Any kind of pregnancy test is conducted with the objective of checking the presence of hCG hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone), which starts getting produced in a pregnant woman's body during the initial stages of week by week pregnancy. Also known as pregnancy hormone, this can be checked by way of a urine test, which can be conducted at home or by a blood test, which is facilitated by a health care practitioner.

There is no one answer as to when to take a pregnancy test. Again, this is dependent on the particular brand of pregnancy test you purchase. Some tests state they are able to detect pregnancy as early as six days after ovulation but the most accurate tests are those that detect pregnancy about 14 days after ovulation. For most women, this falls mid-way through their ovulation cycle. Even if your menstrual cycle is very regular, it is safest to wait at least a week after your period was last due before taking a pregnancy test. This ensures the most accuracy.

The way a home pregnancy test works is simple. The test measures the amount of a pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your spouse's urine. A woman's body starts releasing hCG only after a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus wall and the placenta begins to form around it. All this happens within the first 10-15 days of a pregnancy.

Pregnancy Test can detect the pregnancy hormone as early as 4 days before you expect your period. In clinical testing, Answer® detected the hormone levels in 69% of women 4 days before their expected period, in 83% of women 3 days before their expected period, in 93% of women 2 days before their expected period, and in 93% of women 1 day before their expected period." The companies publish their statistics to tell the possible kit user the level of accuracy with which the tests can be conducted.

They are freely available in the pharmacies, grocery stores, supermarkets and even online and are quite inexpensive. The price of course depends on where you buy and whether you buy a single or a multi-test package. Why would you need more than one pregnancy test? Simply because if the first one is done too soon and it shows as negative, when in reality pregnancy has already started. That is why a second one will be needed after a few days to either confirm or refute the results of the first test.

Pregnancy tests, by the way, are US FDA regulated. There are several over the counter home pregnancy tests available that you can use in private to get immediate results. There are pregnancy tests that tell you that you are pregnant barely six days after you conceive or immediately the day after you miss your period. For you, this means that as soon as you know you are pregnant, you can start planning the kind of prenatal care you want.

Always read the directions carefully before taking a home pregnancy test. Some manufacturers require different steps such as holding the stick directly under the stream of urine or placing it upright in a small cup containing urine for several minutes. Each test is designed to work in different ways so be sure to follow the directions on the patient pamphlet provided.

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