All You Need to Know About The UPT

Getting a pregnancy test done is one of the best ways to know if you are pregnant. From the initial phase of pregnancy, the human body starts to change to help your baby’s growth. That is why there is a sudden increase in the human HCG hormone. This hormone is found in women only after the fertilized egg gets implanted in the womb, after ten days of conception. The most common types of pregnancy tests are urine tests and blood tests. It’s much simpler to get yourself tested with a home pregnancy test kit, which can be bought at any pharmacy without a prescription.

A UPT is usually done by collecting a few drops of urine and putting them on the test kit using a dropper. If a colour change is noticed, it indicates a positive pregnancy test. Your doctor usually performs this test if they suspect that you may be pregnant. If you are doubtful that you may be pregnant after missing your period date, you can get the UPT done at home. The symptoms usually include morning sickness, breast tenderness or fullness, vomiting, and nausea.

• Using your first urine in the early morning is essential because this is the most appropriate time of the day as your HCG levels remain concentrated and get easily detected.

• Limiting the fluid intake before the test is also necessary as this can increase the volume of urine and dilute the HCG levels.

• Directions to use always come in handy with the UPT pack. Ensure to read it thoroughly before starting to test.

Blood Pregnancy Test (beta HCG) helps the doctor detect pregnancy after 7 to 12 days of conception. At the same time, Urine Pregnancy Tests will take around 14 days after pregnancy to detect pregnancy. In terms of cost, blood tests may be slightly expensive compared to urine tests, and the results also take a bit longer to come through.

Although UPTs can be done by yourself, UPTs performed by doctors are more reliable, and in most cases, a blood pregnancy test is not necessary to confirm the result.

• A POSITIVE UPT means that you ARE pregnant.

• A NEGATIVE UPT means that you are NOT pregnant.

If you get a pregnancy test at home and if it’s positive, make sure to pursue healthy lifestyle habits and book an appointment with your doctor for further guidance.