Does it make sense to take a test on critical days?
The principle of operation of the test strip is based on the content of the hormone hCG in the urine, the concentration of which increases significantly during pregnancy. It first increases in the blood, then in the urine. The test zone of the strip has a special coating that changes color when it is exposed to urine containing a certain content of this hormone. That is, the presence/absence of menstruation does not affect the accuracy of the result.
It is clear that the first sign of pregnancy for most women is the absence or delay of menstruation. But sometimes the opposite situation occurs, when a woman is almost completely sure that pregnancy will occur (concomitant symptoms have appeared, in vitro fertilization has been performed, or something else), but suddenly her period begins. In this case, it is necessary to conduct a test for a number of reasons:
- In 30% of antenatal clinic visitors, menstruation persists for up to 3-5 months even after conception, which is not a deviation - that is, in the early stages, the presence of bleeding does not exclude the fact of implantation of the embryo.
- It is necessary to exclude the possibility of gynecological pathology or miscarriage.
Therefore, if there is a reason to doubt the absence of pregnancy, despite the presence of menstruation, it is worth conducting a test.
Is it possible to confuse pregnancy and PMS?
Speaking about a woman’s suspicion of pregnancy, it would be foolish to miss the main signs of pregnancy, which every girl focuses on. Quite often, a woman confuses PMS symptoms with signs of an interesting situation. There is nothing strange about this, because they feel very similar to each other.
In fact, because of this, ladies who really want to get pregnant decide to take a home test after the start of their period, hoping for a positive result. Moreover, if a woman has been dreaming for months or has emotional hope after artificial insemination.
The symptoms of a false-positive pregnancy are exactly the same as during normal conception:
- Breast sensitivity, especially in the nipple area, their enlargement;
- Frequent changes in mood, sudden changes in mood from causeless laughter to sudden tears;
- Irritability, drowsiness and weakness of the body;
- Some women may feel slightly nauseous;
- Taste preferences change quite often.
All of these signs can be perceived as both pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome. So don't rush to conclusions.
How should you take a pregnancy test during your period?
Such a home study is carried out during menstruation in the same way as without it. Specific features of the procedure depend on which strip you are using and are indicated in the instructions that come with it. The general rules for conducting research are as follows:
- It is carried out on morning urine, preferably on an empty stomach.
- Urine must be placed in a small, clean container;
- Place the test there, making sure that it is immersed to the indicated mark.
- Leave for the time specified in the instructions (usually a few seconds).
- Remove the strip from the container and place it on a flat, clean surface.
- Wait for the time specified in the instructions - from 1 to 5 minutes.
- Evaluate the result in accordance with the instructions - it can be presented as an additional strip, painting the area in a contrasting color, etc.
Carefully check the instructions for the strips before performing the procedure.
Results
Growing up as a girl is a responsible process. It is important to properly prepare her for this event, because when faced with menstruation for the first time, a girl may be afraid of bleeding. It is necessary to explain to her that this process is associated with the main female ability - to bear and give birth to a child. There is no need to be embarrassed to ask your mother or older girlfriends for advice, because menstruation is a natural process and every woman experiences it. First period tests can give an approximate start, but much depends on individual factors. You should learn to listen to your body, which gives clear clues, and in case of any deviations, immediately consult a doctor.
Why retest?
A positive pregnancy test during or outside of menstruation is sometimes false. Also, the more time has passed since the expected date of conception, the more accurate the result of such a procedure will be. Therefore, after the first test, if it was positive, about a week later, it is recommended to do a second one. This will not only confirm the fact of conception, but can also confirm that a miscarriage has occurred, since within 7 days the hCG level will drop to normal levels.
Features of the procedure
Testing must be carried out according to the attached instructions. But if there is bleeding, the rules change:
- The procedure is performed only in the morning. The first portion of urine is needed, since the amount of hCG in it at this time is maximum;
- You should not drink a lot of liquid at night, so as not to distort the hormone levels in the urine;
- personal hygiene of the genital organs is important. You should use a tampon to prevent blood particles from getting into the urine;
- Testing during menstruation is best done at home.
The remaining recommendations are followed according to the attached instructions. No matter how much a woman would like to carry out the analysis faster, she needs to know that this should not be done immediately after intercourse.
Testing will be effective only after 2 days from the start of menstruation. When conception occurs at this moment, the level of hCG is sufficient to be determined using a test. Before this date, indicators may be unreliable.
Testing during bleeding
Bleeding during pregnancy may not be related to menstruation. It also occurs during pathological processes in the reproductive system, cysts, and neoplasms. This also happens with a miscarriage.
A test taken during bleeding may be positive even if a miscarriage has already occurred - it takes time for the hCG to drop to normal levels. Also, some tumors, cysts, and neoplasms affect the indicators. Therefore, if there is a high probability of conception and bleeding begins, it is better to consult a doctor immediately.
What should the first menstrual flow look like?
Many girls, when faced with menstruation for the first time, are very frightened, because previously blood for them was exclusively a sign of injury. Therefore, it is very important to explain to the teenager that in this case the mechanism for the appearance of bloody secretion is completely different, completely understandable and absolutely normal. There is no single standard for what discharge should be like at menarche. Their color may vary, most often the secret is:
- bright red,
- brown,
- burgundy,
- dark brown, etc.
Watch this video on YouTube The same applies to the intensity of menstruation - neither scanty nor abundant periods should frighten a teenager, so it is very important to explain all the nuances to the girl in a timely manner.
What does a positive test during menstruation indicate?
From a technical point of view, a positive pregnancy test during or without menstruation indicates that there is an increased level of hCG in the urine, a hormone that is actively produced after conception occurs. That is, a positive test indicates that conception has occurred.
However, in some cases the result may be false positive. So, if a woman has a short-term miscarriage and begins bleeding, mistaken for menstruation, the result may be false positive. After all, if the pregnancy was terminated quite recently, then the hormone level has not yet had time to fall. Usually, it decreases within one or two days, but if you carry out the procedure at the very first discharge, the result can be positive.
Another reason for a false positive is diseases of the genitourinary system, the presence of neoplasms in it, the adrenal glands, hormonal imbalances, metabolic disorders (with some types of neoplasms, a false positive result can be observed even in men). False negative results almost never happen.
Process system
If we plunge into female physiology and take as an example the normal menstrual cycle, which regularly repeats after 28 days, then we can say that a delay is the only correct reaction of the body to pregnancy. Now, in order. The entire cycle consists of 4 phases:
- Menstrual.
- Follicular.
- Ovulatory.
- Luteal.
The cycle begins with menstruation. Its duration is 2–7 days. At the end of menstruation, the next phase begins - the follicular phase. During this period, the reproductive system directs all its efforts to nurturing the egg and preparing the environment for its implantation. First, under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a dominant follicle is determined and then the egg begins to mature in it. When it has fully developed and formed, the next phase begins.
Ovulation is the process of releasing an egg from the dominant follicle and its further movement into the fallopian tubes for fertilization by sperm. Nature allows only 24–48 hours for conception. If pregnancy does not occur, then the luteal phase begins. Progesterone production decreases, the egg dies, the lining layer of the endometrium is gradually shed, and menstruation begins again.
Upon successful fertilization, the egg is implanted into the endometrial layer and, under the influence of progesterone, which is produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary, is firmly fixed and develops. Progesterone levels do not decrease, but are actively produced until 6–7 weeks of pregnancy. Afterwards, this responsibility passes to the chorion (placenta) and the production of placental progesterone begins.
From the entire system of processes it follows that during conception there are no and cannot be prerequisites for the onset of menstruation, which means that delay is the main sign of pregnancy.
Testing after menstruation
A pregnancy test after menstruation is carried out in the same way as before or during menstruation. It is worth considering that pregnancy during menstruation itself is extremely unlikely, since the embryo will not attach. Therefore, there is no particular point in conducting research immediately after cyclic bleeding. But, as mentioned above, in 30% of women in the early stages, menstruation can persist, therefore, if there are signs of conception, then you can resort to the procedure. It can also be performed if there was short bleeding during a confirmed pregnancy at an early stage - this will exclude/confirm the fact of miscarriage.
Bleeding during pregnancy
It happens that during menstruation the test shows two lines (positive result). Doctors do not give a clear explanation for this phenomenon. The majority of them believe that the appearance of bloody discharge when conception has taken place indicates some pathology of the fetus.
However, in the first months of pregnancy, the expectant mother may experience spotting, which is often confused with menstruation. This is a sign that the embryo is attaching to the wall of the uterus. As a rule, the discharge is not too abundant.
