Prega News, is a pregnancy detection card available at all medical stores. It is a one-step test to determine pregnancy at privacy of one’s home. Few drops of urine are put on the card at specified place and result is read. The result is said to be positive when two distinct lines appear. One line should be in the control region (C) and another line should be in the test region (T). When only one line appear, the result is negative.
Brand: Mankind Pharma
Price: MRP is Rs 50
The Principle of One Step hCG Urine Test
Pregnancy detection cards, detects presence or absence of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in urine.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. In normal pregnancy, hCG is detected in urine and serum soon after conception.
The levels of hCG within one week of implantation is 5-50 mIU/ml. At the time of the first missed menstrual period, hCG concentration in urine and serum are about 100 mIU/ml. hCG levels increase rapidly during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, with peak levels of 100,000-200,000 mIU/ml reached at the end of the first trimester. The hCG Single Test Card has a sensitivity of 25 mIU/mL, and is capable of detecting pregnancy as early as 1 day after the first missed menses.
The test utilizes a combination of antibodies including a monoclonal hCG antibody to selectively detect elevated levels of hCG. The urine migrates via capillary action along the membrane to react with the colored conjugate. hCG containing urine react with the specific antibody-hCG colored conjugate to form a colored line at the test line region of the membrane. Absence of this colored line suggests a negative result. Control line is indicated to tell the test is performed properly.
What is inside the pack?
The test card contains anti-hCG particles and anti-hCG coated on the membrane on a plastic card.
One card – For the easy detection of pregnancy
One dropper – To collect the drops of urine
How to Use Pregnancy Detection Card?
Collect first morning urine in clean-dry container.
First morning urine contains the highest concentration of hCG. The urine is applied to the card and reacts initially with the specific, anti-bhCG monoclonal antibody/colloidal gold conjugate on the test membrane. This mixture moves along the membrane, by capillary action, and reacts with a specific anti-hCG in the test region. If hCG is present in the sample, the result is the formation of a colored band in the test region. If there is no hCG in the sample, the area will remain white. The sample continues to flow to the control region and forms a pink to purple color, indicating the test is working and the result is valid.
- Bring the strip to normal room temperature.
- Add 3 drops of urine in the circular area.
- Wait for 5 minutes to know the results
- After 5 minutes, if 2 pink lines appear, the result is POSITIVE.
- If one pink line appears, the result is NEGATIVE
- If one dark pink and one light pink line appear in the card (this might be because there is not sufficient amount of HCG hormone in the urine collected), so in that case repeat the test again next morning and do so preferably with the morning urine.
- When control line does not appear the result is invalid.
- False negative results may occur when the levels of hCG are below the sensitivity level of the test. When pregnancy is still suspected, a first morning urine specimen should be collected 48 hours later and tested.
- Lower levels of the hCG hormone may be associated with placental insufficiency, threatened spontaneous abortion and ectopic pregnancy.
This test provides a presumptive diagnosis for pregnancy. A confirmed pregnancy diagnosis should only be made by a physician after all clinical and laboratory findings have been evaluated.
Precautions
- Do not use after the expiration date.
- Use immediately after taking out from the pouch.
- Discard the card properly after use.
Limitations of the test
- A number of conditions, other than pregnancy, including trophoblastic disease and certain non-trophoblastic neoplasm cause elevated levels of hCG. These conditions should be considered with appropriate clinical evidence.
- A dilute urine specimen may not contain sufficient levels of hCG to give a positive result. If pregnancy is still suspected, a first morning urine should be obtained from the patient 24-48 hours later and retested.
Storage and Stability
- Store the pouch between 4-30°C.
- Do not freeze.