1. Start by Surfing Online
One way to confirm pregnancy is through an online pregnancy test or symptom checker. Data is collected such as the date of the last menstrual period,when conception may have occurred, and the average cycle length. Symptoms associated with early pregnancy, such as tender breasts, abdominal cramping and frequent urination are also checked off from a list. Through this data the website gives a percentage of probability that conception could have occurred. Sites such as this in no way take the place of a urine or blood test, and will not confirm a pregnancy definitively.
2. HCG Will Confirm or Deny
Home pregnancy tests measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the urine. This level rises in urine when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Some tests can detect HCG in the urine as early as 10 days after conception, although most experts agree it's best to wait to test until you've missed your period. It's best to use a home pregnancy test with the first urine of the day, as the level of HCG will be more concentrated in the morning.
To use a home pregnancy test, the stick supplied in the kit is either held in the stream of urine, or urine may be collected in a cup and the stick dipped into it. Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely as to how long to hold the stick in the urine. The stick will have a control line, indicating the test has been performed correctly. If a second line appears, it indicates a positive pregnancy test. False positive results are rare, unless you used infertility drugs with HCG during that cycle. If a second line doesn't appear, the test is negative. However, this doesn't mean there is no pregnancy. It could indicate that the level of HCG measured in the urine isn't high enough to register a positive result. This either means the test is in fact negative, or that it's still too early in the pregnancy to register positive. Different home pregnancy tests measure lower levels of HCG, enabling you to find out that you are pregnant sooner after a missed period.
3. Analyze Blood When Necessary
A pregnancy blood test also measures HCG levels, but is more sensitive than a urine test. Levels high enough to indicate a pregnancy via blood test can usually be measured seven to 12 days after conception. Blood is drawn and typically takes one to two days to get the results. Due to the accuracy of urine tests, blood tests are usually only done if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected or signs that the pregnancy might end in miscarriage are present. Levels of HCG double every two days early in pregnancy with a single embryo, so if the numbers aren't doubling, it could indicate a problem.
