Are there different types of home pregnancy tests?

With most tests, you place the end of a dipstick in your urine stream or dip the dipstick in a container of collected urine. A few minutes later, the dipstick reveals the test result — often as a plus or a minus sign, one line or two lines, or the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant" on a strip or screen.

Follow the test instructions for how long to wait before checking results — usually two or more minutes. Most tests also have a control indicator — a line or symbol that appears in the result window. If the line or symbol doesn't appear, then the test isn't working properly. Try again with another test.

Some home pregnancy tests are more sensitive than others. In other words, the amount of HCG needed to be detected in the urine to produce a positive test result is lower in some tests.

Always check the test's expiration date and read the instructions carefully before you take the test.