A pregnancy test is a test to determine if a woman is pregnant. This test can be done via blood (serum) or urine analysis. The blood or urine is tested for the presence of the hormone, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (beta-HCG) A blood test is to determine pregnancy, is done by means of venipuncture, in this procedure a blood sample is taken.

Advantages of having a blood test done:

• Greater accuracy than a urine test.
• And the ability to determine how much HCG is present in the blood.

Disadvantages to having a blood test done:

• More expensive than a urine test.
• Takes longer to get result.

The urinalysis is done by collecting first (morning) urine in a jar, a few drops of urine are then dispensed into the test cassette. After a few minutes, the result can be read. If the test is positive, two red lines will appear, indicating a possible pregnancy. In the case of a pregnancy, the test will usually read positive, counting from the day of the expected menstrual period (after fertilization) or 1 to 2 days later. If HCG concentration (pregnancy hormone) is not present in the urine or too low for detection, the test may read negative. The test can be repeated after a few days, if pregnant, the test will show a positive result.

Advantages of having a urine test done:

• Simple and easy to use.
• Requires only a few minutes of time to obtain results.

Disadvantages of having a urine pregnancy test done:

• Falsely negative results can be seen very early in the pregnancy.