Finding out whether you are pregnant or not (via pregnancy test) immediately you start noticing the signs of having the feeling is very important as it helps you adjust your lifestyle, make future decisions and embrace yourself.
Unfortunately, most young women, including men, don’t know how this pregnancy test is properly done, and as such, they make these mistakes over and over again.
These common pregnancy test mistakes young people make includes:
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Forgetting the Expiration Date
Every pregnancy test kit has an expiry date which is written on the pack. You already know the outcome if you use an expired test kit. So, you are strongly advised to check the expiry date when purchasing any test kit and make use of the test kit before it expires. In fact, it is not good to use a test kit that will soon expire maybe in a week time or less. If the test kit has expired or is about to, the likelihood of getting an inaccurate result is very high. Therefore, always check the expiration date.
Failure To Follow The Instructions Properly
Human error is the most common type of errors in this case. People just purchase the test kit/strip and immediately proceed to the test without reading the manufacturer’s instructions. The instruction on one test kit can differ from the one on another different test kit. Therefore, it is imperative that you read the test instructions and strictly adhere to them.
Reading the instructions before carrying out the test can help build your confidence about the accuracy of the test result.
Reading the Result Too Soon or Late
Being anxious or scared about being pregnant can make you read the result before the right time or after the right time when it’s already late.
Remember: if you don’t read the instructions and adhere to them strictly, you will get a false result either false negative or false positive. If you read the instructions carefully, you will understand that there is a set time to read the answer and you must adhere to that time.
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Waiting too long before reading the results is pointless. The ideal set time is within 5 minutes to check it. Any more minutes and you have wasted the produced results. The test can continue to work, but it will look like a faint blue like there was no hCG detected in urine.
So, don’t take the test, get into the shower and read the results afterward. No, take the test and wait for 2-3 minutes to see whether you are positive or negative.
If you have trouble with the instructions or have questions, you will need professional help. They will put you through on how the test is done properly in order to obtain accurate results with an example.
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Losing Track of Your Menstrual period
Before you even miss a period, most Pregnancy Tests will convince you that the results are accurate while they are not. These false negatives are common. They occur as a result of the inability of the body to produce enough hCG hormone at the time of the test (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin which is the hormone used to detect pregnancy) and so couldn’t be detected by the test.
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This kind of results can mislead the woman and put the pregnancy in danger. Therefore, keep track of your cycle and wait until you miss a period before going for a pregnancy test so as to obtain an accurate result.
Conducting The Test At The Wrong Time
Urine is the main sample used for a pregnancy test. So, you have to carry out the test using more concentrated urine (that is, the urine should be in your bladder for a long time like a few hours). By using concentrated urine, you rest assured that the urine now contains much of the analyte (hCG hormone) thereby increasing the accuracy of the result.
For better understanding, it’s best to do the test first thing in the morning using the first urine you voided that morning. Don’t take much water before taking the test as it can dilute your urine.
Forgetting The Instruments Needed
This pregnancy test is quite simple. You don’t need many supplies for the test. The only things you need are; the instructions, kit, a watch, dropper and the sample container. Just make sure you get the details right when you figure out how to take this test.
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Failure To Cross-check A Negative Test
If you had a negative test, it might just be an unexpected result, or you may not have your period a week before. So, you need to test again. Use the directions given on pack and allow your body to produce readable amounts of hCG in urine. A negative test is not truly negative; it can be too early to turn the test positive. So you need to cross-check your result by re-conducting the test.