re: hpts/web addys/ and Q&A about hpts

[Guest guest]

15-25 mIU

Abbott Testpack Plus hCG 25 mIU http://www.abbottdiagnostics.com/

Abbott Laboratories

200 Abbott Park Road,

Abbott Park IL 60064

Aim Midstream 20 mIU 1-, 1-

Order: http://www.craigmedical.com/ Craig Medical Distribution, Inc.

1185 Park Center Drive, Building P

Vista CA 92083-8305

AimStep 20 mIU 1-, 1-

Order: http://www.craigmedical.com/ Craig Medical Distribution, Inc.

1185 Park Center Drive, Building P

Vista CA 92083-8305

AimStick 20 mIU 1-, 1-

Order: http://www.craigmedical.com/ Craig Medical Distribution, Inc.

1185 Park Center Drive, Building P

Vista CA 92083-8305

Clearblue Easy (U.K.) 25 mIU Helpline: 0870 5673514

Unipath Ltd., Priory Business Park, Stanard Way

Cardington, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 3UP

Confirm 1-Step 25 mIU 1-

Consumer affairs: 1- Distributed by Durex Consumer

Products, Inc.

A division of London International Group, Inc.

3858 Engineering Drive NW, Norcross GA 30092

Crystal Clear (Australia) 25 mIU Consumer: 03-9844-4695

Medical Specialists: 1-800-678-302

http://www.nurturebaby.com.au/ Advanced Clinical Systems

PO Box 42, Warradyte Vic 3113

CVS (stick test) 25 mIU 1-, http://www.cvs.com/ TCPI,

Inc., 3333 S.W. 15th Street

Pompano Beach FL 33069

Day Seven (CDN) 25 mIU 1-

PHMX, Pharmaceutical & Diagnostics Ltd.

Vancouver, BC

dBest One Step 20 mIU ,

http://www.ameritek.org/Fertility.htm

Order: http://www.futuremoms.com/ AmeriTek, Inc.

Seattle WA

Equate (Wal*Mart) 25 mIU 1- LifeCare Medical

International Corp.

Philadelphia PA 19044

First Response Early Result 25 mIU

see note 1-

http://www.1stresponse.com/ Products / Division of -

Wallace, Inc.

1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10105

Health Check 25 mIU 1-, 1-

fax: , http://www.health-check.com/ TCPI, Inc., 3333 S.W.

15th Street

Pompano Beach FL 33069

Health Mark 25 mIU

fax: , http://www.techchem.com/ TCPI, Inc., 3333 S.W.

15th Street

Pompano Beach FL 33069

Insta Test hCG 25 mIU 1-

http://www.rapidtest.com/

order: http://www.goldfishdreams.com/

Cortez Diagnostics, Inc.

23961 Craftsman Road, Suite D

Calabasas CA 91302

Lifesign One-Step 25 mIU 1- LifeCare Medical

International Corp.

Philadelphia PA 19044

LifeSign 1 Midstream 15 mIU 1-, 1-

http://www.geodesicmeditech.com/ 2921 Sandy Pointe No. #3

Del Mar CA 92014

One Step Be Sure 25 mIU 1-

Manufactured by Syntron Bioresearch, Inc.

Carlsbad CA 92008

Rapid Self-Test (U.K.) 25 mIU 01204 362236 ARK Pharmacare Ltd., 44-46

Lower Bridgeman St.

Bolton, Lancs BL2 1DG

40-50 mIU

Boots (U.K.) 50 mIU e-mail help: btc.cshelpdesk@...

http://www.boots.co.uk/main.html

Clearblue Easy (U.S.) 50 mIU 1-800-883-EASY (3279)

http://www.clearblueeasy.com/ Unipath http://www.unipath.com/

ClearPlan Easy 50 mIU 1-800-883-EASY (3279)

http://www.clearplan.com/ Unipath http://www.unipath.com/

CVS (cartridge) 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1-

http://www.cvs.com/ Inverness Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Dollar General Store 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1-

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/www.dollargeneral.com/ Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Drug Emporium One Step 50 mIU 1- (Selfcare)

http://www.webrx.com/ Inverness Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Early Bird One Step (U.K.) 50 mIU 01223 638614

email: eborders@... Kent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 6LL

early Pregnancy test 50 mIU 1- Inverness Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02453

e.p.t. 40 mIU 1-800-EPT-1STEP or 1-

http://www.ivillage.com/sponsors/ept/index.html Parke- /

Manufactured by

Warner Wellcome Consumer Health

Plains NJ 07950

Family Dollar 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1-

http://www.familydollar.com/ Inverness Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

First Response (U.K.) 40 mIU 01303 221686 Feminine Care Research Lab,

-Wallace Ltd.

Wear Bay Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 6PG

Hannaford 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1- Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Predictor (U.K.) 50 mIU 01480 421817 Unit 327, Science Park

Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 4WG

Rite-Aid 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1- Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Selfcare 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1- Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Target 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1- Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

Walgreens 50 mIU 1-800-899-SELF (7353), 1- Inverness

Medical, Inc.

200 Prospect St., Waltham MA 02154

100 mIU

Answer 100 mIU 1-

Customer Service: 1- Products / Division of -

Wallace, Inc.

1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10105

Fact Plus Pro 100 mIU cartridge

1- Manufactured by Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp.

Raritan NJ 08869

Fact Plus Select 100 mIU stick test

1- Manufactured by Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp.

Raritan NJ 08869

First Response One Step 100 mIU 1-

http://www.1stresponse.com/ Products / Division of -

Wallace, Inc.

1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10105

In general, tests rated to detect the lowest hCG levels should be

able to detect pregnancy sooner than those rated for a higher level.

However, it is important to note that this chart rates the

manufacturer's claimed sensitivity, not test accuracy. We did not do

a laboratory analysis of the tests. Look below the FAQ for some

comments on different brands. If you are in the U.S. and your test

isn't listed, you can search the FDA site and please let us know!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PREGNANCY TESTS

Q: What is hCG?

A: hCG is human chorionic gonadotropin. It is a hormone produced by

the placenta during pregnancy. Home pregnancy tests (HPTs) are

designed to detect it.

Q: Why does the hCG level of the test matter?

A: Basically the pregnancy tests that detect the lowest number of

units should be more sensitive and give you the earliest results.

Q: How do home pregnancy tests work?

A: Home pregnancy tests (HPTs) are designed to detect hCG, a hormone

released by the placenta right after the embryo begins implanting

into the uterine lining. The hormone is released in a pregnant

woman's urine.

Q: How soon after ovulation can I test?

A: The earliest you can get a positive result on the most sensitive

pregnancy tests is seven days after ovulation. Implantation needs to

occur before hCG is produced, and that generally happens between 6-12

days post ovulation, usually by 10 days after. For this reason, it

makes economical sense to wait until 10-12 days after ovulation, but

even then a significant percentage of women who are indeed pregnant

will still show a negative result. If you have not had an hCG

injection (common in fertility treatment, brands include Profasi,

Pregnyl and Novarel), you can believe the positive, but you might get

a false negative. If your period is late, test again. Your hCG levels

should double every 2-3 days and many people won't have a positive

HPT until the first day of a missed period or even a few days later.

Q: How do I perform the test?

A: You should use midstream urine -- meaning you should pee a little

first and then either hold the test stick in your urine stream or use

a collection cup. If you would like to collect urine in a cup even

though you bought a stick test, you need to hold the absorbant tip of

the stick in the cup of urine for 5-10 seconds (TCPI, Inc. says this

is more accurate for their tests). Otherwise follow the directions

with the test.

Q: How long do I need to hold my urine?

A: That depends how long after ovulation you are testing. If you are

testing early, a four-hour wait is a good idea. The more hCG you have

in your system, the less long you'll need to hold before trying to

test.

Q: Can I use an HPT if I had an hCG injection (such as Profasi,

Pregnyl or Novarel)?

A: You can, but you should wait 7-14 days after your last injection

before the shot is out of your system. If you test too soon, you

might get a false positive. Wait 14 days after a 10,000 IU injection,

10 days after a 5,000 IU injection, or 7 days after a 2,500 IU

injection.

Q: Can fertility medications such as Clomid, Serophene, Gonal-F,

Follistim, Humegon, Pergonal, Repronex or Fertinex cause false

positive results on HPTs?

A: The only fertility medication that can cause a false positive on a

home pregnancy test is one that includes hCG (see question above).

Q: Can progesterone supplements cause a false positive HPT?

A: No. Home pregnancy tests only check hCG levels, not progesterone.

They are completely different hormones.

Q: What should my hCG level be?

A: An rounded-off average would be about 25 mIU at 10 dpo, 50 at 12

dpo, 100 at 14 dpo. Please consult

http://www.advancedfertility.com/earlypre.htm,

http://www.inciid.org/betas.html or

http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/Atrium/2140/hcg_survey.htm for

charts on hCG levels in early pregnancy.

Q: What if I took a test and it was negative, but when I looked at it

an hour or more later I saw a faint line?

A: You may be pregnant and just didn't have a high enough level of

hCG to trigger the test within the usual time frame; however, it also

could be the way that test reacts over time, so you really need to

test again either way in order to be sure of the result. Some brands

indicate that an " evaporation line " will appear if the test is left

to sit (Equate, for example). Generally speaking, you should not rely

on any positive result that does not show up within the time limit

stated in the test instructions. All brands have the possibility of

an evaporation line or chemical line.

Q: Which is more accurate, a urine test or a blood test?

A: A blood test is more accurate, but not necessarily more sensitive.

A lot depends on the lab. A quantitative blood test, usually called a

beta hCG test, measures the exact units of hCG in the blood. That

means it will detect even the most minimal level. There is another

type of blood test sometimes called a qualitative hCG. This is a test

that simply gives a yes or no answer to whether you are pregnant.

Just like urine tests, labs vary as to what is considered a positive

pregnancy test. Common cutoffs for positive are 5, 10, and 25 units.

A level under 5 is considered negative. A test that is only triggered

at 25 units of hCG is not any more sensitive than several of the

urine HPTs.

Q: Are urine tests at the doctor's office any more sensitive than

home tests?

A: They are usually equivalent to the first tier of the home

pregnancy tests list above -- reading an hCG level of 15-25 mIU as

positive. In fact, they are often the same tests listed in the chart,

only with less packaging.

Q: Can I tell if my hCG level is doubling by retesting with an HPT

and looking for a darker line?

A: No. You may get a darker line as your pregnancy progresses, but

the HPT is not accurate enough to give you a full picture. Only a

quantitative beta hCG blood test can tell you this. Best to have the

blood tests performed at the same lab since standards vary.

Q: What if my HCG levels aren't doubling every two to three days from

a quantitative blood test?

A: It doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong, but it warrants

further exploration including an early ultrasound (6 weeks LMP, 4

weeks after ovulation). Slow-rising hCG can be related to impending

miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. One important thing to remember is

that on average hCG levels double approximately every two days from 4-

6 weeks LMP, then doubles every 3 days when the level is 1600-6000,

then the doubling slows to every 4 days or so. Levels peak a week or

two before end of the first trimester (14 weeks LMP) before declining

in the second trimester.

Q: If I am pregnant, how long will my doctor monitor hCG levels.

A: Many doctors will do two or three hCG levels to confirm doubling

and stop there. Most others will stop after a fetal heartbeat is

detected since hCG levels vary greatly and doubling begins slowing

down. After a heartbeat is seen or heard, the chance of miscarriage

drops to 16% before 6 weeks LMP, 5% from 7-9 weeks, 1-2% after 11

weeks (reference).

Q: I had a positive HPT, but my period started. What happened?

A: The only way to know for sure is to get a quantitative hCG blood

test run. If you were pregnant but are miscarrying early, you may

still have some level of hCG on the first day of bleeding -- but you

need to go for the test as soon as possible. It is also possible that

you got a false positive on the pregnancy test, in which case you

should call the manufacturer with the lot number and try to get your

money back.

Q: I have all the symptoms of pregnancy and got a faint positive on a

home pregnancy tests. My qualitative (yes/no) hCG blood test came

back negative. Am I pregnant or not?

A: It may be that the qualitative blood test is less sensitive than

the home pregnancy test, so it would be a good idea to get a

quantitative hCG (measures the actual hCG level). Also be sure you

are reading the test within the time suggested in the instructions to

ensure you are not seeing an evaporation line on your home test.

Q: Can you get a postive HPT with a lower level of hCG than the tests

manufacturers say they detect?

A: Yes. Most of the tests can detect lower levels of hCG than what is

listed in this FAQ, but the levels printed here are the ones quoted

from the manufacturers.

Q: Can I be pregnant and not get a positive HPT?

A: Yes. Most women will register on HPTs by the time they are a few

days late for a period, but not everyone will. If you suspect you are

pregnant, you should see your doctor for a quantitative hCG test no

matter what result you get from an HPT.

Q: My beta was 75 and I didn't get a positive on my HPT that is

listed as reading a level of 50 or less, did I get a faulty test?

A: Not necessarily. The tests should read down to the level listed,

but they don't always. It is possible the test was performed

improperly, that urine was too diluted to give an accurate reading,

or that test was not stored properly before use (tests that freeze,

for example, are less likely to work).

Q: Can prescription or over the counter medication interfere with

home pregnancy tests?

A: Medication will neither delay a positive result, nor cause a false

positive, unless the medication contains hCG (Profasi, Pregnyl,

Novarel).

Q: Will recreational drugs or alcohol interfere with home pregnancy

tests?

A: Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, heroine, and alcoholic drinks

will not alter the result of a home pregnancy test, but it is better

to test when not under the influence.