Home Pregnancy Test Accuracy
Home pregnancy test accuracy can be close to 100% if the
directions are followed correctly and if you test at the right time.
Probably the number one issue with such tests is when they can be
used. That is one of the most asked questions from women trying to
conceive - "When to test for pregnancy? How early can I test?" The answer to
this determines the accuracy of the test.
The answer to this question ultimately depends on 2 things.
1. When you ovulated.
2. IF conception occurred, when the fertilized egg implanted.
And the pregnancy test accuracy can also depend on what brand of pregnancy test you have and
the sensitivity level. Most of the tests these days are fairly
sensitive detecting the pregnancy hormone hcg levels in early pregnancy.
Here's an overview of what goes on in your body after ovulation:
Ovulation is when the ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tube.
The egg will only live for 12 to 24 hours unless it's fertilized.
For the best chance of fertilization there should be sperm already
present in the fallopian tube. Sperm normally lives up to 72 hours
but can live up to 5 days.
When the egg is fertilized by the sperm it will sit in the fallopian
tube for several days - just dividing from a one-celled organism
into a multi celled zygote. It will begin to float down and into the
uterus. Once in the uterus the fertilized egg will find a spot in
the rich thick lining to implant. It's not until this moment of
implantation that the body will know it's pregnant. Before
implantation takes place, the body does not know - the hormone
pregnancy hCG has not been produced - and there can be no pregnancy
symptoms.
Implantation can take place as early as 3 or 4 days post ovulation,
but more than likely it takes place around 5 to 7 days past and as
late as 10 days past ovulation. With this in mind you can see when
you might obtain a positive pregnancy test. At the point of
implantation the corpus luteum is messaged to maintain the uterine
lining until the placenta is in place. hCG begins in production and
can be detected in the blood and urine a day or so after
implantation has taken place. Pregnancy implantation symptom is a bit of spotting - which may or may not be seen.
hCG doubles every other day - so at first the levels are low and
even a sensitive pregnancy test may not pick it up. It's hCG that
causes the first symptoms of pregnancy and you may experience symptoms a week
or so before your period is due.
If the fertilized egg implants early you can possibly get a positive
home pregnancy test result as early as 7 days post ovulation. It's
more probable to get a positive on the test at 9 or later days. If
it's a test that's not as sensitive, you may not see a positive
until 12 to 14 days past ovulation.
The home pregnancy test accuracy ultimately depends on several
things. Depends on what day past ovulation the fertilized egg
implanted and depends on how sensitive your particular brand of home
pregnancy test is. There's really no way of knowing when the egg
implants other than the possibility of some vague pregnancy
symptoms. It's possible to see a negative pregnancy test before
seeing a positive. If you don't want to chance seeing a negative,
wait until your period is late to test. In some women it could take
17 days or longer for a pregnancy test to register a positive
result then your home pregnancy test accuracy will be greater.