You think you're pregnant.
You rush out to the supermarket, hand over ten quid for a well known branded pregnancy test, get home, read the instructions and realise that to get a reliable result you have to wait until tomorrow morning as the test requires an early morning urine sample.
Some good news. Leading consumer self-test brand SELFCHECK produce a 5 minute, finger-prick blood spot pregnancy test that you can use as soon as you get home. The SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test is used by leading UK fertility clinics, and is also available from major retailers as well as direct from SELFCHECK.
Blood tests can be more reliable than urine tests for showing that you are pregnant and for this reason are sometimes used in hospital labs to confirm a urine pregnancy test. Unlike urine pregnancy tests, you can use a blood test at any time of the day and they are also unaffected by dilution from drinks. Because of this, you could get a positive result with the SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test before you would with a urine test.
An early pregnancy test result can help women consider lifestyle and health changes such as stopping smoking or drinking alcohol but should be encouraged to speak with their GP before stopping or changing any medication.
The SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test is a rapid home test for the detection of raised levels (>25 IU/L) of human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) from a finger prick blood sample in just 5 minutes. Urine pregnancy test kits are usually able to detect hCG about 1 week after a missed period, but sensitive blood tests such as SELFCHECK can show if you are pregnant just a few days after conception.
How does the pregnancy blood test work?
When a woman becomes pregnant, her body begins to produce hCG, a hormone which is released into the blood where its concentration rises over time. The SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test uses a pair of specific antibodies to detect this hCG hormone and gives a positive result when the hCG level in the blood is higher than 25 IU/L as determined against the World Health Organisation (W.H.O) reference standard.
When should the test be used?
Unlike urine pregnancy tests where it is advised to use an early morning urine sample, you can use a blood test at any time of the day or night. The SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test can detect pregnancy earlier than most urine tests because the hCG hormone produced in the placenta is first released into the blood and then into the urine.
Isn't it easier to just pee on a stick as I would usually do?
Of course it is! But the finger-prick test isn't difficult either. The SELFCHECK Pregnancy blood test has been independently assessed by scientists and doctors to prove that they provide reliable results, meet UK and EU regulations and are designed to be easy to use. Most SELFCHECK finger-prick blood tests work in the same way and there is a video on the website showing how to use a SELFCHECK blood test
Can the results be incorrect?
The results are accurate as long as the instructions have been carefully followed. Certain drugs containing hCG, or drugs used in combination with hCG (such as Pregnyl, Porfasi, Pergonal) and rare medical conditions may lead to a false positive result. Alcohol, analgesics, antibiotics, birth control pills, hormone therapies containing clomiphene citrate (such as Clomid, Serophen) or painkillers should not affect the test result.
The test may show a false positive result if you have had a miscarriage, abortion or have given birth within the past 8 weeks. This is due to the test detecting hCG still remaining in your blood system.
What should you do if the result is positive?
If the result is positive, you should consult your doctor to discuss your pregnancy and next steps. Early prenatal care is important for a healthy pregnancy.
What should you do if the result is negative?
If the test is negative, it is most likely that your blood either doesn't contain hCG or very low levels of hCG (the test detects hCG concentration as low as 25 IU/L) and that you are probably not pregnant. However, you may have miscalculated the date of your period, especially if you have irregular periods. If your period does not start within a week, repeat the test. If you still get a negative result and your period has not started, you should speak with your doctor. A late period could be caused by other reasons.
How accurate is the SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test?
Comparison of the SELFCHECK Pregnancy Blood Test with a reference laboratory method shows an overall agreement of at least 98%. Although this test is reliable, all pregnancy tests may give a small number of false positive or false negative results.
Where are SELFCHECK tests made?
The SELFCHECK range is assembled in the UK at an ISO 13485 certified facility in North Wales from components exclusively manufactured by UK and EU medical device companies specifically for SELFCHECK.