So Im wondering if getting a blood test to determine pregnancy
(hcg levels) is better than buying and taking multiple home pregnancy tests? Wouldn't I save more money just going into the doctors office and getting a blood test and paying my co-pay, rather than buying a couple expensive lil sticks that are less reliable? What have you done and what do you suggest? Thanks a million!!!
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I was of the impression that the home tests are pretty reliable. If there's a line, there's a line.
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the blood test is more reliable as it can detect much, MUCH lower levels of HcG than a urine test can, meaning it can detect pregnancy earlier or give you a better approximation of how far along you are. That being said, HPTs are still reliable. If you dont have to have a blood test, a standard urine test is most likely fine. I had both done
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HCG gets into your blood a day or two before it gets into your urine, so a blood test can detect it earlier, but it's not necessarily a 'better' test. The urine test they give you at the doctor is the same as the one you have at home. If it's negative, they might not even bother giving you a blood test, unless you're mid-fertility treatments. I'd just wait a couple of days and use a FRER.
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I think with hpt its easy to test too early and get false negatives or a false positives or a chemical pregnancy.Wouldnt It be easier to deal with if you wait a few days after predicted implantation and get a blood test before a hpt will even show those lines?
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Oh, so will the doctor actually give you a urine test before a blood test is in order?@JoJoGirl:
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Maybe doctors are different, but my doctor never did a blood test for hcg until my u/s didn't detect a heartbeat. I don't think blood tests are the norm unless problems are suspected or you're undergoing special treatments to get pregnant/sustain pregnancy.
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@jh524: most doctors won't even see you until you've got a positive hpt. Or something else very unusual going on like your period being very late but you get multiple negative hpts. They wouldn't just schedule you for a blood test to check for pregnancy without an indication that you are pregnant. My doc did do blood tests on me because we needed to make sure my hcg was doubling since I'd had a prior miscarriage. But in general most docs schedule your first appointment when you are around 8 weeks pregnant and just confirm with a urine test if they aren't doing a viability ultra sound.
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Thanks for the information. I had no idea so its very helpful to find this out. Thank you mamamoose!!!
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By the time you got the results back from a blood test, shouldn't a HPT pick up HCG anyways? I don't think you'd necessarily be finding out any earlier.
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I struggled with this same thing this last week! I went to the dollar tree and picked up a bunch of drip tests for a buck then went to CVS & got a double pack of digital, just encase I got a positive reading on the cheeper brand. They all work the same, I think it was more of a mind game over brand names for me.
I agree with mamamoose, they normally won't test unless you are really late and keep getting neg hpt or you are undergoing intense fertility treatments.
I'd pick up the cheaper ones and keep testing at home. That's what I did this weekend and I'm glad I did. I was 3 days late and had convinced myself I was prego, blew threw 6 test before AF showed up.
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My office didn't do a blood test, they just scheduled me a dating u//s 8 weeks after my missed period.
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@jh524: Yes, my doc wouldn't even see me until a urine test was positive.
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