Pregnancy Test

There are two types of pregnancy tests: urine tests, which can be taken at home and blood tests, which can be taken by a doctor. Pregnancy tests work by measuring human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone levels in your urine or blood. This hormone is produced in the uterus once a fertilized egg implants itself there.

Many pregnancy tests claim you can take them immediately after missing your period. You may want to wait a little longer, however, because these hCG levels can vary from woman to woman. If you wait about a week after you would normally get your period you should have enough of the hCG hormone in your body to be detected on a home pregnancy test. If you get a negative result you may want to wait a few more days and try again.

You may be wondering how to use a home pregnancy test. Since there are so many different ones on the market there are different methods to taking and reading them. They're all pretty simple, so just follow the directions and you should get the results in about 5 to 10 minutes. One thing to be aware of is the expiration date of the pregnancy test, as this will ensure the test will work properly.