What tests for determining pregnancy exist?
In order to thoroughly understand this issue, for starters it is necessary to say that all existing types of express tests for determining pregnancy can be divided into:
- test strips;
- Tablet;
- inkjet (electronic).
The most accessible and common of the above are test strips. The principle of their operation is simple: there are 2 indicators on the strip, the second of which is manifested at a certain level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine. It is a hormone that begins to be produced in the female body on the 7-10th day after a fertilized egg begins to develop. It is believed that when pregnancy occurs, hCG can be determined already in the first days of menstrual cycle delay. When using such tests, the answer is known in 5-10 minutes. It happens that the second strip has changed color hardly noticeably - this result is considered to be slightly positive. Gynecologists in such cases are advised to repeat the test after 2-3 days.
Test strips are the most inexpensive among all types of rapid tests, but also less accurate, compared with the rest. Their inaccuracy is due, above all, to improper use - a woman can overstay or underexpose a strip. Therefore, if we talk about whether a cheap pregnancy test (test strip) can be mistaken, it should be noted that the probability of obtaining an unreliable result is great, especially if the girl is using it for the first time.
Tablet tests are an order of magnitude more expensive, but they give a more reliable answer when used. Such a test consists of 2 windows: in 1 pipet a few drops of urine must be dripped, and in 2, the answer will appear after the time specified in the instruction.
Today, jet and electronic tests for determining pregnancy are gaining popularity. This test is sufficient to substitute under a stream of urine and after a few minutes the result will be reflected on the display of the device. This type of tests is the most expensive, but also the most sensitive. So, according to the manufacturers, with their help you can determine pregnancy even a few days before the start of the proposed menstruation.
Why is the pregnancy test wrong?
Many women are interested in the question of how often pregnancy tests are mistaken, and whether the electronic (jet) type of device can be mistaken.
Having told about what types of tests for determining pregnancy exist, let's try to answer the question about how often pregnancy tests are mistaken and whether an electronic (jet) pregnancy test can be wrong.
To begin with, it is worth noting that the result of any pregnancy test can be false-negative (when the test is negative, and pregnancy takes place) and false positive (the test is positive, and there is no pregnancy).
The first case can be observed when the gonadotropin concentration is insufficient. This can happen if the conception took place shortly before the onset of menstruation, and the hCG simply did not have time to accumulate in the required quantity, which is elusive by the test. It is also necessary to take into account that a woman can receive such a result even at the gestation period of more than 12 weeks, because By this time the hormone simply ceases to be synthesized. In addition, false positive results can give such violations as ectopic pregnancy and the threat of termination of pregnancy, when the level of the hormone is too small.
Quite often, women ask the gynecologist if two pregnancy tests can be mistaken. The probability that both tests gave a false result is very small and does not exceed 1-2%, unless, of course, when they were carried out, all the conditions stipulated in the instruction were observed, and the interval between tests was at least 3 days.