Home pregnancy test
Home pregnancy tests use a sample of a woman's urine to detect the presence of a hormone (called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG) that is only produced during pregnancy. If the test is positive for the hormone, it usually means the woman is pregnant.
These tests are available without a prescription, and their accuracy varies. If used correctly, the best tests can detect hCG as early as the first day of a missed menstrual period (about 14 days after conception). A first morning urine sample (which has accumulated in the bladder overnight) provides the most accurate test results.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
May 25, 2007
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