The Pregnancy Test

This test is usually the first test conducted when you suspect that you may be pregnant. There are a variety of home testing kits available over-the-counter and all detect a protein hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). When an egg is fertilized, the embryo begins to produce hCG. Levels of hCG increase after conception and can be detected in the mother's urine. By 10 days after conception, hCG levels are about 25 milli-International Units (mIU).

Typically, the home test is a urine test for hCG:

You collect a sample of urine. You would usually use the first urine in the morning, when hCG levels are the most concentrated, or wave the test wand through the urine stream.
If you collected the urine, you can either dip the test wand into the cup or place a drop on the test wand.

The test wands or dipsticks have a plastic coating embedded with antibodies to hCG.
The test wands also have a second antibody to hCG linked with some color tag (e.g., colored latex beads, enzyme that produces a color reaction).

If sufficient levels of hCG are present in the urine (more than 25 mIU), then the hCG will bind with the second antibody and cause a color reaction to occur (i.e., a positive test result).

If a positive test occurs, you generally call your doctor and a second test is performed at the office to confirm the pregnancy. The doctor may also order a blood test to determine the precise quantity of hCG present, which can be used to assess the baby's health.