(Note: This information is intended for general education purposes only, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical advice.)

Pregnancy occurs when a woman's egg (ovum) is fertilized by a man's sperm; this takes place at conception. This is the beginning of human life. Most of the time, conception occurs in the mid-portion of the fallopian tube. The newly formed conceptus contains DNA that is unique and individual, comprised of 46 chromosomes (23 from each parent).

• Missed period
• Last menstrual period that is not typical: short, early, light
• Fatigue, tiredness
• Breast tenderness and fullness
• Nausea with or without vomiting, any time of day or night
• Sensitivity to odors, changes in food preferences

Pregnancy tests are kits that can be used to detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone, beta HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), in a woman’s urine or blood. Most tests available through a clinic or doctor’s office are highly accurate and are able to detect very small amounts of pregnancy hormone. The placenta produces the beta HCG hormone and the level continues to increase through the 10th week of pregnancy. In a normally developing pregnancy, the beta HCG will approximately double in value every 2 days. This is very helpful in diagnosing an ectopic or tubal pregnancy because the level often doesn’t double under those circumstances.

The best time to obtain a pregnancy test is AFTER you have missed a period. The test used at Care Net is 99% accurate and free of charge. It is important to verify the accuracy of home pregnancy tests because they can vary in reliability. Pregnancy test verifications and confirmation of pregnancy ultrasounds may be obtainedobtained at the Care Net Pregnancy Center.

1. Life Begins, CD-ROM; 1998; Used with permission from Gordon Harkness; www.lifebegins.com