How To Take a Pregnancy Blood Test

Do you think you are pregnant?  There is one sure way to find out:  Have a pregnancy blood test completed.  Pregnancy blood tests can detect pregnancy anywhere from 7-12 days after conception.

1. Blood tests for pregnancy can only be completed in your doctor's office or in a medical laboratory.  It is important that you call your doctor if you wish to have a blood test; he can direct you where to go to have one administered.

2. Upon arrival at the appointment, be sure to leave your name and why are you there with the front desk staff.
3. Once your name is called, the nurse will most likely complete two different blood tests. One test will be a quantitative test that will measure the amount of HCG (the pregnancy hormone) in your system to an exact amount.  The other test will be a qualitative test that will answer the basic yes or no regarding pregnancy, meaning you are or you are not pregnant.
4. The nurse will tie a large rubber band around your arm and ask you to make a fist.  He will withdraw the blood from a vein in your arm.  This should not hurt much, but be prepared for a little prick with the needle insertion. The nurse will remove the needle and place a cotton ball over the needle insertion area.  He will ask you to bend your elbow to help put pressure on the area and stop any bleeding that may occur.
5. The nurse will then ask you to spell your name while he writes it and confirms it is correct on the blood test tubes.  At this time, the nurse will give you instructions on when to call for results, or if someone will call you.  The nurse will then take the blood to the lab for the testing to be completed.
6. Once the testing is completed, the waiting begins.  Blood test results for pregnancy typically take several hours to receive.  In many cases, your doctor may not contact you until the next day with the results.
7. It is important to remember that blood pregnancy tests must be done at the doctor's office, therefore these types of tests are usually more expensive than opting to do a urine test at home.  However, if you do think you are pregnant, most doctor's offices require a blood test for complete confirmation and accuracy.

Blood tests are one definite way to find out if you are pregnant or not.  The information from a blood pregnancy test provides reliable information for doctors and accurate results for the woman who may or may not be pregnant.