Confirming Pregnancy Once you suspect that you might be pregnant you should seek confirmation as soon as possible. There are a variety of tests available that can be performed at different intervals following conception. Some are more accurate than others. Blood Test*This test has to be performed by your doctor and is becoming more widely available. It can accurately detect the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) in the blood as early as two weeks after conception – about the time your next period is due. Urine Test*hCG can also be detected in your urine. Urine tests can be conducted at home, in hospital, at your doctor's office, at family planning clinics, or chemists. These tests are over 90% reliable and can be performed as soon as two weeks after conception, although you will get the most reliable result if you wait four weeks longer. Internal Examination*The routine use of ultrasound at around 12 weeks means that women almost never have to suffer internal examinations during pregnancy. Once they were used to confirm the pregnancy because pregnancy hormones soften the cervix and uterus and cause more blood to be directed to the pelvis, giving the vagina and cervix a classic purplish tinge visible through the speculum. Slight uterine enlargement could also be felt. * Dr Miriam Stoppard MD FRCP, Conception, Pregnancy & Birth, Dorling Kindersley, Australia 2002 |
sign infor exclusive content |
|
 |
