How accurate are pregnancy test strips?
Disease description:
My menstruation is a few days late, and I want to use a pregnancy test stick to check if I'm pregnant. I would like to know how accurate pregnancy test sticks really are.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Lu
Pregnancy test sticks are relatively accurate when used correctly, but they are not absolutely accurate.
The principle of the pregnancy test stick is to detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine to determine whether a woman is pregnant. The test is generally accurate if the instructions are followed and the test is performed one week after the expected menstrual period delay. However, if the test is performed too early, the hCG levels in the urine might be too low to be detected, resulting in a false negative result, meaning the test shows negative even though the woman is actually pregnant. In addition, incorrect urine collection methods, expired test strips, or improper storage can also affect the test results. To improve accuracy, it is recommended to use first-morning urine and perform the test 7-10 days after the menstrual period stops.
The result of a pregnancy test stick should only be used as a preliminary reference and cannot be used as a definitive diagnosis of pregnancy. If there is any doubt about the result, it is best to visit a hospital for a blood hCG test to further confirm whether or not the woman is pregnant.
