- What exam should I take?
- Pharmacy Test
- Blood test
- Possible pregnancy test results
- Positive result
- Negative result
- Know if you are pregnant
The pharmacy pregnancy test can be done from the 1st day of menstruation delay, and the blood test to find out if you are pregnant can be done 12 days after the fertile period, even before menstruation is delayed.
However, pregnancy tests sold at the pharmacy have different sensitivity and therefore, when the test is negative, but the symptoms of pregnancy are present, it must be repeated after about 3 to 5 days, because the amount of hormone in the urine increases every day, and the result may change to positive after this period.
It is also important to remember that home tests that use chlorine, bleach, coke, needle and vinegar are not reliable and should not be used to confirm pregnancy.
What exam should I take?
There are two tests that are reliable, the blood test done in the laboratory and the urine test, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. They work because they measure the amount of the beta HCG hormone, which is produced only during pregnancy and is present in the woman's urine or blood. Here's how each one works:
Pharmacy Test
The pharmacy exam, which can be purchased for about 10 reais, measures the amount of beta hormone HCG in the urine, which can be done from the 1st day of menstruation delay. It is a quick exam that gives the result in a few minutes, but you should be aware that in some cases wrong results can happen, especially if the test is done too early, which makes it difficult to identify the hormone.
Thus, in case of a negative result, but with the presence of pregnancy symptoms such as increased sensitivity of the breasts and increased oiliness of the skin, the ideal is to repeat the test after about 3 to 5 days, or do the blood test. See other symptoms at: 10 first symptoms of pregnancy.
Blood test
The blood test done in the laboratory costs between 20 and 40 reais and is the most suitable to confirm the pregnancy. To do this, it is not necessary to have a medical prescription or to be fasting, but some laboratories ask women to fast for 4 hours before collecting blood.
The test results come out a few hours after collection and to be completely reliable, it must be done at least 1 week after an intimate relationship without a condom, even if menstruation is not yet late.
Possible pregnancy test results
The possible results of the pharmacy test and blood test can be:
| Pharmacy test | Beta HCG blood test | |
| Positive | Darker strip or 2 stripes | more than 25 mIU / ml |
| Negative | No changes or just 1 stripe | less than 5 mIU / ml |
| False negative | No changes or just 1 stripe | between 5 to 25 mIU / ml |
Positive result
When the pregnancy test gives a positive result, it indicates that the woman is pregnant and should undergo prenatal care and start preparing for the baby's arrival. If you weren't trying to get pregnant, here's how to deal with unwanted pregnancies.
Negative result
In cases of negative results, but the delay in menstruation continues, the test should be repeated after about 1 week to confirm the previous result. If the new blood test is negative again, it means that the woman is not really pregnant and that it is necessary to investigate the causes of delayed menstruation. See 5 Common Causes of Delayed Menstruation.
While you have no confirmation of pregnancy, take this quick test to find out your chances of being pregnant:
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