Pregnancy And Baby Care Pregnancy Test Pregnancy Blood Test

• Tweet
• 

Types of Pregnancy Blood Test

There are two types of pregnancy blood tests that are done:

• Qualitative pregnancy blood test: In this type of blood test, you only get to know if the hormone hcg is present in your blood or not. It is a mere confirmation of pregnancy.
• Quantitative pregnancy blood test: In this type of blood test, you get to know the actual amount of the hormone hcg present in your body. With this measurement, you will also get an idea of is the age of your unborn child and how advanced is your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Blood Test Procedure

This blood test is performed like a normal blood test where blood is drawn from your vein using a needle and then the blood sample is collected in a bottle. The sample is then sent to a lab for determining the presence of hcg and also its level in your blood. The time taken to provide the results may vary from lab to lab. You need to check with the doctor to find out how long it will take.

See also HCG levels during pregnancy

If the pregnancy is healthy, it has to show a pattern wherein the hcg levels keep increasing with each passing month for the entire first trimester. In most cases, pregnancy blood tests are generally accurate. However, the accuracy also depends on the lab, the method the lab uses, and the expertise of the person conducting the test.

Studies have shown that pregnancy blood tests are more accurate as compared to the standard urine test done in order to confirm the pregnancy. Besides letting you know about the pregnancy, blood tests also helps you know if the pregnancy is ectopic or if there is something wrong with the pregnancy. With such accuracy, you can then decide if you wish to continue with the pregnancy or end it in the early stages. So instead of just relying on the routine urine test, go ahead and get a pregnancy blood test done.