How to read pregnancy test strips?

Now the easiest way to measure whether you are pregnant is to use a pregnancy test strip. This test strip is very simple to use and is mainly used to check women’s urine, but everyone must master the correct usage. For example, testing in the morning is the most accurate. In addition, if the pregnancy test strip is already wet, it is best not to use it, as the test results will be inaccurate. So how do you read the results of the pregnancy test strip?

How to read pregnancy test strips?

The results of urine test with test paper may appear in the following four situations: positive, weak positive, negative, and invalid. As shown in the following figure:

Positive (pregnancy): Two red reaction lines: one red reaction line appears in the test area (T) and one red reaction line appears in the control area (C). When the color of the test area (T) is lighter than that of the control area (C), it means that you may have just become pregnant. Please retest with morning urine the next day to confirm.

Negative (not pregnant): one red reaction line; one red reaction line appears only in the control area (C).

Invalid: No red reaction line appears in the control area (C), indicating that the test is wrong or invalid.

How to use pregnancy test strips

Generally speaking, pregnancy can be detected if menstruation is delayed for three days. The test result will be more accurate after a delay of one week because the HCG value will be significantly higher at this time. Take out the test paper from the package for testing. Try to test it within one hour after opening it. If there is an error in the use of the early pregnancy test paper, the accuracy of the test results will be inaccurate. If you want to improve the accuracy of early pregnancy test strips, you must master the correct method of using pregnancy test strips:

1. Before testing, you must read the instruction manual in full and restore the reagents and urine samples to room temperature (20℃-30℃) before use.

2. Take out the test strip from the original aluminum foil bag and insert it into the urine sample in the direction of the arrow. Note: The urine level must not exceed the mark on the test strip.

3. After at least 5 seconds, take it out and place it flat on a clean and flat surface to observe the results.

4. Wait for the purple-red strip to appear. The test result should be read at 3 minutes and will be considered invalid after 10 minutes.

It is recommended to use morning urine for testing because morning urine is concentrated and has higher hormone levels. In addition, to improve the accuracy of the test, you should try to reduce your water intake the night before the test. Mastering the above methods can make the test results more accurate. Of course, the early pregnancy test can only be regarded as a preliminary judgment result. Women of childbearing age should not rely solely on a piece of early pregnancy test to determine whether they are pregnant. To be on the safe side, you can test again after 3 days. If necessary, go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination to confirm the diagnosis.