Usually it is the absence of menstruation that makes a woman wary and resort to simple methods of establishing the fact of pregnancy. In this case, why do some women use the test to establish pregnancy, even with spotting? If you delve into some of the features of conception, it is easy to get an answer to this question. Is it possible to do a test during menstruation, we will consider in this article.
Menstruation and pregnancy
It's no secret that a certain amount of blood can be released both in the early stages of pregnancy and in the later period of gestation. And there are several reasons for this.
Conception during menstruation
The possibility of fertilization during menstruation cannot be ruled out. It is extremely difficult to calculate the moment of ovulation, in addition, a mature egg cell remains viable for several days. And if the partners do not give up proximity during the period of monthly bleeding, then a woman can become pregnant. Unprotected intercourse becomes the reason why girls wonder if it is possible to do a pregnancy test during menstruation, suspecting that the conception still took place.
Implantation bleeding
Attaching a fertilized female reproductive cell (egg) to the uterine wall is one of the most likely causes of scarce bleeding after conception. Such a phenomenon is not considered a pathology. Nevertheless, some of the women take spotting as the onset of menstruation and prefer to have a second test.
Months after fertilization
Bleeding after conception is an infrequent, but understandable phenomenon. Suppose a fusion of an egg with a sperm occurred on the last day of the cycle before the onset of menstruation. In the usual sense, menstruation should not occur. However, this belief is erroneous.
In the body of a woman, several cells suitable for fertilization can mature. While one egg is fertilized, the other leaves the body in the usual way. Consequently, menstruation occurs at normal time despite the fact that conception has already occurred. A similar process is observed only in the early stages, usually in the first month after a successful conception. But in any case, with the appearance of such symptoms, you need to visit a gynecologist and conduct a second test. And if the question whether it is possible to do the test during menstruation arises in this case, then it is quite relevant to conduct it.
Hormone imbalance
The unstable hormonal background of a woman is another reason why women are wondering if it is possible to do a test during menstruation to clarify the condition of the body. Inadequate production of certain hormones can cause menstrual bleeding after fertilization in the first trimester.
Menstruation throughout the gestation period is an extremely rare phenomenon, but bleeding in the first trimester is a serious reason for examination.
Why re-test?
As a rule, the first thought that visits a woman with the onset of spotting is: am I really pregnant? If the pregnancy has already been established by a gynecologist, the question is relevant: is everything all right with the baby?
A test to determine pregnancy during menstruation is not contraindicated. The presence of a small amount of blood in the urine does not affect the result. The main indicator of pregnancy is the content in the urine of the future mother of chorionic gonadotropin (pregnancy hormone). Moreover, as doctors say, the presence of bloody inclusions in the urine does not change the level of this indicator, therefore, a negative result can only indicate the absence of pregnancy. At the same time, a positive test result in the presence of discharge indicates one of the following facts:
- Conception took place, but the embryo did not attach well enough to the uterine wall. This alarming symptom carries a threat to the life of the fetus, as it signals the likelihood of spontaneous abortion (miscarriage).
- Pregnancy is normal. Moreover, bleeding is in no way associated with this process. Perhaps spotting is the result of a pathological process, hormonal failure, or an incorrect determination of the term.
Of course, a mistake made by the test manufacturer is also possible. If the test shows a positive result, regardless of the time (before and during spotting), it is recommended to consult a doctor and get clarification about the nature of the bleeding.
When to do a test?
Human chorionic gonadotropin begins to be produced in the body of a pregnant woman immediately after the fertilized egg is confidently fixed on the uterine wall, that is, about the sixth to eighth day after the alleged conception. Moreover, the level of this hormone in the early stages increases in proportion to the number of weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, the later a woman performs the test, the more accurate the result will be.
Can I do a test during menstruation in the evening? Do not forget the fact that different pharmacy indicators have different sensitivity. For example, the familiar two-lane test is able to show a positive result with a hormone level of 20 mME / ml, while supersensitive tests show a similar result with an hCG hormone concentration of 10 mME / ml. Most often, the manufacturer recommends carrying out the procedure in the morning.
Do not hope to get answers to your questions immediately after the sexual intercourse, even if it occurred on the estimated day of ovulation. The most reliable test result can be obtained no earlier than a few days from the start of the delay.
Is it possible to do a test during menstruation, if they started earlier? If, after receiving a positive result, you suddenly started menstruating, it is advisable to conduct a second procedure. It is possible that the bleeding is caused by the embryo implantation process, and the initial test showed the correct result.
In any case, if the question of whether it is possible to do the test during menstruation in the afternoon or in the morning remains relevant and there are still doubts, contact the clinic and take an analysis for the content of hCG in the blood. However, in one concentration or another, this hormone is found in female blood and in the absence of conception. In this case, the result is summarized by the level of the indicator.
There are cases when a successfully fertilized egg is incorrectly implanted in the uterine cavity and after some time is rejected by the organ. In this case, the female cell leaves the body with the onset of regular monthly bleeding, and the level of the hCG hormone begins to decline. Accordingly, if you do a pregnancy test after rejection of the egg, it can show a negative result.
Bleeding testing
In the first trimester after the planned conception, the periodic conduct of this procedure will help prevent undesirable consequences. Therefore, the question is whether it is possible to do a pregnancy test during menstruation, after a delay, during this period is quite relevant. And if the first month of bearing the fetus was accompanied by bloody discharge, then quite heavy bleeding in the following months should alert the expectant mother. For more confidence, test yourself in the early days of the delay and repeat the test after a few weeks.
The presence of blood in the urine is not an obstacle to obtaining the correct result and cannot cause a denial in the question of whether it is possible to do the test during menstruation. The principle of operation of indicators of any sensitivity is similar. The litmus strip contained in such tests responds to the presence of the hCG hormone in the woman’s urine. With a sufficient concentration of the hormone, the test result will be positive even with menstruation. If the first test showed pregnancy, and subsequent testing has a negative result, the most likely causes are:
- The first test turned out to be of poor quality. It is important before purchasing the product to make sure that it is suitable. To do this, check the shelf life on the packaging.
- Conception occurred, but the fertilized cell could not properly consolidate. In such cases, full periods begin. It is worth noting one point: if such situations are repeated with a steady periodicity, it makes sense to undergo an examination for the presence of pathological abnormalities that prevent the embryo from being safely implanted into the cavity of the female genital organ.
Conclusion
Can I do a test during menstruation? According to many experts, this is a normal process that can show one hundred percent result. However, do not forget about the antenatal clinic and laboratory tests. A obstetrician-gynecologist with many years of experience will help not only to establish the fact of pregnancy, but also to deal with situations where the process of gestation is complicated by monthly bleeding.