What will a pregnancy blood test show?

The Test2Go pregnancy blood test is a sensitive and reliable way to determine if you are pregnant and is frequently used in hospitals to confirm a positive urine pregnancy test.

Blood tests can detect the rise in the pregnancy hormone (hCG) earlier than urine tests. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, a pregnancy blood test may give you a positive result when a urine test performed at home or by your doctor is still negative. 

What is a pregnancy blood test?

 A pregnancy blood test is a reliable and straightforward early pregnancy test that looks for raised levels of human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) from a finger-prick blood sample.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by the growing human embryo’s cells. These are the cells that will eventually go on to form the placenta. 

Urine pregnancy tests that you take at home can detect hCG about one week after missing a period. Sensitive blood tests such as Test2Go’s Pregnancy Blood Test can show if you are pregnant just a few days after the baby is conceived. 

Is a pregnancy blood test more reliable than a urine pregnancy test?

Blood tests tend to be more reliable than urine tests for showing that you are pregnant and so are widely used in hospital labs to confirm a urine pregnancy test. Blood tests can be taken at any time of the day and are unaffected by dilution from drinks – unlike urine tests. This means you may get a positive result from a pregnancy blood test before using a urine test. 

Blood tests tend to detect the presence of hCG earlier than urine tests can, which can be helpful for women undergoing fertility treatments, as it can indicate whether the treatment has been successful.

How does the pregnancy blood test work?

When a woman becomes pregnant, her body produces hCG, a hormone released into the blood. The Test2Go home pregnancy blood test uses a pair of antibodies to detect the hCG hormone and gives a positive result when the hCG level in the blood is higher than 25 IU/L (the World Health Organisation standard.)

When should the pregnancy blood test be taken?

You can use the pregnancy blood test at any time of day and night – unlike urine pregnancy tests.

The pregnancy blood test can detect pregnancy earlier than most urine tests because the hCG hormone produced in the placenta is first released in the blood and then into the urine. 

Can the pregnancy blood test result be incorrect?

The result of the Test2Go pregnancy blood test will be accurate – as long as the enclosed instructions are followed carefully. 

It would be best to be careful not to get the test wet before you perform the test or put too little blood on it, as this can affect the result. The plastic pipette enclosed with the test is specifically designed to ensure the right amount of blood is added to the test – so make sure you use it properly. 

Certain drugs containing hCG or used in combination with hCG and some rare medical conditions may also lead to a false-positive result. 

What does it mean if the pregnancy blood test is negative?

If the test returns a negative result, then it is likely that your blood either

• does not have hCG in it
• the levels of hCG are too low to detect

and therefore, you are likely not to be pregnant. 

However, there may be a possibility that you have miscalculated the date of your last period, especially if you have irregular periods. If your period does not start within seven days of completing your first pregnancy blood test, you should take another test. If you still get a negative result, you should make an appointment with your doctor to see if something else is going on. 

What does it mean if the pregnancy blood test is positive?

If your test returns a positive result, you should consult your doctor to discuss your pregnancy and the next steps. Getting prenatal care as early on in your pregnancy as possible is essential for a healthy pregnancy.

How accurate is the Test2Go pregnancy blood test?

The pregnancy blood test Test2Go offer compared with a reference laboratory method shows an overall agreement of at least 98% (95% confidence interval). 

Although this test is reliable, all pregnancy tests may give a small number of false-positive or false-negative results.