When is hcg highest in urine

We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Back in your mom's day, you had to miss your period before you took a pregnancy test — and wait a couple of hours before you knew the results. These days you can find out you're expecting much earlier, faster and with better accuracy using home pregnancy tests. All pregnancy tests measure the same thing: urinary levels of human chorionic gonadotropin hCG , a placenta-produced hormone of pregnancy.

HCG finds its way into your bloodstream and urine almost immediately after an embryo implants in the uterus. However, it does take some time before concentrations are high enough to be detected. HCG production begins as soon as the embryo implants in your uterus , which is between six to 12 days after fertilization. As soon as a test can detect hCG, it can show you depending on the brand an extra pink line, a blue one, a positive sign or a big digital yes — all indicating a positive result.

Understandably, you're likely wondering how early pregnancy can be detected by a home pregnancy test. Although it'll be hard to wait even a few days to find out whether there's a baby in your future, you may be wasting your money if you try taking a pregnancy test the morning after you hope you conceived. While home pregnancy tests are growing ever more sensitive and accurate, there is a limit to how soon a pregnancy test you buy can work.

If you test just seven days after ovulation, pregnancy tests generally can't pick up the very low levels of hCG in your urine. That means you'll likely get a "false negative" even if sperm has met egg. Am I Pregnant? The details of how you should use a home pregnancy test vary by brand — but in general, it's probably the simplest test you'll ever take. To improve accuracy:. It depends on when and how you use them, but some pregnancy tests claim to be up to 99 percent accurate if you follow the instructions — although experts say in reality accuracy is closer to 75 percent.

A few factors that determine how accurate your home pregnancy test will be:. The specimen migrates via capillary action along the membrane to react with the colored conjugate. Positive specimens react with the specific colored antibody conjugates and form a colored line at the test line region of the membrane.

Absence of this colored line suggests a negative result. To serve as a procedural control, a colored line will always appear at the control line region if the test has been performed properly. The test cassette contains mouse anti-beta hCG antibody conjugated to colloidal gold and goat anti-alpha hCG antibody coated on the membrane. A urine specimen must be collected in a clean and dry container. A first morning urine specimen is preferred since it generally contains the highest concentration of hCG; however, urine specimens collected at any time of the day may be used.

Urine specimens exhibiting visible precipitates should be centrifuged, filtered, or allowed to settle to obtain a clear specimen for testing. Blood should be collected aseptically into a clean tube without anticoagulants. Seperate the serum from the blood as soon as possible to avoid hemolysis. Use clear non-hemolyzed specimens when possible. Frozen specimens should be thawed and mixed before testing.

Place the test cassette on a clean and level surface. Hold the pipette vertically and transfer 3 full drops of urine or serum approx.

Avoid trapping air bubbles in the specimen well. Wait for the red line s to appear. Read the result at minutes for urine or minutes for serum. Do not interpret results after the appropriate read time.

It is important that the background is clear before the result is read. One line should be in the control region C and another line should be in the test region T. NOTE: A sample hCG concentration below the cut-off level of this test might result in a weak line appearing in the test region T after an extended period of time. While you should carefully follow the instructions included with your kit, the process typically goes like this:.

Wait 1 to 2 weeks after your first missed period. Irregular periods or miscalculations of when a period is due can affect your test. Plan to use the test the first time you urinate after waking up. This urine is the most concentrated and will contain the highest hCG levels of the day. Your urine dilutes as you drink liquids, so hCG levels may be harder to measure later in the day.

Other kits require that you collect urine in a cup and then dip the indicator stick into the cup to measure the hCG hormone level.

Home pregnancy tests usually include an indicator that shows whether the test is being properly performed. For most tests, it only takes about 5 to 10 minutes for a result to appear. Typically, a colored line or plus symbol will appear on the test stick to indicate a positive result.

The absence of a colored line or a negative sign usually indicates a negative result. If you have a negative result, you should consider these results to be uncertain, as they may indicate a false negative. Smoking, using alcohol, and taking certain medications can harm your baby in early pregnancy.

If you have a negative result, repeat the test in about a week to confirm the absence of pregnancy. They can conduct an hCG blood test , which is more sensitive to lower levels of the hCG hormone than the hCG urine test. If you have a positive result, it means that the test detected hCG in your urine. Your next step should be to consult your doctor.

They can confirm pregnancy with an exam and additional testing, if necessary. Getting prenatal care early in your pregnancy gives your baby the best chance for healthy growth and development before and after birth. What are the telltale early symptoms of pregnancy? Every person is different, but here are a few top signs.