Are you anxiously watching and waiting for your period to start? If you’ve recently had sex, whether protected or unprotected, a late period could mean you’re pregnant. You may be wondering, how does a pregnancy test work?
There are many symptoms of early pregnancy. Here are a few:
A late period
Tender or swollen breasts
The need to frequently urinate
Feeling nauseous with or without vomiting (morning sickness)
Mood swings
Food aversions
Your next step
If you think you might be pregnant, a pregnancy test is your next step. You can take an over-the-counter pregnancy test, but Mosaic offers free and confidential pregnancy testing. When you take an at-home test, it’s possible to take the test too soon or not follow the directions. Our registered nurses will walk you through the process to guarantee you take the test correctly.
How our pregnancy tests work
When you’re pregnant, your body produces a hormone called hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone rapidly builds up in your body after a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus.
When you take a pregnancy test, it detects if there is hCG in your urine. Any amount of hCG indicates you are pregnant. It’s essential to wait for the right time to allow your body to produce a measurable amount. For the most accurate result, you should wait to test until the week after your missed period.
What to do if the test is positive
There is still a lot more information to learn about your pregnancy. Just because your pregnancy test is positive, there’s still a possibility you aren’t actually pregnant. Experts say up to 20% of known pregnancies end in a miscarriage.
The number may be higher since most women don’t even know they’re pregnant when the miscarriage happens. Your body takes time to register a miscarriage, so it’s possible to get a false-positive test result.
After a positive pregnancy test, you need to schedule an ultrasound. Ultrasound can verify your pregnancy is still viable (in other words, you haven’t miscarried). It can also tell you how many weeks you’ve been pregnant and alert you to the possibility of certain complications. Mosaic can provide you with a free ultrasound.
Consider your options
Once you’ve received a positive pregnancy test result and confirmed your pregnancy through ultrasound, it’s time to consider your options. You have three: parenting, adoption, and abortion. Each of these requires a lot of thought to understand the emotions, responsibilities, and risks.
Schedule an Appointment
Everyone’s situation is unique, and yours is no exception. Only you can decide your future. We are here to listen and offer the help you need. Contact us today, and let’s talk about the next chapter in your life’s story.