Blood test vs. urine test
Pregnancy blood tests are more sensitive than urine tests. They can be carried out two days before your expected period start date. Pregnancy testing involves detecting the presence of hCG (or human CG).
What is a pregnancy blood test?
Qualitative tests detect the presence of hCG and these are routinely used to screen for pregnancy, whereas with quantitative hCG testing (which is often called beta hCG (β-hCG)), the actual amount of hCG is measured that is present in your blood. The quantitative test can be used to confirm pregnancy, it can also be used in combination with a progesterone test to help in a diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy, to monitor you if you have had a miscarriage, to diagnose/monitor a pregnancy that might be failing, and alongside some other tests, to screen for some types of foetal abnormality.
If you are about to undergo particular medical procedures, hCG testing may sometimes be done to confirm you are not pregnant, and also if you are going to be placed on some types of drug or have other tests that might be harmful to a developing baby (e.g. X-rays).
When should I take a pregnancy blood test?
To confirm your pregnancy, and depending on how certain you are about the dates for your menstrual period, the doctor may carry out a pregnancy blood test following your pregnancy consultation.
If your physician wants to either rule out an ectopic pregnancy or monitor you after a miscarriage, then quantitative hCG blood tests will be carried out over several days, because initially, you may well experience all of the normal pregnancy symptoms/signs, but then you might develop other signs/symptoms that indicate your pregnancy is failing or not continuing as expected.
When will I get my results back?
Your pregnancy blood test results are usually back in 4 to 6 hours, giving you the immediate confirmation you require about whether you are (or aren’t) pregnant.
To book your test, phone the clinic or book online for your same-day appointment. Please note that we are also open on weekends for your convenience.
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