Home Pregnancy Tests Vs Doctor’s Pregnancy Tests

So you’re wondering if you are pregnant and you want to take a pregnancy test to find out. At home pregnancy tests or tests administered by doctors, which one do you choose? It’s could be a hard decision for some, especially if money, age or other reasons prevent taking the test. The most important thing to do is make sure there’s a chance you are pregnant. Some tests can be expensive, so if they are done unnecessarily it can be a waste of time and money. Other times women jump the gun and test too early, while their period shows up a few days late. But regardless of why you are taking the test, it’s important to figure out how and by whom. Below we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of each; at home test kits and doctor administered tests.

At-Home Pregnancy Tests

Many women and men choose to take at home pregnancy tests every day to find out if they are pregnant or not. These tests look for the hormone hCG, or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in a woman’s urine. Some find them reliable, while others end up going to see the doctor anyway. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of taking a home pregnancy test.

Advantages:

• Found easily in stores or online
• Have 97% accuracy rate if done correctly
• ·Can be done in the privacy of your own home
• Don’t have to fill out paperwork or sit in a doctor’s office
• Generally cost effective
• Many types of tests, higher or lower sensitivity rates
• Immediate results

Disadvantages:

• If not done correctly, can give false results
• Being done by you instead of a trained professional
• Cheaper kits do not provide higher accuracy rates

Doctor Administered Pregnancy Tests

Many women who choose to try an at home pregnancy test first, usually end up in a doctors office for a pregnancy test for many different reasons, including the worry of false pregnancy test results. When you go to a doctor’s office for a pregnancy test, they test your blood instead of your urine, giving higher accuracy rates. There are however, advantages and disadvantages to going to a clinic or hospital to have a pregnancy test done.
Advantages:

• In some cases, free pregnancy tests can be given
• Higher accuracy ratings, up to 99%
• Can be done anonymously, or without parental consent
• Administered by a professional
• Candidacy levels are checked before test is given
• Less chance of false results

Disadvantages:

• Spending time in a doctor’s office filling out forms
• Can sometimes be more expensive
• Have to wait up to a week or longer before getting results
• Though rare, false results are still possible

See, each way has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s more important that you are a good candidate for a pregnancy test before administering one yourself, or by visiting a clinic. Your comfort levels and how much time you can afford waiting for results are also factors you have to consider. Surprisingly, both ways have high accuracy levels. So again, if you aren’t getting the test done too soon (meaning you’ve waiting until you’ve missed a period), if you are showing pregnancy symptoms and if you have the money to spend, then it’s okay to go through with your test, however you choose.