Family planning is the ability of couples to anticipate and attain the desired number of children, maintain the gaps, and schedule the timing of their births accordingly. This is possible with the use of contraceptive methods or strategies that can help prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, sometimes things do not go as planned.
In case you had unprotected sex or somehow you have missed contraception, the chances of conception are quite high, especially if it happens around the period of ovulation. The process of fertilization takes place almost six days after the meeting of the sperm and ovum in the fallopian tube. The sperm and ovum (egg) together form a fertilized egg that travels through the fallopian tube to implant itself completely in the wall of the uterus.
The process of implantation usually happens 6 to 12 days after fertilization. As a result, the female body produces various hormones to support the pregnancy during the process of implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterine lining.
In the meanwhile, after unprotected sex, you might be feeling either anxious or excited depending on the decision. Whether you want to conceive or not. You might even panic at the idea of unwanted pregnancy and want to know right away whether you have conceived or not.
How Can You Detect The Pregnancy In The Initial Stage?
To know the consequences of having unprotected sex you may opt for pregnancy tests that would determine whether you have conceived or not. The pregnancy test kits generally detect the presence of a hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which helps confirm the result.
Since the initial stage of the pregnancy, the female body undergoes several changes to support the growth of the embryo that will gradually develop into a fetus. The production of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone starts building up once the fertilized egg implants itself in the womb.
Moreover, hCG is produced by the placenta during pregnancy. It helps with the thickening of the uterine lining to provide support to the developing embryo. Also, it signals the body to stop menstruating. HCG levels continue to rise until 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Types Of Pregnancy Tests
A pregnancy test usually involves the detection of the hCG hormone which is a special hormone produced by the female body only during pregnancy. The test can be done by taking either your urine or blood. The test looks for the presence of hCG hormone in the urine or blood. Let us understand both of these pregnancy detection methods.
Blood Test For Detection Of Pregnancy
Pregnancy detection by using blood tests can be done at the healthcare professional’s office. This type involves early detection of pregnancy for about 6 to 8 days after ovulation which is even before you miss your menstrual periods. Pregnancy detection with the blood takes longer than the home pregnancy test. However, the blood test method is quite high in accuracy rate.
Blood pregnancy tests are further divided into two categories comprising qualitative hCG tests and quantitative hCG tests. A qualitative test simply checks for hCG and indicates either a “yes” or “no” answer to the question. While a quantitative hCG test helps determine the exact amount of the hormone in the blood. It is useful in tracking problems during pregnancy. Your healthcare provider might use this method along with several other tests. That can indicate complications and future events of miscarriage when there is a sudden fall in hCG levels.
Urine Test For Detection Of Pregnancy
Urine tests are typically done at home but you can also get them done at the healthcare provider’s office. As the blood tests detect the presence of hCG hormone, similarly, urine tests as well do the same. You can get an at-home pregnancy test kit in most pharmaceutical stores without even needing a prescription that can help determine your pregnancy status.
Manufacturers of at-home pregnancy test kits claim that the results of the test using an at-home kit are almost 99% effective. And high on precision when the instructions are followed properly.
A urine test kit usually requires you to put a few drops of your urine on the strip or you can simply place the strip in the urine stream. The strip is specifically designed to detect the presence of the hCG hormone.
When Can You Get An Accurate Result Of The Pregnancy Test?
In case you have missed your period you can get the result of the pregnancy test on the first day itself. Most pregnancy tests are reliable from the first day of a missed period. And if you are not aware of when your next menstrual period is due. You can take the test after 21 days you last had unprotected sex. Moreover, it is not necessary to get the test done in the morning. You can test the urine sample at any time of the day.
Things To Keep In Mind While Taking At-home Urine Test
At-home test kits can help determine your pregnancy status as early as 10 days after conception. But sometimes early tests can fail to confirm the pregnancy by showing a negative result. So it is better to wait until you miss your period. The test done after missing the period ensures accuracy.
In addition, if you have missed your periods and still getting a negative result in the urine tests. Take another test or consult your healthcare provider that can conduct a test at their office for getting an accurate result.
Advantages Of Using An At-home Pregnancy Test Kit
At-home test kit’s accuracy depends upon how closely you follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer as every kit differs due to the difference in the brand. In addition, its accuracy also relies on how soon you take the test. There are several advantages to using a home pregnancy test kit because these are quite inexpensive. Easily available across any pharmaceutical store, very convenient to use, and lastly, provide quick results.
