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The blood pregnancy test is more reliable than the home urine plate pregnancy test. A much smaller number of women decide to take a blood pregnancy test because it requires an additional visit to the laboratory. What is a blood pregnancy test and how long does it take to get the result? How much should you pay for a blood pregnancy test?
What is a blood pregnancy test?
A blood pregnancy test is a test that measures the level of chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG for short. Chorionic gonadotrophin is a hormone that is produced initially by the embryo and then by the placenta. Under the influence of hCG, the corpus luteum produces progesterone, which allows the embryo to implant in the uterine mucosa. The production of chorionic gonadotropin increases sharply in the first weeks after fertilization. It is assumed that the concentration of this hormone doubles every 48-72 hours. The greatest production of hCG hormones occurs around 11-13 weeks of pregnancy. Along with the disappearance of the corpus luteum, the concentration of the chorionic gonadotropin also decreases. The concentration of hCG in women who are not pregnant is less than 5 mlU / ml. Already in the third week of pregnancy, the concentration of hCG begins to increase and at the end of the 6th week it is 56500 mlU / ml.
Blood pregnancy test – types
There are two types of blood pregnancy tests offered by laboratories. These are:
- quantitative blood pregnancy test – this test allows you to determine the exact amount of the hormone hCG in the blood. It is assumed that the result below 10 mlU / ml shows that the patient is not pregnant. However, pregnancy is diagnosed when the test result exceeds 25 mlU / ml. If the test result is between 10 and 25 mlU / ml, it is inconclusive. In such a situation, the test should be performed again, e.g. after a week. Quantitative testing is not just a test of pregnancy. Due to the fact that the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin increases with each week, the test is used to determine the exact age of pregnancy, trimester, etc.
- Qualitative blood pregnancy test – This test determines if the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin exceeds 25 mlU / ml. If the result is higher than the given above, the woman is pregnant.
Blood pregnancy test – when to do the test?
A blood pregnancy test can be performed approximately 10 days after intercourse. One week after intercourse, taking into account fertile days and a properly running menstrual cycle, the level of hCG should rise enough for the test to show pregnancy. Additionally, chorionic gonadotropin appears first in the blood and only later in the urine, so a blood pregnancy test can be done earlier than a home platelet test. A reliable urine test result can be obtained only 14 weeks after intercourse, i.e. about 4-5 weeks of pregnancy.
Is the blood pregnancy test reliable?
The blood pregnancy test is more reliable than the home pregnancy test. A pregnancy test performed under laboratory conditions allows the concentration of the hormone hCg to be accurately measured, so that the exact age of pregnancy can be determined. However, in order to obtain 48% confirmation of pregnancy, it is necessary to consult the result of the examination with a gynecologist. It is worth mentioning that you should wait about XNUMX hours for the blood pregnancy test result.
Blood pregnancy test – price
A blood pregnancy test is a test for which you don’t need to prepare yourself. It is enough to go to the nearest laboratory and ask for a test. The patient does not need to be fasting, so you can go to the test at any time of the day. A blood pregnancy test costs about PLN 25-35.