Early detection pregnancy test
Early pregnancy test: when and how to do it?
The desire or need to know if we are pregnant after unprotected sex sometimes pushes us to resort to early pregnancy tests. But when can we do them? Are they reliable? All the answers to your questions thanks to Jean-Paul Bénézech, gynecologist.
Whether you are afraid of the result or are too impatient to wait for the first days of your period , it is now possible to use an early pregnancy test. Be careful, however, because their results can be biased.
How do you know if you are pregnant?
Various symptoms can accompany the beginning of pregnancy, the main ones being:
- Unusual fatigue;
- Morning sickness;
- Tense breasts;
- Mood swings;
- Odors or tastes that are unpleasant;
- An increased need to urinate;
- Mild pain in the lower abdomen caused by the uterus becoming larger and possibly contracting slightly.
The most obvious symptom? A late period . But you still need to know the usual length of your menstrual cycles. A cycle is the number of days between the first day of your period and the last day before the next one. To calculate this length, applications can be very useful.
If you notice any of these symptoms, accompanied by a significant delay in your period, of three days or more, then it is advisable to take a pregnancy test to confirm. They are available in pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets. But it is also possible to know before your period if the pregnancy is positive by taking an early pregnancy test.
When is the earliest you can take a pregnancy test? When should you take a test after unprotected sex?
With a classic pregnancy test, the presence of the pregnancy hormone Beta-HCG , commonly called hCG, is detected in the urine. It is produced by the embryo very quickly after conception. You have to wait two weeks after unprotected sexual intercourse, or an absence or late period, to do it. But for a few years now, there has been a new type of pregnancy test called "early", which is more sensitive to the hCG hormone than the classic model.
How to use early pregnancy tests? Can you buy them in pharmacies? Can you do them before your period starts?
Just like a classic test, it can be purchased in a pharmacy , drugstore, supermarket or on the Internet. You must usually urinate on a strip, preferably in the morning , because the first stream of urine is more concentrated, which facilitates the detection of the hCG hormone. Don't forget to read the instructions carefully , because each test has its own specificities for reading the result. You must respect the time indicated. If the result is not clear, wait 48 hours to do another test.
Can you take a pregnancy test during your period?
In case of unexpected bleeding, it is possible to perform an early pregnancy test, but generally pregnancy tests are used outside of periods.
Clearblue, Biosynex… What are the different brands? What is the best pregnancy test before your period?
The best-selling, and one of the best, is the Clearblue Early Detection pregnancy test , which can be used 6 days before your period is due. It is over 99% accurate. If two lines appear, the result is positive. A blood test will be needed to confirm.
But there are other early pregnancy tests, such as BioSynex or Exacto, which can be used from the eighth day after intercourse.
Are early pregnancy tests reliable?
In the same way as the classic test, the early pregnancy test is reliable if it is used correctly. " There is no need to multiply the tests. One is enough. They are reliable ," assures Dr. Jean-Paul Bénézech, gynecologist.
Are there any false positives?
A " false positive " is not possible. If it is positive, there is necessarily an early pregnancy. On the other hand, the embryo may not have implanted in the uterus. Moreover, in the case of an ectopic pregnancy , it will be necessary to intervene quickly. This is why making an appointment with the gynecologist is always necessary when the result is positive.
What about false negatives?
It may happen that the urine test gives a negative result even though the pregnancy has already started ." The earlier you do the test, the more likely you are to have a false negative ," explains the gynecologist, who recommends waiting until your period is late to take a test. Not to mention that a low level of hCG hormone may not be detected in the case of an ectopic pregnancy.
What to do if the home test is positive?
If the test is negative
" This means that there is no pregnancy of more than nine days, but it does not mean that one is not pregnant ," specifies Jean-Paul Bénézech. " The pregnancy must send enough messages to be detected when the test is done well before the period. "
If the test is positive
If your pregnancy test is positive , you must do a blood test to confirm the result and make an appointment with a gynecologist or midwife, who will do an initial ultrasound scan to confirm the pregnancy and observe how many embryos there are and whether they are well implanted in the uterus. Your referent will then take charge of the pregnancy until delivery to monitor the baby's progress and prevent any potential risks associated with this pregnancy.
The Limitations of Early Pregnancy Testing
Since this urine test is used even before the embryo has fully implanted, a positive result does not necessarily mean that the pregnancy will go to term.
" With this test, we will detect pregnancies of a few days, which can be eliminated naturally when there are major anomalies ," warns Jean-Paul Bénézech. "If we do this test every month and we accumulate miscarriages at the beginning of pregnancy, this can weigh heavily on morale. It is not without psychological consequences ".
The case of LDCs
In the case of medically assisted procreation (MAP), if this test is done after an injection of HCG hormone, the result will be distorted". This hormone takes time to be eliminated from the body ," says the gynecologist, who again advises being patient.
