How Do Pregnancy Tests Work? - Metroplex Women's Clinic

You might wonder if home pregnancy tests provide accurate results. Regardless of how you feel about being pregnant, there are a few things you should know about home pregnancy tests.Keep reading to learn more.How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?About 10 days after conception (when a sperm fertilizes an egg), the embryo implants into a woman’s uterus. Her body then releases the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to sustain the pregnancy. [1] Home pregnancy tests detect the presence of HCG in the urine.When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy TestAlthough the body produces HCG at implantation (10 days after conception), HCG may not be detectable in the urine until about 14 days after conception. So, most home pregnancy tests recommend testing once you’ve missed your period. If taken before a missed period, the test could be negative even though a woman is early in her pregnancy. [2]How Accurate are Pregnancy Tests?Every home pregnancy test works differently, so women should read and fol...