Having children is a woman's biggest joy and pregnancy is a much awaited event in many women's lives. Pregnancy brings along with it, several dos' and don'ts and therefore, it is essential that every woman must know for sure, whether she is pregnant or not.

Do it yourself

Home pregnancy tests are focused on detecting the hormone hCG in the blood or urine of the female. This hormone is produced by the placenta and is at low levels of 5 to 50 mIU a week before the period is due and then is seen to double every two or three days.

There are several different types of pregnancy tests available in the market. Most women prefer the home tests, which are very accurate and avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor. Studies show that these home pregnancy tests conducted one week after a missed period may be up to 97% sensitive.

Home pregnancy tests are now available over the counter and their prices range from $8 to $20, depending on the manufacturing company and the number of tests available in one pack.

These packs come with easy to understand instructions. Most products involve collecting urine in a cup and then dipping the stick into it. After a while the window on the stick will show the result. There is often a control window which confirms whether the test is working right or not. A line or a plus sign confirm pregnancy, no matter how faint the line is. Other brands instruct to hold the stick into the stream of urine and some pregnancy tests even involve putting drops of a special liquid into urine in a cup.

Contrary to popular belief, the results of pregnancy tests are not affected, if the female is taking any other medication, including birth control pills, antibiotics, alcohol or any other recreational drugs. Fertility drugs which contain the hormone hCG may however give a false positive result.

After a positive result is found on the home pregnancy testing kit, it is important to visit the doctor for a confirmatory blood test. While the home tests indicate a positive or negative result only, the blood tests can go further to give an exact reading of the level of hCG in the blood. These qualitative tests are essential to monitor the progress of pregnancy. Ultrasounds can also be used, but they are better used in the later stages of pregnancy.