Overview
When a woman has an hCG test, it is just like a pregnancy test, except that you have to collect a small amount of your blood
If your hCG levels are very low or very high, your doctor may order a blood test to help determine whether or not you are pregnant. If you are pregnant, your levels are expected to be between 100-400 per milliliter, but some women can have higher or lower levels.
The test is fairly easy to use, and although it’s not always 100 percent accurate, the number of false negatives it misses far outnumber the number of false positives. A urine test can be used to detect pregnancy early. You can order a urine test kit from your doctor, or you can do it yourself.
What is a HCG test?
The human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) blood test , known as the “hCG blood test” is one of many pregnancy tests. The hCG test is recommended for accurate screening in the first trimester of pregnancy because it allows for the quicker detection of pregnancy. The hCG test requires a very brief visit to the laboratory, whereas the pregnancy test may require a urine sample and repeat tests to confirm positive results. It is typically used before and during the first trimester of pregnancy to screen for pregnancy. If there is a negative result, a referral to an imaging specialist should be considered. The other types of pregnancy tests such as the pregnancy test of the AMH test are also much more sensitive tests than the hCG blood test.
The hCG test is most useful for detection of pregnancy within a few days after ovulation. There are other tests that can determine the exact number of days, and even the exact amount of hCG, that the ovary produced. However, these tests aren’t as accurate, and do not usually work on women who are likely to conceive within the next few months, or at the very latest, 6-8 weeks.
Uses and precautions
As the pregnancy hormone hCG is the only pregnancy test that’s specific to pregnancy, you should only use a urine test kit to determine your pregnancy status once. You may continue using the test after you know if you’re pregnant or not. A urine test kit may be used to track your pregnancy or pregnancy symptoms.
The urine test kit usually uses the hormone hCG to determine the pregnancy. A positive result means you’re pregnant and a negative result means you’re not. If the test is positive, it can take several weeks for the pregnancy hormone to leave your body, so you may want to use the test again to confirm the pregnancy.
It does, however, indicate whether or not the hCG hormone is being produced by your ovaries. This is key for fertility tests. When a woman ovulates, hCG rises in her urine.
The hCG test can be used to identify the number of days in a woman’s menstrual cycle, to establish the fertility potential of a woman. It can also be used to differentiate between a normal, ovulating cycle, or an abnormally short cycle that is not likely to lead to pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant, you have a more accurate idea of the actual timeline of your pregnancy, with a better chance of identifying problems at the earlier stages of
If you’re pregnant, you may have to change your eating and drinking habits. Pregnant women are advised to eat more protein and eat at a slower pace. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. They may also have to stop breastfeeding. A drink can be designated to be for breast milk production, not consumption. Because alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to break down the protein in food, a pregnant woman shouldn’t drink too much.
Uses of HCG urine test
A hCG urine test is often used to determine how close the mother is to her period (this is especially important if it is late or missed).
Depending on what kind of pregnancy test the doctor does, there may be additional tests. These can involve tests for the hormone hCG, which are a side effect of pregnancy.
If hCG is elevated, then the pregnancy is very close to completion. If hCG levels are negative, there is no sign of a pregnancy.
The urine test is sometimes also used to check the lining of the uterus and the ovaries to confirm the pregnancy.
Other uses
Some tests may also be required. These can be done before the procedure or in the days after the embryo transfer.
Many other tests can be done if the doctor wants to determine how far along the pregnancy is and how long until the doctor is expecting to see the first blood and/or hCG in the blood work. These tests include:
Twin ultra sounds
These ultrasounds can be performed around 12 to 15 weeks of pregnancy to check the fetal development of twins.
These ultrasounds can be performed around 12 to 15 weeks of pregnancy to check the fetal development of twins.
Blood tests
This may also be called CRLs , or cervical cultures. These can help doctors know if the pregnancy is in the ectopic or natural sites.
Blood pregnancy tests
These are more likely to be done in the first trimester and they indicate whether or not the pregnancy is ectopic or whether or not the pregnancy is carrying twins.
How to prepare yourself for this test?
- Check the instructions
- Check the expiry date of the test
- Take the test in the morning first urine after missing your first period.
- Do not drink too much of liquid because this may dilute the HCG levels.
Here’s how an HCG urine test works:
Your doctor will draw a urine sample from you. In your home hCG urine test, you place a strip with an hCG test strip inside the container that you use to collect your urine sample. You can also use a pint size plastic bottle. Put a few drops of your urine in the bottom of the bottle, then seal the cap, shake the bottle, and wait for it to fill with urine. Allow the urine to pour out the bottle, and then give the bottle a little shake.
The presence of HCG in your urine will appear on the strip as the first line on the strip. Count the number of lines in the strip and if there are two or more lines, your HCG level is at or above 200 hCG (this may take some time, depending on your age). If you don’t see the second or third line, your HCG level is below 200 HCG.
Once the hCG level is below 200 hCG, it’s safe to say that you are pregnant. To confirm this, you can repeat the test every 48-72 hours. However, you will need to follow a specific protocol.
How to follow the hCG blood test protocol for hCG urine testing
Step 1
Go to a lab and have a fresh urine sample taken
You must have a fresh urine sample in your home and collect the urine yourself. Before the hCG urine test, you can use a test strip, but for the hCG test, you will need a fresh urine sample.
Make sure the lab has several sample containers and staff that are capable of asking you the correct questions. The first day you are in you should have at least four empty containers of clean urine. The lab staff will ask you to select a container, fill it with your urine sample, then dump the sample into a waste receptacle that has been pre-filled with an air-tight plastic bag. You should then use another container, and once again, you should fill it with urine, repeat, then dump.
Step 2
Immediately start drinking a clear liquid. Once you go to the hospital, you will be given the third of the three solutions.
What do the tests indicate?
If you have a positive result, your results indicate the presence of a growing fetus, and you will likely have a strong and steady fetus that is in good condition. If you are considering an embryo transfer and your hCG results come back positive, your doctor will likely perform an HCG blood test to confirm the findings.
Can I get false positives from hCG urine tests?
False positives may occur if you have an imbalanced diet, an infection of the urinary tract, diabetes, and epilepsy. While hCG tests detect low levels of hCG in urine, an imbalanced diet, diabetes, and epilepsy can cause you to have lower levels.
In cases of pregnancy, low levels of hCG in urine may also occur due to an ovulation disorder or when you’ve undergone surgery and haven’t urinated for a few days.
How is my hCG urine test conducted?
Most hCG tests are performed by running urine through a catheter, which is threaded into the urethra (the tube that connects your bladder to the outside world). The catheter then picks up and detects hCG in the urine, and the amount of hCG in the urine is measured. The specific number of hCG in the urine is important because it’s used to calculate how many eggs were released by your ovaries during ovulation.
Doctors may also perform a more advanced hCG test that can determine if the egg was fertilized. This advanced test requires you to insert an ultrasound probe into your vagina, which detects the amount of uterine lining in your cervix.
If you have an ectopic pregnancy, you may have low levels of hCG in urine. However, if you’re miscarrying, your hCG levels should be elevated.
What are the different types of hCG tests?
There are two types of hCG tests
Qualitative hCG blood test: This test checks for hCG levels. It is a quick way to determine if you have ovulation. Simply take a sample of your blood at the beginning of the month and have your healthcare provider check your levels. This test is a simple test with yes or no answers.
Quantitative hCG blood test: This test is a fast, non-invasive test to measure fertility, pregnancy, or early pregnancy loss. You collect the blood by inserting a small needle into a vein in your arm, without puncturing your skin. Most often, you will receive the test during your next menstrual period. You may also be offered the test as a follow-up for an earlier pregnancy test result.
These tests vary in the amount of hCG they detect and their accuracy. All of the hCG tests are accurate to within five days. Some of the newer tests detect hCG in your urine for up to six weeks.
You have a choice of which type of hCG test you’d prefer to take. Two of the newer tests are called hCG isobolograms. One is made by Clarity; the other is made by Henry Schein. The newer drugs and tests have been shown to have a higher rate of detection.
However, some of the older tests and tests that use the older drug are cheaper. You can also get hCG tests that don’t involve drugs.
Bottom Line
The hCG test will help pregnant women to test their pregnancy. It will help to analyze people to go through their pregnancy. It will help you to know whether you are pregnant or not.
Sirisha B