To determine if you are pregnant, you can take a blood or urine test. Most people choose the urine test because let’s face it, no one enjoys getting their blood drawn.
Why are there two kinds of pregnancy tests? The main difference is the blood test detects pregnancy earlier than at-home pregnancy tests. Often, 6 to 8 days after ovulation.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?
Both a urine and blood test check for the same thing, a hormone known as hCG. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced when a woman becomes pregnant. The hormone begins about 6 days after fertilization when a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of your uterus.
The levels of hCG build up rapidly in the earliest days of pregnancy. It’s this hormone that triggers other pregnancy symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
What Does A Blood Test Show?
There are two types of blood tests for pregnancy. The first type simply answers the question, “Am I pregnant?” It checks to see if there is any hCG hormone present.
The second test measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. It helps determine if there are problems with a pregnancy. It also helps with diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy forms outside of the uterus which can be extremely dangerous.
Are At-Home Urine Tests Good?
Urine tests can be accurate too. The directions need to be followed carefully and you need to wait the recommended amount of time to get the correct results. Depending on the brand you use, and when you ovulated, urine tests can detect hCG as early as 8-10 days after fertilization, or around the first day of a missed period.
No-Cost Lab-Quality Pregnancy Tests
At PRCV, you can get a urine pregnancy test at no cost to you. Because our tests are lab-quality, they’re 99% accurate. We recommend coming to the center a week after your missed period. The level of hCG will be higher and easier to detect.
If the results are positive, we provide referrals for on-site ultrasounds. An ultrasound will show how far along your pregnancy is and if it’s growing.
Schedule an appointment with PRCV. Don’t wait and wonder. Come to PRCV for a no-cost urine pregnancy test. We want you to have confirmation so you’ll know your next step to take.