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Q: How home pregnancy tests work
asked by: DoctorQuestion on May 15th, 2009
I went to my OBGYN today with an interesting history, here's what happened:

2 months ago I had 3 weeks of spotting, which got worse after activity or intercourse. It gradually turned brown and tapered off. I had no period this month and took 3 HPT's and all were negative.

The really strange thing? I swear I can feel kicking in my belly. My hubby has even felt it. The time he felt it, it was continuous, like when my first baby had the hiccups.


So I go to the OBGYN and they do a urine pregnancy test. It comes out negative, as usual. But my uterus is the size of a 10 week pregnancy. He does a smear, a culture, and a uterine biopsy, and schedules an ultrasound. He also says I might be anemic.

Now here's the questions:

The OBGYN says that even if I had an extra-uterine pregnancy, their urine test would pick it up, but on-line sources say sometimes only a blood test will. Who is right?

What is the mysterious bumping and jumping all about if it's not a baby?

Is an enlarged uterus a si


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Dr. Goce Aleksovski , MD
replied on May 21st, 2009
Pregnancy Answer A6616


The bump in the stomach is a personal feeling that cannot be measured and detected by instruments and a medical examination.


The home pregnancy tests are based on the level of female sex hormones produced and released in the urine. These levels are somewhat lower in an extrauterine pregnancy. It takes a certain amount of time for the hormone levels in the urine to reach certain levels, and in the case of an extra-uterine pregnancy this period is longer.

Therefore, the home pregnancy test might be false negative if it is too soon. However, if enough time has passed, the test might be equally sensitive in both a regular and an extra-uterine pregnancy.


The ultrasound scan would be the best method for a definitive diagnosis or ruling out of pregnancy.




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