How often are home pregnancy tests accurate?

United States
February 16, 2011 11:44am CST
Okay so I think I may be pregnant... I am almost a week late and the last 3 days I've been feeling queasy and nausious throughout the day. It changes from feeling sick to feel extremely hungry. Which is weird because I mean I'm not starving myself. And also I feel better when I eat, even when I feel queasy... My emotions have been up and down too. Mostly anything that affects my emotions makes me want to cry almost instantly. I am feeling cramps but they are different. Sometimes I think I started but I find that I havent and I'm not spotting either. I did take a pregnancy test yesterday night and it turned up negative. But I have this feeling that I may still be pregnant and so far because the symptoms are persisting it helps back up the suspicion. I have 2 other tests that came with the one I bought. I was going to take one more on the weekend if I dont start by then and one more a following week after if I didnt start and the 2nd test turned up negative. Anyways.. any kind of suggestion or response will help me. I don't really know whats going on. I'm rarely ever late and when I am I usually start spotting by now. Plus these symtoms (mainly the nausea) is what is making me question the most. I haven't vomited and I only had one really bad spell yesterday. While in class I felt really strange.. kind of dizzy and disoriented and the nausea was different. A few times I almost asked if I could leave to the restroom but since it was the first day I just ignored it. But that is the worst spell I have had otherewise its just off and on most of the day. Anyways does it sound like I could be pregnant? Thanks.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Feb 11
There are a lot of people that can go through an entire pregnancy and never have a positive pregnancy test. The reason for this is that they have a low level of the HCG in their blood. If you don't start sometime in the near future, I would schedule an appointment with your OB so that they could check. It could also be that you might have some kind of other problems going on down there that are mimicing the symptoms of a pregnancy.
• Philippines
21 Feb 11
@dorannmwin: i agree with you. The best option is to have a check up with your OB so you will have peace of mind whether you are really pregnant or not.
@maximax8 (31047)
• United Kingdom
18 Feb 11
A home pregnancy test sees if there is a particular hormone in the urine. Therefore a pregnant result is always correct. A negative result might be shown if the hormone doesn't show up. I know that some home pregnancy tests are more sensitive than others. The expensive pregnancy tests like Clear Blue and First Response are very reliable. Some of the cheaper tests are not that sensitive at all. Sometimes a lady takes a home pregnancy test too early so gets a negative result but then she tests again five days later she gets a positive result. Your symptoms do sound like early pregnancy. I hope that you get the result that you want. Good luck.
@GemmaR (8517)
17 Feb 11
Hi There :-) If you're only a week late then it's possible that your hormones are too low to detect as of yet, so just either wait it out for a little while longer, or go to see a doctor if you really can't wait that long. Only you know your cycle well enough to know whether being one week late is unusual. When I found out I was pregnant, I was three weeks late, but my periods have always been a little bit irregular so I thought it might just be stress or something. But clearly not! I don't know whether the news would be good or bad for you, but the most important thing is just not to panic, because that's not good for you or the baby if you are pregnant. You say "in class", so that means you must be fairly young. Don't worry, whatever you choose to do, if you are pregnant, just make sure that it's 100% the best choice for you. Hope you're okay :-)
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
17 Feb 11
Hi, Based on your above explanation,it is bit hard to conclude whether you are 100% pregnant or not,but there is a possibility.SOmetimes home pregnancy test won't show up the real result so fast and I suggest you do another round of testing this coming weekend for the accuracy. Or if you really feel uncomfortable,then go and look for gynae for the confirmation.
@ceres31 (141)
• Philippines
17 Feb 11
I am now 6mos pregnant, and its my first time. My experienced, I notice I haven't had my monthly period for 2mos. And I woke up early to urinate.(pregnant women do urinate often). I also had cravings of fruit. So I bought PT( preg test) and the result was positive. Though I'm still in doubt so a week later I visited an OB and same result and I was 2mos and 2 weeks pregnant by that time. though i haven't experience vomiting till my 3rd month Home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate. If you will visit a doctor and have a retest, they will still give you the same PT though much expensive than the one you brought in a pharmacy.
• United States
17 Feb 11
Defently sounds like you are pregnant. I had no idea i was pregnant and my stomach burned so bad I got my period like usual but my stomach just burned i went to the doctor and sure enough i was pregnant. The test that you took probley was was false alot of test can give you false negitives. I go to a school with alot of moms and girls that are pregnant and most of them that has happend to sounds like you are pregnant. When i first found out i bleed and spoted thats why i never suspected. Yes your body can make you think your pregnant if you keep telling yourself taht you will belive it but i really think you are and it would be best if you went to the doctor to see. You should get started rite away on prenatle vitamens. Good luck and you should post something agian when you find out. Have fun babys are the best gifts god could ever give!
@mermaidivy (15395)
• United States
16 Feb 11
The home pregnancy tests are pretty accurate. I went to get a test after my period was 2 months late, I tried twice because I didn't know how to do a pregnancy test and I screwed up, it shows me error(I forgot what it shows when you messed up), so I got the home test one more time, it shows me positive so I went to set up an appointment with mymidwife to confirm I was pregnant. I think you should just go see a doctor and let them tell you what is happening if you don't wnat to relyon the home tests. Good luck with it!
@EdnaReyes (2622)
• Philippines
17 Feb 11
Home kit pregnancy test are accurate. I've used them in the past.My doctor gave me this advise, pregnancy can only be detected when you're three weeks pregnant. Most doctor advises are you take the test when you're 3 or 5 weeks late and the result is definitely accurate. If you're getting negative results and still experiencing signs and symptoms of pregnancy, you have to wait until you're 3 or 4 weeks late. If you can't wait,then better see a doctor to validate your suspicion.
@sexyice (873)
• Latvia
16 Feb 11
Maybe yes, maybe no, don't torment yourself, just buy test!!! Know what happens! Maybe just something wrong with your menstrual cycle, my sister are little problems, but she is not pregnat, but feel same like you.