Welcome to Making Babies

Home Pregnancy Tests (HPT) work by detecting the hormone hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin). hCG is produced once a fertilized egg implants your uterus. This usually takes place 6 to 10 days after you have ovulated.

You get different types of tests:

Strip test:

These are the much more affordable tests for us POAS-a-holics. The test doesn't come in a plastic casing. You simply dip the test in a cup of urine for 10 seconds. (Make sure your cup is clean)

Cassette test:

The test is in a flat plastic casing and comes with a dropper. You collect urine into a cup and use the dropper to drop a few drops of urine into the “sample well” on the test.

Midstream:

The grandest of the lot. They also come in a casing but have a wick on the one end. They are designed so that you can just aim the stick into your urine stream while sitting on the loo. You can of course still collect urine in a cup and dip the test.

It doesn’t matter which of the tests you use. Because at the end of the day, they are all just a strip test with fancy covers on or not. The tests all work on the same principle of detecting hCG.

When can I test?

Implantation can occur from 6dpo-10dpo (days past ovulation), in all reality you could start testing from 8dpo already provided that your fertilized egg implanted by 6dpo. But it might take a few days after implantation for enough hCG to be produced in order to be picked up by the test. The average woman gets a positive test at 13.5dpo. If you are getting negative results before your period is due don’t lose all hope. You could very well just be testing too early. Try again over the next few days. Your hCG level should double every 2-3 days.

Which test should I use?

This is so difficult because everyone has their own opinion of which test is the best. If you are testing earlier than 12-14dpo, it’s probably better to test with a sensitive test. One measuring 10-20mIU/mL.

That nasty evap line….

You are bound to get one at some point. This is when you notice the test line is visible but looks more gray in colour or colourless. It can also look like an indentation in the strip. Evaps can come up during the test limit time or after. Best advice is to take any second line that comes up AFTER the time limit as an evap. Even if your heart is wishing for it to be a faint positive.

Is first morning urine (FMU) necessary?

It depends…. If you are testing from 10dpo onwards, it is advisable to use FMU. Since FMU is most concentrated with hCG. If you are testing after your period is due, it shouldn’t matter what time of day you test since the HCG should be “strong” enough to be picked up. If you are thinking about testing in the middle of the day, try holding your urine for 3-4 hours and limiting your fluid intake.

Reading the results of your test

Make sure you read the instructions that come with your HPT before testing. Some tests require a certain amount of urine. You will notice the dye run across the test once the urine has been absorbed. Usually the control line will appear first. Showing that the test is indeed working. Have a watch handy, so that you can time your test. Most tests have a development time of 5 minutes, but give the full 10 minutes before throwing the test away. If a second line (the test line) does come up, you can conclude it as being a positive. Don’t worry too much if the test line is fainter than the control line. A faint line says that the test is picking up a small amount of hCG. You will probably notice the test line getting darker when testing the next day or a few days later.