Pregnancy tests are supposed to be foolproof these days. In many ways they are foolproof. Though even though the tests have gotten easier to take, they still involve a component that we can't quite control—our emotions.
Anyone who has ever sat over a small white disk filled with their urine, praying for a certain result will tell you, emotions play a big part in pregnancy testing. Here are some tips to help you deal with reading the test, regardless of your emotions.
A Positive Pregnancy Test: Now What?
Use First-Morning Urine
First-morning urine actually has more of the hormone (hCG) that the test is looking for. This makes it more likely to get an accurate test reading. If you're worried you'll forget to collect it when you first get up, close the lid to your toilet and set the pregnancy test on top. Some say that if you hold your urine for more than four hours it is the same as first-morning urine.
The key is to not overload yourself on fluids to make your urine more dilute.
Follow the Instructions
You're likely anxious, which is normal when faced with the small pregnancy test that has the potential to change your life forever. But, before you even enter the bathroom, pull out the instructions and read them thoroughly. Be sure you know what you're doing, don't assume you remember from previous tests. It will also give you information on time limits, both in how long you need to wait and when the test is no longer valid to be read.
Use a Timer
You might feel like you're a great estimator of time, but when you're dealing with a pregnancy test, bring along your unbiased friend—the timer on your phone or a clock. If the test says you shouldn't read the results after 10 minutes, a clock can tell you if the test turned positive at nine minutes and 30 seconds or 10 minutes and three seconds. This can be a huge difference.
Use a Cup
Even if the directions tell you to hold a pregnancy test in your urine stream, don't panic. If you're not a good aim or are worried that you'll make a huge mess, don't fear. Collect the urine in a cup. Then simply hold the absorbent end of the pregnancy test into the urine in the cup for the amount of time you were supposed to hold it in your urine stream.
Ask Questions
Don't be afraid to call the toll-free number on the box for help, if needed. That's what it's there for! You can ask the people, usually nurses, any questions that concern you. Typical questions might be about medication interactions that affect the pregnancy tests workings or even something about evaporation lines, test reliability, etc.
A Word From Verywell
While this is one of the most important tests that you will ever take, the good news is that they are pretty error-proof. They are designed for lay people to use them easily and without many incorrect results. This should give you the confidence you need to test and not stress about it.
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD,
MPH
Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor.
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You can use a home pregnancy test to determine whether or not you may be pregnant. You may have missed your period or be worried that your birth control didn't work. Home pregnancy tests are pretty simple to use, but it is very important that you carefully read all of the directions. The tests' accuracy depends on you correctly following the directions and interpreting the results.
Illustration by Cindy Chung, VerywellHow Home Pregnancy Tests Work
Pregnancy tests work by detecting hCG (the pregnancy hormone) in your urine. When a fertilized egg has implanted into your uterus, your body will begin to make hCG.
Most home pregnancy tests have about the same ability to detect hCG—they give a positive result if your hCG level is at least 20mIU (mIU is a level of measurement). Some home pregnancy tests are a little bit more sensitive and others a little less. Usually, the instructions tell you the sensitivity levels of the test.
When to Use a Test
A good rule of thumb is to wait at about 21 days (three weeks) after you last had unprotected sex/birth control failure before using a home pregnancy test—or at least one day after a missed period. On average, 20mIU/hCG levels are present about seven to ten days past ovulation. During a typical cycle:
- Most people ovulate 14 or 15 days from the first day of their menstrual cycle.
- If the egg is not fertilized, then the next period should begin about 14 days after ovulation; these two 14-day spans make up a 28-day cycle.
- If the egg is fertilized, implantation generally happens at around 9 days (average 6 to 12 days) days after ovulation.
- Once implantation takes place, hCG will begin to be made (20 to 26 days into the cycle).
Before You Use a Test
Take these steps to get a home pregnancy test and prepare to use it.
- Buy a test. When buying a home pregnancy test, some experts suggest that you purchase one from a large store that has a lot of product turnover. This way, you will be more likely to buy a newer test and not one that has been sitting on the shelves for months.
- Check the expiration date on the test and make sure it is still valid. If you bought the test awhile ago and have been storing it, especially in an area like a bathroom (where it gets warm or moist), make sure that it has not expired. If it has, buy a new one.
- Read all of the directions carefully (because they may be different for each pregnancy test brand). If you have any questions about how to perform the test or interpret the results, look for a toll-free number in the package instructions. You can call this number to have your questions answered.
- Gather your supplies. In addition to the test kit, you will need a watch or timer, a flat surface, and possibly a clean collection cup for urine.
Taking Your Home Pregnancy Test
Take your test first thing in the morning. Your urine is more concentrated at this time. If you are pregnant, your first morning pee will have a higher amount of hCG in it than pee from later on in the day.
To begin, wash your hands with warm water and soap. Remove the pregnancy test from its foil wrapper. Depending on the particular home pregnancy test, you should pee in a collection cup or pee directly onto the pregnancy test stick. Some tests will give you the option to collect your urine either way.
It is important to catch a "midstream sample." This means that you should let out a little bit of pee first, and then use the rest of your pee for the test.
- If the test requires you to pee directly onto the stick, place the side of the test stick with the absorbent tip in your urine stream with the result window facing up. Pee on it for about 5 to 10 seconds (or whatever time it says in the directions).
- If you have collected your urine in a cup, use the supplied dropper to place a small amount of pee in the testing well. If your test did not provide a dropper but said that you could use a collection cup, dip the absorbent end of the pregnancy test into the cup of pee and hold in place for 5 to 10 seconds (or whatever time it says in the directions).
Place the pregnancy testing stick on a flat, dry surface with the "result window" facing up. The instructions will tell you how many minutes to wait for the results to appear. This can be anywhere from one minute to five minutes, though some home pregnancy tests can take up to 10 minutes to give you an accurate result.
There will most likely be a "control window" on the test as well as a result window. You will probably see the background in the control window get darker as the urine passes through. Most control windows will display a line or symbol to show that the test is valid. If this control indicator does not appear, chances are very likely that the test is not valid or did not work properly.
Once the required amount of time has passed, you can check the results. Keep in mind that different tests may display the results differently, so make sure you read in the instructions what shape or symbol you should be looking for. Examples include:
- A pink or blue line
- A red plus or minus sign
- A color change in the window or in the urine in the test
- The words "pregnant" or "not pregnant"
If any line, symbol, or sign shows up in the results window, no matter how faint, you can consider the home pregnancy test result to be positive. A line will not show up if the test does not detect hCG—so even the faintest line means that the test has picked up on hCG in your pee.
If you got a positive test result on your home pregnancy test, it is important that you make a medical appointment. Your doctor can confirm the result of your home pregnancy test and begin prenatal care.
Your test result is only accurate if you see the indicator during the specified amount of time. If the instructions say to wait three minutes, whatever shows in the result window after three minutes is your test result. If the test sits for too long, an evaporation line may appear. If any line, symbol, or sign shows up after the amount of time specified in the instructions, this is not considered a positive pregnancy test result.
If Your Test Result Is Negative
If the home pregnancy test gives you a negative result, but you do not get your period, you should retest in 3 to 5 days. If you ovulated later in your cycle or did not properly calculate your ovulation date, you may have taken the pregnancy test too soon to receive a positive test result.
Since the amount of hCG increases rapidly when you are pregnant, you may end up with a positive test just a few days after a negative one. This is why some home pregnancy test kits come with more than one test—so you have another one to re-test with.
If you took your test fewer than 7 days after your missed period, do not automatically believe that a negative test result means that you are not pregnant. You may have taken the home pregnancy test too soon. Wait another week. If by that time you still have not gotten your period and are still getting a negative test result, you should make an appointment with your doctor to figure out if something may be going on.
By Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC
Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC, is a published author, college professor, and mental health consultant with over 15 years of counseling experience.
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