright Vision First Answer Pregnancy Test Strip
- Master One Step Urine Pregnancy Test Strip
- GH Collectionz Laboquick Pregnancy Test Strips
- Fast Sign Plus Pregnancy Test Strips
There are many other varieties available online and in-store.
What is the price of pregnancy test strips in Pakistan?
The price of these strips varies from brand to brand. Here are the prices of pregnancy test strips commonly used in Pakistan.
- Bright Vision First Answer Pregnancy Test Strip – Rs. 70.00/strip
- Master One Step Urine Pregnancy Test Strip – Rs. 9.00/strip
- GH Collectionz Laboquick Pregnancy Test Strip – Rs. 59.00/strip
- Fast Sign Plus Pregnancy Test Strip – Rs. 50.00/strip
Let’s Wrap Up!
Pregnancy test strips are one of the easiest ways to confirm pregnancy. This is an efficient, reliable and secure method. After confirmation of the result via strip testing, talk to your doctor to plan your journey. You can consult with the best gynecologists in Karachi via Healthwire to make timely decisions about your health.
