Am I going to be a mum? (Predictor Pregnancy Test)

Name: Foxy-Lady

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Product:	Predictor Pregnancy Test
Date:	07/06/05 (7392 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick , Easy, Reasonably cheap

Disadvantages: Awkward to aim your wee!

For those of you who don’t know what the ‘Predictor’ is I will quickly explain...it’s quite simply a home pregnancy testing kit.

The test can cause an array of emotions to come flooding out. These vary dramatically depending on your own personal circumstances. I have used the Predictor a couple of times before. The first time being the result of an ‘accident’ approximately 4 years ago and it wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience. I was feeling sick with worry and wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. Although happily married, my husband and I didn’t feel ready to become parents. We really thought that we couldn’t yet cope with the responsibilities of bringing a child into the world.

Luckily, I got a negative result.

This time however, the experience was different. This time I actually wanted to be pregnant!

The Predictor can be bought singularly for roughly £6 or as a twin pack for about £9. I’ve opted for this particular test because it always appears to be the cheapest on the shelf. I also had no qualms about purchasing it for a second time because I had found it so easy to use.

It’s great because you can do the test at any point during the day....whenever it’s comfortable and convenient for you. For me, this was in the privacy of my own bathroom when I had the house to myself.

Shaking like a leaf, I removed the cellophane wrapping. I wanted to take my time so I read the writing on the box and then also carefully went over the internal instructions two or three times to make sure I fully understood what I had to do. By this time, quite a few butterflies had started fluttering in the old tummy and I was feeling slightly nervous about the whole thing.

Aswell as an instruction leaflet you will also find a foil wrapper inside the box which contains the actual test. On opening this, make sure there is also a little sachet. This can be disposed of but is included to keep the text free from moisture until the time of use.

The test itself looks a bit like a mascara or a lip gloss...it has a stick with a handle that slots into a cartridge. The cartridge is where the results window is situated. I would advise anyone to familiarise yourself with the process by thoroughly by looking at the diagrams before taking the plunge and doing the test. This will avoid disappointment (or heart failure) if you read the result wrongly.

Right, now for the test. I pulled the stick out of the cartridge and could see a pink bit at the end. This part is the absorber and it needs to be held directly under your urine stream for more than a second. Let me tell you, this isn’t the easiest of tasks, especially when your hands are shaking! It’s quite awkward trying to guess exactly where the flow is going to be so try to do the test when you’ve got a full bladder, therefore giving you a longer period of time to get the absorber in the correct position.

Now, with that done, put the stick back into the cartridge, making sure it is completely closed....and sit back and wait. It only takes 4 minutes to come up with your result but those 4 minutes feel like a lifetime!

At first, a pink colour moves across the three windows. This shows that the Predictor is working. I decided to put the test to one side and avoid looking at it until it had fully worked its magic.

During this time, the Predictor is detecting if there is any hCG (human Chloric Gonadotrophin) present in the urine. When a woman becomes pregnant, the body starts to produce this hormone and the amount increases daily. Even tiny amounts can be detected so you can do the test from the day that your period is due.

Looking at my watch the time was ticking by, although not fast enough! I was really beginning to feel anxious about the whole thing and I’m sure my palms were feeling a bit sweaty. I even felt nauseous and I wished I’d not even done it. I was so excited and yet so frightened at the same time. What if it came up negative? I’d be so disappointed. But what if came up positive? I might be a mum in a few months time! The thought brought a tear to my eye.

My four minutes were up but I didn’t dare look! After leaving it an extra minute, just to be sure, I finally picked it up.

You have to hold the Predictor the correct way to read it. The cartridge should be to the left. On here, the results area is broken down into three windows. From the right hand side you will see a ‘control window’, then the all important ‘result window’ and finally the ‘extra check window.

After the test is complete the control window will have a pink dot in it to confirm that it is ready. The central result window is the biggest of the three and if you see that a pink dot has formed in here (even if it’s very pale), this means that you are carrying a baby.

The third window is an extra check window and should just be white - this shows that the result is definite and will not change. The result is permanent and you can keep it forever if you so wish!

If your result shows positive then there is almost no question that you are pregnant. The Predictor is proven to be 99% accurate which is just as reliable as a pregnancy test performed at the doctors or at the hospital.

The next step would be to visit your local doctor to get confirmation and to ensure the health of both you and your baby.

If you’ve got any questions about the test you can call the Predictor consumer helpline on 01480 421817. They also have a website, www.predictor.co.uk, which offers lots of useful information on conception, using the test and pregnancy.




As for my result.....it was undoubtedly positive. I’m going to be a mum!

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