Every pregnancy test works by detecting human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). hCG is a hormone that is found only in pregnant women and it is produced by cells in the uterus. hCG is responsible for signalling the ovaries to produce oestrogen and progesterone to help a foetus to grow and is detected by every pregnancy test whether it is a blood or urine test. hCG levels continue to rise as a pregnancy progresses and are therefore more easily detected the further along a pregnancy actually is.

A pregnancy test using a blood test is performed by a doctor or other health professional in their clinic. It can detect a pregnancy by measuring the hCG levels in the blood. There are actually two types of pregnancy test that can be preformed using a blood test, the quantitative blood test and the qualitative blood test.

The quantitative blood test is a pregnancy test that detects pregnancy by measuring the exact amount of hCG in the bloodstream. This type of pregnancy test can also be used to detect how far along a woman is in her pregnancy.

The qualitative blood test is a pregnancy test that detects pregnancy by indicating the presence of hCG in the bloodstream. This type of pregnancy test does not actually measure the hCG levels but it simply provides a yes or no answer as to whether or not a woman is pregnant. It does not give an indications as to how far along a woman is in her pregnancy.

A pregnancy test done by a blood test is performed in the same way as any other blood test.

The first stage in is the cleaning of a spot on the woman's arm with alcohol.
A needle is then inserted into the woman's arm and blood is drawn from the needle into little tube.
The tube of blood is then labelled and sent to a laboratory where the test will be performed.

The pregnancy test results typically take a day or two depending on the work load of the laboratory involved.

A blood test performed at a clinic has a 99% accuracy rate and can detect pregnancy earlier than most urine tests. It is possible to have a blood test for pregnancy testing as early as 7 days after a woman ovulates. This is approximately a week before a woman's period is due.

A pregnancy test can produce a false positive result if a woman is taking a drug that contains hCG. These types of drugs are commonly used in fertility treatments and it is important to discuss with a health care provider whether medications can affect a pregnancy test result.

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