MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Pregnancy test

Medical Encyclopedia

Pregnancy test

The qualitative urine human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test is a pregnancy test that can be performed at home by a woman to determine pregnancy. To perform the test the woman places the test strip, which has a chemically sensitive substance, under her urine stream. Within minutes the test reveals whether the woman is positive (pregnant), or negative (not pregnant).

Update Date: 11/30/2006

Updated by: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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