Pregnancy Testing

If you think you might be pregnant and are wondering “How do I know if I m pregnant?” CAPS Pregnancy + Medical Clinic is here to help you know if you’re pregnant through pregnancy testing, explain signs of pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms so you understand what is happening, and if you wish, help you step through the decision process of what to do next. All our services to you are private – your privacy is important to us.

Medical professionals at CAPS Pregnancy + Medical Clinics offer Free urine pregnancy testing at all of our fully-licensed medical clinics throughout San Diego. The Free pregnancy tests are aimed at producing effective, evidence-based results. If you think you might be pregnant, see our contact information below to contact us or schedule an appointment for pregnancy testing.

CAPS will help you get answers. CAPS uses a urine-based pregnancy test that is 97 – 99% accurate. A medical professional performs each pregnancy test where your visit will last approximately one to one and a half hours.

NEXT STEPS

If your pregnancy testing results are positive, we can help you understand your pregnancy options and answer your questions.

In addition, if your last period was over six weeks ago, a limited pregnancy ultrasound exam may be conducted at the same visit. If the results of pregnancy testing performed at one of our clinics reads negative but you still have many pregnancy symptoms, we may refer you to a provider who can provide a blood pregnancy test.

If you meet additional criteria set forth by our medical director, you will be offered prenatal vitamins free of charge.

Urine-based pregnancy tests measure the presence of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), a hormone produced by the placenta.

Increased levels of HCG are an excellent indicator of pregnancy. HCG is released into the mother’s bloodstream almost immediately after implantation (5-8 days after conception). HCG is produced in very small amounts at first and then rises exponentially, the concentration doubling every 2 days.

There are many types of professional and home use pregnancy tests and their sensitivity levels for detecting HCG differ widely. Some over-the-counter home tests only detect 50 mIU’s of HCG. This means they may not pick up the pregnancy until well after the first missed period. CAPS utilizes pregnancy urine-based tests that are capable of detecting concentrations as low as 25 mIU/ml as early as 7-10 days after implantation.

The production of HCG can vary greatly from woman to woman in any given week of pregnancy. Some women with high HCG may come up positive on a pregnancy test very early, while others with low HCG may not test positive until well after the first missed period. In a recent study, reported in the Journal of American Medical Association, 10% of the 250 women tested had not even implanted by the first missed period. Therefore, their HCG levels were so low that no urine test could detect it.

Because the test we use at CAPS Pregnancy + Medical Clinics is so sensitive, it may pick up a positive result in as early as 7-10 days post implantation (21-24 days after the first day of your last period) depending on when implantation occurs and the client’s personal HCG levels. If HCG is detected at this early stage, the ‘test line’ is expected to be light, as HCG levels are just beginning to build. HCG may also be produced by an EPL or “early pregnancy loss”/miscarriage”. This is an embryo that fails to implant properly in the uterus. This is usually followed by a normal or slightly heavier than normal menstrual period, which may be 2-3 days late. HCG levels may rise in the week following implantation (second week of conception) like a normal-term pregnancy. When EPL occurs, HCG concentration in the urine reaches a peak 2 weeks after conception then rapidly declines. A Free ultrasound test at CAPS as early as 6 weeks could help distinguish between a viable pregnancy or miscarriage.