There are three types of home pregnancy tests available on the market: strip, device (also called a cassette), and midstream tests. The test procedure varies for each of these formats. Deciding which one to choose depends on user preference.

FORMAT: STRIP HCG TEST
FORMAT: DEVICE / CASSETTE HCG TEST
FORMAT: MIDSTREAM HCG TEST

Note that the plastic housing surrounding the actual test may differ in design and colour, depending on the manufacturer.

The hCG hormone is produced right after a fertilised egg attaches to the wall of a woman’s uterus. This usually (but not always) happens about six days after fertilisation. In the case of pregnancy, levels of hCG continue to rise rapidly, doubling every two to three days. Therefore, waiting at least a week after a missed period to take a pregnancy test may yield the most accurate result.

Results may also be more accurate if you administer the test first thing in the morning when your urine is more concentrated. The hCG levels are at their maximum between weeks 8 to 11 of pregnancy and drop lower between weeks 12 and 16.

This depends on:

• How closely the instructions are followed
• When a woman ovulates in her cycle and how soon implantation occurs
• How soon after conception a test is taken
• The sensitivity of the pregnancy test
• Expiration date
• Exposure to sunlight or extreme temperatures

Regardless of the brand used or result obtained, most manufacturers recommend repeating the process a few days later to confirm the test result, since levels of hCG following conception are so low. If a pregnancy test yields a positive result, a woman should consult a doctor for a blood test to confirm the pregnancy and to talk about the next steps.

Many consumers believe that all home pregnancy tests on the market are basically the same, but this is not the case. Some of these tests are much more sensitive to the pregnancy hormone than others. The more sensitive a test is to this hormone, the earlier a woman can obtain a positive result if she is pregnant. For example, a home pregnancy test that is said to read 25mlU/ml of hCG is much more sensitive and will give an earlier, accurate result than those that read 50mlU/ml or 100mlU/ml of the pregnancy hormone.

If no lines appear on the strip after testing (which is a rarity), disregard the test – it is either defective or was sampled incorrectly. Incorrect sampling can happen if the test was not held properly in the urine stream or if a device (cassette) was over-sampled.

It is normal for a faint second line to appear on a test during early pregnancy when the hCG levels are still quite low. Similarly, a darker line might appear if the pregnancy has progressed. When a faint line is present, it is best to take another home pregnancy test after a few days.

Yes. If a woman is taking medicine with the pregnancy hormone hCG as an active ingredient, she may get a false-positive test result. (A false positive is when a test indicates that someone is pregnant when she is not.)
An example of medication containing hCG is certain infertility treatments. If you are taking medicine to help you get pregnant, the best option to screen for pregnancy would be to see your doctor for a blood test.

However, most medicines should not affect the results of a home pregnancy test. This includes over-the-counter and prescription medication (e.g. birth control pills or antibiotics). Also, alcohol and illegal drugs do not affect pregnancy test results. However, certain medical conditions can.

Yes, it is possible to be pregnant and to have a pregnancy test show that you are not. (This is called a false negative.)

The accuracy of home pregnancy test results varies from woman to woman because:

• Each woman ovulates at a different time in her menstrual cycle.
• The fertilised egg can implant in a woman's uterus at different times.
• Sometimes women get false-negative results when they test too early in the pregnancy.
• Problems with the pregnancy can affect the amount of hCG in the urine.

If a test indicates you are not pregnant, take another pregnancy test after a few days. If you are pregnant, your hCG levels should double every 48 hours. If you suspect that you are pregnant, but more tests indicate you are not, it is best to consult your doctor.

Pregnancy tests are designed with a built-in quality-control check – they have a control area that is designed to show if the test is working properly. This window will reveal a coloured line if the test is functioning. To limit the potential for false or misleading readings, the test is wrapped in a foil pouch. It should not be removed from the pouch for more than five minutes before the test is conducted, or a false result may be obtained. If the quality control line appears, the test is working properly.

After the test is completed, the coloured lines of a pregnancy test result will last at least 24 hours. A positive result will not change several days after the test was completed. However, a reddish background might appear several hours after the test was performed.

A negative result should not be read in the test window more than five minutes after the test was performed. Any result appearing after five minutes should be disregarded as it could be a reaction and/or evaporation lines. Some negative tests might thus appear weakly positive. Therefore, we advise that tests are read exactly within the time frame as per the instruction leaflet.

Medical practitioners use strip or device pregnancy tests, similar to the tests that you can buy from the pharmacy, as a screening test to identify the possibility of a pregnancy. The pregnancy is then confirmed by a blood test, done in a laboratory. Should the screening test be negative, but the doctor still suspects pregnancy, a blood test will be done.

An ovulation home test is used to determine the time in a woman’s menstrual cycle when falling pregnant is most likely. The test detects a rise in luteinising hormone (LH) in the urine. A rise in this hormone signals that the ovary is about to release the egg and pregnancy is most likely to occur. 

The length of a menstrual cycle is the duration from the first menstrual bleeding day to the day before the next bleeding begins, with ovulation occurring roughly in the middle of this cycle. Determine the length of your menstrual cycle before testing for ovulation. If your cycle is shorter than 21 days or longer than 38 days, consult a physician. If you do not know your cycle length, you may begin the test 11 days after your first period, since the average cycle length is 28 days. Perform one test each day over a five-day period or until the LH surge has been detected.

Unlike with pregnancy tests, where the use of the first urine of the morning is recommended, a urine sample taken at any other time during the day should best be used for ovulation testing. For optimal results, collect urine at the same time each day.

When used correctly, ovulation tests are approximately 99 per cent accurate in detecting the LH surge that precedes ovulation. However, these tests cannot confirm whether ovulation will actually occur a day or two later. Some women may have a surge in the LH hormone without an egg being released.

If the test line shows up darker than the control line, you are about to ovulate. There are always low levels of LH in your body, so if the test line appears lighter than the control line, you are not ovulating yet. Remember, ovulation tends to occur about halfway through the menstrual cycle.

When a surge in LH is not detected (indicating that ovulation is not occurring), two pink lines may appear in the result window, but the test line will be lighter than the reference line.

Alternatively, a reference line and no visible test line may appear. Continue with daily testing until ovulation is detected (see above).

If the first urine of the morning is used for an ovulation test on the first day of the LH surge, it may not be detected. Limit fluid intake for about two hours before taking the test as heavy intake of fluids will dilute the hormone in your urine.

Some hormonal medications and medical conditions can interfere with test results.

The peak time of LH is short, and you may have missed it, resulting in a negative test result. That is why tests should ideally be done twice a day, starting 17 days before the expected period or three days before the potential ovulation. Continue testing until the result is positive.

If the control line (C) appears, it indicates that the test is working.

Results must be read five minutes after the test was completed and not thereafter. Though the indication of a positive result should not change for several days, a negative result may change to a false positive within minutes after testing, yielding an inaccurate reading. Therefore, the results should be read five minutes after completing the test, and thereafter the test device should be discarded to avoid confusion.

The SpermCheck® Fertility Test is easy to use, and the results are available in 10 minutes. Detailed instructions are included with each test kit. To ensure accurate test results, please read these test instructions thoroughly before performing the test.

A Positive Test Result

If you see a test line (at the T position in the results window), your sperm count is at least 20 million per millilitre. About 90 per cent of fertile men have sperm counts above 20 million per millilitre, so a positive test result indicates that your sperm count is at the level needed for conception.

A Negative Test Result

If you do not see a test line (at the T position in the results window), your sperm count is less than 20 million per millilitre. On average, 10 per cent of fertile men have sperm counts below the 20 million per millilitre mark, which means a negative test result is not definitive. Please consult a doctor about possible treatments for sub-fertility, especially if you and your partner have been unsuccessfully trying to start a family. There are also simple lifestyle changes that may have a positive impact on your sperm count.

An Invalid Test Result

If you do not see a control line (at the C position in the results window), your test did not run correctly, and the results are not valid. You should test again with a new sample and a new SpermCheck® Fertility kit. Wait at least 48 hours, but not more than seven days, after your last ejaculation to retest.