In ancient times, adequate information was not available for detecting pregnancy in women. People used unconventional methods to predict if a woman was pregnant. Checking for pregnancy symptoms ranged from abdominal distention and cramps to testing on animals. However, in modern times, the pregnant woman has ample exposure to various sources of information and sophisticated methods have been developed for pregnancy tests.

A pregnancy test may simply be defined as a test to determine whether a woman is pregnant or not. A pregnancy test works by measuring the levels of a hormone called human chronionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a woman's urine samples. hCG is a hormone released by trophoblastic tissue in the placenta. The levels of hCG also rapidly rises at the rate of double in every two days in the bloodstream. The different types of tests such as hCG Measurement, Doubling rules, Obstetric Sonography may be conducted at various points of time during pregnancy. Each test may be explained as follows:

hCG Measurement

These tests provide effective results, if tested on a person after a missed menstruation or 2-3 weeks after ovulation. All these tests look for the occurence of the beta subunit of hCG which occurs after six to twelve days after fertilization. Most pregnancy tests can be conducted in the comfort of your home.

Such pregnancy tests may be used to detect the pregnancy in the initial stages before visiting a doctor. These pregnancy tests are available in the market in two formats - test strips and midstream tests. These tests are very easy and simple to follow with detailed instructions mentioned in the test itself.

Doubling Rule

Doubling rule is another type of pregnancy test that doctors use to perform quantitative serum beta hCG levels. Pregnancy is measured by levels of mIU/ml, and a level above 25mIU/ml indicates the presence of a pregnancy. These tests are verified for a normal increase in the interval of 2-3 days. If the hCG levels do not increase in a normal manner, it is an indication of the pregnancy not developing properly. It is an alert for a possible miscarriage also known as ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy could also be predicted when the hCG levels fail to double.

Obstretric ultrasongraphy is another type of pregnancy test conducted as the pregnancy progresses. When the pregnancy has advanced about 6-8 weeks, more information can be obtained in real time through sonography about the well-being and development of the fetus.

Pregnancy Testing - Signs of Pregnancy

Apart from pregnancy tests, a woman may also look for the following changes or signs of pregnancy in her body such as:

Breasts become tender and swollen as a result of increased hormone leves.

Rise in progestosterone levels during pregnancy cause you to feel more tired than normal. Fatigue is a common factor among all pregnant women.

Nausea and/or vomiting. Morning sickness affects most women about a month following conception and usually stops by the end of the second trimester.

Frequent urination. Extra fluids produced by your body presents more of a load for your kidneys to process, as well as the pressure of the growing baby on your bladder creates the urge to urinate.

Heightened sensitivity to odors. You may notice that certain odors can cause you to feel sick or trigger a gag reflex, even if they normally had no affect on you. This may be caused by increasing levels of estrogen in your body.

Pregnancy is a joyous phase, which can result in a healthy delivery provided the mother-to-be is well aware of the need to take requisite care, maintains a healthy and balanced diet and a happy and relaxed demeanor.