At-Home Medical Tests Test
At-home medical tests are kits you can buy to test for or monitor certain health conditions in your own home. They include pregnancy tests, blood glucose tests, fecal occult blood tests, tests for infectious diseases like HIV and COVID-19, and genetic tests. Results may be immediate or require mailing a sample to a lab.
What this test measures
At-home medical tests measure specific substances or markers in body fluids (blood, urine, saliva) to screen for or monitor diseases and conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes, colon cancer, infectious diseases, and genetic risks.
What your results mean
Reference ranges vary by laboratory and by your age and sex. MedlinePlus does not publish a single normal range for this test — always read your result against the range printed on your own lab report and discuss it with your provider.
Frequently asked questions
What are at-home medical tests?
They are kits you can buy to test for or monitor certain diseases and conditions in your own home.
What types of at-home tests are available?
Common tests include pregnancy, blood glucose, fecal occult blood, infectious disease (like HIV and COVID-19), and genetic tests.
Do I need a prescription to buy an at-home test?
Many kits are available without a prescription, but you should ask your health care provider for advice on which kit to use.
How do self-tests and self-collection tests differ?
Self-tests give immediate results after you apply your sample to the kit. Self-collection tests require you to mail your sample to a lab, and results come later.
How do I get results from a self-collection test?
You can get results from your health care provider or through an online portal with a unique login and password.
Related lab tests
Sources
- MedlinePlus: At-Home Medical Tests — NIH MedlinePlus
Last updated . Information is aggregated from official public sources and is not a substitute for professional medical care.