by Michaela Pershe
One of many services offered at Birthright of Pittsburgh is a free and confidential pregnancy test.
Sometimes, a late period doesn’t always mean you are pregnant so, if you think you might be pregnant and would like to have our volunteer perform a pregnancy test, you may schedule an appointment or walk in during office hours and speak with a trained Birthright volunteer. A Birthright volunteer will provide an hCG, three-minute pregnancy test, for you with friendship and understanding. A volunteer will also provide community referrals, information on insurance, adoption, housing, furniture, or child care and assists you throughout your pregnancy for as long as you need us. Birthright also gives free baby clothes, diapers, baby supplies, blankets, and breastfeeding items to clients following the birth of a baby.
Birthright pregnancy tests are determined by the hCG hormone in your urine. The accuracy of this test is 99.9% and it is performed by a trained volunteer during an office visit.
A pregnant woman’s placenta produces the hCG hormone (meaning “human chorionic gonadotropin”) that can be detected in the urine after your first missed period. The pregnancy test at Birthright is simple. You provide a urine sample in a sterile cup. The volunteer administers the test and your results are ready in 2-3 minutes! The volunteer will confidentially tell you if the results are negative or positive.
If your pregnancy test is negative and you are still experiencing unusual symptoms and a late or missing period, it is always recommended to make an appointment with a doctor to see if there are any other underlying health issues at hand.
If the results are positive, the volunteer suggests you make an appointment with a physician to confirm your pregnancy. You are invited to become a Birthright client during your pregnancy and have a caring volunteer follow-up with phone weekly phone calls, develop a confidential friendship and provide you with information and resources in your community. Throughout your pregnancy you can have your baby with dignity and be supported and even after the birth of your baby, if needed. All Birthright services are free of charge!
About the Author
Former Birthright of Pittsburgh volunteer.