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Pregnancy Blood Tests: What To Know Before You Take It

📅 February 15, 2023📖 11 min read

Are you feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about pregnancy blood tests? Don't worry, you're not alone!

Pregnancy can be a time filled with excitement and joy, but it can also bring up a lot of questions and concerns. Understanding the purpose and importance of pregnancy blood tests can help put your mind at ease.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive into everything you need to know about pregnancy blood tests, including what they are, why they're important, when to have them, and what the results mean. So grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let's get started!

What Are Pregnancy Blood Tests?

Pregnancy blood tests are laboratory tests performed on a sample of blood taken from a pregnant woman. These tests are used to evaluate various aspects of the pregnancy, including the health of the mother and fetus.

Some of the most common pregnancy blood tests include:

  • Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (beta-HCG) Test: This test measures the level of beta-HCG, a hormone produced by the placenta, in the mother's blood. Elevated levels of beta-HCG can indicate a healthy pregnancy.
    • Complete Blood Count (CBC): This test measures the number and types of blood cells in the mother's bloodstream. The CBC can help detect anemia, which can be a sign of poor fetal growth.
    • Rh Factor Test: This test determines the mother's blood type and checks for the presence of Rh factor, a protein that can cause problems in future pregnancies if the mother is Rh-negative and the fetus is Rh-positive.

Why Are Pregnancy Blood Tests Important?

Pregnancy blood tests are important for several reasons. They can:

  • Confirm pregnancy: Pregnancy blood tests are one of the earliest and most reliable ways to confirm pregnancy.
    • Monitor the health of the mother and fetus: Pregnancy blood tests can help healthcare providers monitor the health of both the mother and fetus during pregnancy.
    • Detect potential problems early: Early detection of potential problems, such as anemia or Rh incompatibility, can lead to prompt treatment and better outcomes for both the mother and fetus.

How Soon Can a Blood Test Detect Pregnancy?

There are two types of blood tests: quantitative and qualitative. The former measures the exact amount of hCG in the body, while the latter provides a yes or no answer to your pregnancy.

These tests can be performed, with accuracy, 7 – 12 days after conception has occurred. Urine tests are not accurate until 14 days after conception.

Blood tests allow for results nearly a week earlier than their counterparts, but there is a wait time to find out the results, which will be discussed in detail shortly.

Can A Blood Pregnancy Test Be Wrong?

Yes. All pregnancy tests have a slight error of margin.

A negative blood pregnancy test has a higher level of error than a positive test. The main issue is that a lot of soon-to-be mothers choose the qualitative test.

With this test, the results may be given sooner, but they’re slightly less accurate. The qualitative tests will show a positive pregnancy when a reading is just 25 hCG in the body.

While this amount does indicate pregnancy, the quantitative test would show the exact amount. A woman with a reading of 100 hCG is, with near certainty, pregnant.

However, a woman that has a reading of 25 hCG could be having other issues causing her hCG levels to spike.

How Long Does A Blood Pregnancy Test Take?

No exact duration can be given for the time it will take to receive the laboratory results on your pregnancy test. Each laboratory is different, and the precise timetable will be explained by your doctor.

Under normal circumstances, tests will be returned to the doctor in 2 – 3 days. A small amount of clinics may have an on-site lab that will conduct blood tests in-house.

In this case, the results may be provided within hours of taking the test.

How Accurate Are Blood Pregnancy Tests?

Pregnancy blood test results have an accuracy rating of 99%. These tests can accurately measure hCG when the levels would be otherwise undetectable using urine or other methods of testing.

This accuracy level increases later into the pregnancy. Even a couple days will provide results that are more accurate.

In comparison, the standard urine test that you’ll find in many pharmacies have an accuracy level of 97% on average. There is always a chance that your test will come back with an erroneous result, but the chances are 1 in 100 for blood tests.

Pregnancy blood test levels of hCG need to be much lower to determine pregnancy, which is why they’re the preferred method of pregnancy detection.

Where Can I Get A Blood Pregnancy Test?

A blood pregnancy test can only be sought at a medical facility. Your OBGYN or medical doctor will be able to provide you with a test.

Nearby clinics for pregnant women will also offer a low-cost method for pregnancy tests. Pregnancy blood tests are typically ordered at various points throughout pregnancy.

Some of the most common times for pregnancy blood tests include:

  • At the first prenatal visit: At the first prenatal visit, expectant mothers will typically have a pregnancy blood test to confirm pregnancy and determine their blood type and Rh factor.
    • At around 8-12 weeks of pregnancy: Around 8-12 weeks of pregnancy, expectant mothers may have a blood test to measure the level of beta-HCG and check for any potential chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.
    • During the second trimester: During the second trimester, expectant mothers may have a blood test to check for anemia and other potential health problems.

How Much Does a Blood Pregnancy Test Cost?

A major consideration is the cost of a blood pregnancy test. Unless you’re able to get a free blood pregnancy test, offered at few clinics, you’ll either need to have an insurance provider cover the cost, or pay the bill out-of-pocket.

Ask your insurance provider if a pregnancy test will be included under your policy. In the event that your provider will not cover the costs, it’s important to note that many tests will also check for various diseases and illnesses.

This will raise the price of the test dramatically. A test that does include all of these extras can cost $900 or more in some circumstances. Note : The doctor and lab costs will be returned in separate bills, so expect a bill from each provider following your test.

A standard pregnancy blood test will cost $50 – $200 with the doctor’s bill not included. Planned Parenthood offers a sliding scale rate so that women pay only what they can afford for pregnancy tests.

This is a figure derived from your current income level. Many of these facilities have been closed down or are now underfunded, so they may or may not exist in your area.

Are There At-home Blood Pregnancy Tests?

Blood tests must be conducted at a medical facility. The main issue is that blood needs to be handled properly and sent to a professional lab where the testing procedure can take place.

Urine pregnancy tests are nearly as accurate, 97% accuracy, and can be performed at-home.

Why Are Pregnancy Tests Inaccurate?

When a test is wrong , there are a variety of factors that need to be considered. First and foremost, the test may have been handled inappropriately, degrading the blood sample.

There is also a possibility that an error occurred due to the fault of the laboratory where the testing procedure took place. Some women will not produce hCG as fast as others, so even a slight delay in the production of this hormone can cause qualitative tests to be wrong.

Certain diseases or sicknesses can cause hCG to be present in the body even if pregnancy has not occurred. Cancer has been known to produce a positive pregnancy test that was inaccurate due to the presence of cancer in the body.

If you’re not experiencing other pregnancy symptoms and signs shortly after the test results come back, it’s important to keep a clear line of communication open with your doctor. Thorough testing can be performed to ensure that pregnancy has occurred and that you and the baby are both healthy.

Why Are hCG Levels Calculated?

A woman’s body, more precisely the placenta, will start producing hCG when pregnancy has occurred. This happens so that the body dos not reject the fetus because it’s a foreign body.

These levels will double in a short amount of time and continue to do so until they have reached a very high level. Pregnancy tests will test for the level of hCG in the body.

Urine tests and the qualitative blood test will trigger a positive result when hCG levels are above 25. In this case, there are very few errors in testing as there are few circumstances when hCG is produced by the body.

Quantitative tests are a little more data dense and provide the exact level of hCG in the body. Even small amounts can indicate that pregnancy has taken place.

In essence, the quantitative test can demonstrate, with a higher level of certainty, that a woman is pregnant due to the precise data points present.

Should I Opt for a Blood Pregnancy Test?

Under normal circumstances, women will use an at-home test due to the lower pricing and the level of privacy experienced. If an at-home test is positive, it’s important to consult with your medical doctor to have further testing conducted.

An in-doctor visit is the best way to ensure that pregnancy has occurred. In the event that a test is negative, retake the test within one week.

This allows enough time to pass for hCG levels to reach detectable amounts. If the test was negative twice, there is a good chance that pregnancy has not occurred.

Conclusion

Pregnancy blood tests are an important tool for healthcare providers to monitor the health of both the expectant mother and fetus during pregnancy. They can provide valuable information about the pregnancy and help detect potential problems early.

While the results of pregnancy blood tests are just one part of a larger picture, they can be a valuable resource for expectant mothers and their families.

References

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