The Facts:

The average menstrual cycle for women is 28 days. For women who have regular periods, ovulation (the release of the ovum, or egg, from the ovary) will occur mid-cycle or about 14 days before the onset of the next period. If a woman has unprotected intercourse one time during her cycle (from the start of the period one month to the start of the period the next month), she has up to a 26% chance of becoming pregnant. However, if she has intercourse mid-cycle, the risk of becoming pregnant is highest. The woman's egg may be fertilized as long as 12 to 24 hours after it leaves the ovary. The man's sperm may be able to fertilize the egg for up to 100 hours after it enters the vagina. This means that during the four days surrounding ovulation the woman is at her highest risk for becoming pregnant.

What is the test?

Pregnancy testing is often requested if a woman has missed a menstrual period or has had unprotected intercourse. There are home pregnancy test kits available over the counter. The home kits are fairly expensive with complex instructions and require the woman to have missed a period. In addition, the accuracy of these tests may not be comparable to the test used by the University Health Services (UHS).

The pregnancy test used at UHS is based on the presence of HCG in the urine. HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced by the placenta. The concentration of HCG in the urine of a woman who is pregnant begins to rise within a few days of conception. The symptoms of pregnancy, beginning one to two weeks after conception, may include breast tenderness, fatigue, nausea and urinary frequency.

The UHS urine pregnancy test detects HCG at 20 mIU (milli-International Units), a level present approximately 10 days after fertilization. The test is about 99% accurate when done at 10 or more days after conception. The accuracy of the test is not affected by common medication or hormones other than HCG.

What is involved?

First morning urine collection is not required, but the urine must be collected in a sterile container which will be provided by UHS at the time the test is requested. Tests WILL NOT be performed on urine brought in from outside UHS. Pregnancy testing is performed by medical technologists in the UHS Laboratory.

Counseling with a nurse will include a review of your risks for pregnancy and whether pregnancy testing is appropriate at this time. In addition, the options you are likely to pursue if you are pregnant, referrals as necessary, and any other concerns that you may have that relate to this issue will be topics for counseling.

Pregnancy test counseling is available Monday through Friday by appointment only. Please call UHS at 471-4955 to schedule an appointment. At the time that counseling is done, arrangements will be made for you to be notified of your results.

The UHS also offers gynecological services for both routine and problem exams through the Women's Health Clinic, Hormonal Contraception Start (HCS) classes, and Emergency Contraception.