Abstract

Taking a home pregnancy test can be exciting, most of meaningful to take a decision of continuing or terminating the pregnancy, but it becomes sometimes stressful, especially when the lady is not sure whether she should trust the results. Knowing when and how to take a home pregnancy test and being knowledgeable of some of the possible drawbacks of home testing can minimize such stress. While many home pregnancy tests claim to be able to confirm pregnancy as early as the first day of a missed period and some even before that point. However, most home pregnancy test results are accurate if they are taken after the first day of a missed period. That’s because shortly after a fertilized egg implantation in the uterine lining the placenta begins forming. The placenta makes the pregnancy hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), which can be detected in blood and urine, present in the body only during pregnancy. The timing of ovulation makes a difference in the accuracy of a home pregnancy test. The ovulation can change from month to month even in the same woman. A fertilized egg also can be implanted in the uterus at different times. That can affect the timing of when HCG starts to be made and when it can be found with a home pregnancy test. Irregular menstrual cycles affect test results, as they make it hard to figure out when a period should start. Fertility medications or any other medicine that contains HCG and medicines containing Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), used to trigger the ovaries to release an egg also interfere with the results.

Material and methods: This article is based on 3 cases, monitored by the author. Two primary infertility cases showing positive home-based pregnancy test, after 18-24 months of hormonal therapy, D&C etc. One progressed to a full-time normal delivery, and another ended in gobbled fetus of the first gravida going through D&C and hormonal therapy. In the third case of post contraceptive secondary infertility, hormonal therapy has not helped, and the Ovulation cycle appears to have returned since just 2 months, but irregular periods have given the pains of false positive results in both periods.

Outcome: Only one case ended in happiness within 2 years observation and the other 2 cases of secondary infertility disappointed by repeated pregnancy test, are hoping to see the pink line proving pregnancy following home based pregnancy test, getting pregnant and finally having a baby in another year or so.

Keywords: Homebased pregnancy test kits-urine test; Control line; Colorless evaporation line; Blood test for HCG and ultrasound; False positive and false negative tests; Trusting the results; Corroborating with early pregnancy symptoms

Abbreviations: HCG/hCG: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin; FSH: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone; D&C: Dilatation and Curettage