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One of the most important things to know if you are confused about when you should take a home pregnancy test is that you are more likely to get a negative result if it’s done too early.
How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?
Before going further, it will be helpful for you to understand how a pregnancy test works in order to know when to take one.
Pregnancy tests are made to detect human chorionic gonadotropin or the hCG hormone in the urine or blood. This is a pregnancy hormone that’s produced once a fertilized egg is attached to the uterus wall, usually starting around six days after the egg fertilization.
The hCG levels will continue to increase rapidly if you are pregnant, doubling every two to three days.
It is important to mention that there are some tests that are able to detect hyperglycosylated hCG or H-hCG, a variation of the hCG hormone.
The regular hCG is only produced after an embryo is implanted in the endometrium, while H-hCG is released earlier at some point right after fertilization.
When Should You Take a Home Pregnancy Test
You can get the most accurate result if you wait at least one week after missing your period. In addition, the result might be even more accurate if the test is done first in the morning as the urine is far more concentrated at this time. The urine-based home pregnancy tests offer about 97% accuracy.
This accuracy will depend on several factors such as how early the test is taken, if the instructions were followed closely, when ovulation occurred in the cycle, how early implantation takes place, and how sensitive the test is.
It is always best to take a pregnancy test after a late period to avoid false positive or false negative results.
If you have irregular cycles or you are not charting your cycles, it might best to take the test after passing the longest menstrual cycle.
For example, if your cycles are in the range of 30 to 36 days, it would be best to take the test at around 37 days after your last period or later.
Another thing to know is that you should not take the pregnancy test if you are using some fertility medication. An early test can detect the remnants of the medication [1].
How Soon After Sex Can You Take a Pregnancy Test?
Many women take a pregnancy test right after they have sex. This is actually a huge mistake because, as mentioned above, the levels of hCG in the body can be detected several days after the fertilized egg has been implanted in the uterus.
By taking the pregnancy test too early, it can result in a false-negative result and make you believe that you’re not pregnant.
So when is the right time to take a pregnancy test after having unprotected sex? According to experts, you can take the test 10 to 14 days after having intercourse since, during this time, the hCG levels in your body are already high enough to be detected.
Many home pregnancy test kits will include this fact in their instructions to ensure that users will get accurate results.
However, this 10-to-14 day time frame is only the minimum. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s advisable to wait for a longer time before you take a home pregnancy test.
Many experts recommend that you take the test 21 days after having unprotected sex for more accurate results [2].
This might seem like a long time to wait, particularly if you’re eager to get pregnant and want to know if you’ve conceived ASAP. But it’s important to note that conception doesn’t always happen right after you have sex.
Remember: sperm can live inside your body for up to five days, which means that fertilization can take place up to five days after you had intercourse. So, if you have sex a few days before ovulation, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly when you conceived.
If the actual conception happened a few days after you had sex, but you decide to take a pregnancy test exactly 10 days after your intercourse, your body might not yet have produced enough hCG levels for the test to detect.
This might mean that you’ll get a negative result — even though fertilization did happen and your egg has implanted (or is about to implant) in your uterus.
So, to get accurate results, it’s best to wait for three weeks after having intercourse before you use a pregnancy test kit.
This is also the reason why you shouldn’t hesitate to take another pregnancy test even if you’ve already taken one.
If you get a negative result but genuinely believe that you are pregnant, take another pregnancy test around a week after you took the initial test.
By this time, fertilization and implantation might have already taken place, which means that the hCG levels are high enough for you to get an accurate reading.
If you get a negative pregnancy test few days after positive urine pregnancy test, you may have experienced a phenomenon called Chemical Pregnancy that accounts of 50-75% of all miscarriages. [3]
If you can’t wait for three weeks, you can visit your doctor and ask for a blood pregnancy test.
This test detects pregnancy earlier than urine-based home pregnancy tests since hCG appears earlier in the mother’s blood than in her urine.
You can take the blood pregnancy test at least eight days after you had unprotected sex [4] although, just like with home pregnancy tests, you can get more accurate results if you wait a few days longer after having intercourse.
Blood tests can detect pregnancies earlier than urine test because these tests can detect hCG levels as low as 1 mIU/mL, while urine test strips have published detection thresholds of 10 mIU/mL to 100 mIU/mL, depending on the brand. [5]
How Should You Take a Home Pregnancy Test?
Now that you have an idea as to when you should take a home pregnancy test, you need to know how to use it.
The home pregnancy tests are easy and quick to use. Once the instructions are followed carefully you will get accurate results.
They are all made to work in the same way. You’d use one of these ways to test your urine:
- Collect some urine inside a cup and then use a dropper to place it in another container.
- Collect some urine inside a cup and dip the pregnancy test stick in it.
- Hold the pregnancy test stick under your urine stream.
For all of these techniques, you’ll have to wait several minutes to see the results. The results can show as a color, line or symbol. Some digital tests will say not pregnant or pregnant.
What is The Meaning of the Pregnancy Test Results?
When you do the test and the result is positive, this means you are pregnant. Bear in mind that this will be the case, regardless of the faintness of the color, line or sign.
It would be a good idea to contact your doctor in order to know what will come next if you get a positive result.
A negative result will mean that you are not pregnant. Nevertheless, you could still be pregnant in cases where the test is taken incorrectly, the test stick is expired, the test is done too soon, you are using certain medications like antihistamines or diuretics, and large amounts of liquid is consumed immediately before the test (which dilutes the urine).
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You could try retesting about one week after getting a negative result to get a more solid confirmation. There are some home-based pregnancy tests that will suggest this no matter the results.
Although this only happens in rare cases, a pregnancy test can give a false-positive. This means the test is saying you are pregnant, but you are not.
You could get this result if your urine contains protein or blood and if you are using certain drugs such as anti-convulsants or tranquilizers.
When you are ready to take a home pregnancy test, you can buy it without a prescription at the drugstore, or online on Amazon.
Be sure to contact your doctor if you have questions pertaining to the pregnancy test or results.
References
- https://www.verywellfamily.com/can-my-medicine-effect-my-pregnancy-test-results-2759855
- https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ureport/story/2001287100/how-soon-after-having-sex-you-can-take-a-pregnancy-test-and-how-accurate-the-results-will-be
- Chemical pregnancy facts: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chemical-pregnancy
- https://www.babymed.com/normal-hcg-blood-level-by-week-during-pregnancy
- Waddell, Rebecca Smith (2006). “FertilityPlus.org”. Home Pregnancy Test hCG Levels and FAQ. Archived from the original on 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2006-06-17.
Hi, I had my last period February 28 and up till now I have not done my menstruation, please am I pregnant?
Hello Bukola, you just might be. Take a pregnancy test to confirm this.
hi, so im really confused?! I looked at all of the calculators and have determined i had unprotected sex during my ovulation period. i also should have had my period started on the 29th of march. starting on the 26th, i started getting bad cramps which felt like the start of a BAD period, which i normally dont get. then on the 28th i started to get a bad internal itch, which i have determined to be a yeast infection. i have been using the cream and it has subsided however i still do not have my period. i have taken 3 pregnancy tests and all were negative.
so im not sure what the deal is or if the yeast infection could have messed it up? it wasnt very bad and i dealt with it the next day. i looked online and there were mixed reviews about whether or not it can cause it to be late or miss an entire cycle. i also haven’t taken one in the morning it has been late afternoon early evening every time. any suggestions?
Hi there Tem, a yeast infection does not typical affect the beginning of a period unless there is another issue there. See your doctor if this itch and other symptoms persist and also speak to him/her about your missing period. If you can’t see your doctor soon then repeat another test in 5 days. All the best.
Hello I had a question. My last period started on March 6th. I had unprotected sex roughly 10 ish days later. My Cycle is normally 30 days. I have started to notice I am very emotional and can’t eat certain things and tons of Nausea. This isn’t something that was planned so its not excitement from the possibility that makes me feel this way. I just started to think about it now. I want to know ASAP. Also what is the best test to use??
Hi there Mandy, do a pregnancy test to see if you might be pregnant. First Response comes highly recommended. All the best.
Hi im shenna .. My last period was january 23 and it last till janaury 27 but till now i dont have periods .. What i must do .?
Hi there Shenna, if your period does not come within 3-5 days then take a pregnancy test.
Hi. I had my last period jan 5 and ovulated feb 5. I dont have my period till now and i took a pregnancy test today and it’s negative. When should i take another preg test?
Hi Ramya, after another week take a pregnancy test to determine if you might be pregnant.
Hi. I am Tiq. My last Menses was 10 January 17 and my menses is irregular. It will come alternate month. And for weeks I having backache, left lower abdominal pain, headache and sometimes fatigue. I went to check it show negative. Pls help.
Hello Tiq, you should see a doctor just to figure out why your periods are so irregular. Irregular menstrual cycles also prevent women from conceiving easily. See a doctor who will be able to help and best advise you. All the best.
Hey there, my name is Jenna and I’m almost 31. I have 4 kids my oldest is 11 and my youngest is almost 3 months.
Anyways..they say every pregnancy is different…this couldn’t be more true lol. Anyways…i having had a period sense the new baby….and i do not nurse and I’m not on birth control. We started doing the deed again at 2 weeks post pardon. I believe I’m pregnant again haha but tests I take say negative and I’m unsure when to test because no period..the same thing kinda happened last pregnancy. So many negative tests before the positive one (15 to be exact) anyways I knew I was pregnant the moment it happened. I do have some pregnancy symptoms that kinda come and go this time…butt I’ve also been on zoloft for a few months for post partum depression..so not sure if I’m pregnant or is it the meds? I’ll take another test Monday and see if the results change lol
Hi Jenna, well you seem to know and understand how your body works. I wish you all the best when you take your pregnancy test on Monday.
hello I’m Millicent, during my fertile window had sex twice a day two weeks later i tested and came back negative, my next period is on the 25th of Feb, did I test too Early??
Hello Millicent, might be too early to show if you are pregnant or not if you are symptomatic of pregnancy take a test to confirm. All the best.
Hi. I had my last period jan12 and ovulated feb12. I dont have my period till now and i took a pregnancy test today and it’s negative. When should i take another preg test?
Hi there Gianna, if you period does not come in 5 days then take a pregnancy test. All the best.
I took a pregnancy test today (5 days after) and it’s still negative.
Hi there Gianna! There are many other reason behind a missed period other than pregnancy, like, stress, rigorous exercise, weight/gain loss, medication etc. You should consult your doctor for this. Best Regards
Hi, I had intercourse 12/17/2016 an the my menses came 12/28/2016. I have not had a menses since. I took a test about 2 weeks ago. It came back negative. Could I be pregnant?
Hi there Tonya! This is not normal. You should visit a doctor immediately and get yourself checked. Best Regards
Is there a possibility that I may be pregnant?
Yes, there is a possibility that you might be pregnant because home pregnancy tests are not somewhat accurate.
Hello my name is Vinessa I recently had my IUD taken out on Jan 17 three days later on the 20th I had what I would say was my first normal cycle (since I have not had a normal one while having my IUD) I have not yet started my next cycle and took a home pregnancy test and got a negative result . Could I be pregnant am I taking the test to early or could my body just adjusting to the removal of my IUD. My partner and I are trying to conceive and I have aunts in my pants lol thank you for your time.
Hello there Vinessa, it might be a bit too early to test. See the following link, I hope it helps: http://womanjunction.com/conception-calculator-find-your-conception-date/
Hello I had my period on Jan.07.2017. I suppose to get it this beginning of the month february but I haven’t we are in the 12 already I took a pregnancy test but negative what should I do?
Thank you
Hello there Jamie, if your period does not come within the next week or so do not hesitate to repeat a pregnancy test.
Comment Text*Hi, am expecting my period on the 11th of feb., no vaginal discharge, no menses and i have sex on the 12 of feb. Few hours later, i saw my menses but too watery. pls help
Hi there Adesola, has this ever happened to you before? If you are extremely concerned you should see your doctor.
Hello I’m Victoria. Me and my partner had sex on the January 31. I started my period on the 29 of January. Me and my partner had sex while I was on my period. He didn’t pull out because we were planning to make a child. So my period hasn’t stop afte those 4 days and I’m trying to figure it out when it stop and when to take the test. ?
Hi Victoria, it’s best to have intercourse closer to when the period comes if you are trying for a child, all the best.
Oh okay thank you Alison. I’m not sure when my next period comes because it shorten it up. But we had sex 5 day in a row without protection because we are trying to make a kid . This thing is all confusing .
Hi Victoria, I am happy I could help, take a pregnancy to confirm your pregnancy.
Hi I had first period is Dec.27 And will last at Dec 31 and we had sex at Jan.1 I’m waiting for my menstruation last January 27 untill now is not coming..Is it a possibility to get pregnant? Help me pls
Hello Myra, to confirm if you might be pregnant take a pregnancy test. All the best.
Hi. I am 28 and trying to conceive. Well, my last period was on 23 Dec and my ovulation day showed as 8th Jan. We practically had sex every alternate days. I was supposed to get my periods on the 25th Jan but am 10 days late. I jus took a pregnancy test today and it showed negative. I also have slight low backaches and abdominal cramps and I also feel a lil bit OS sensation in my vagina which usually is an indication AF is on the way. But we are really trying for a baby. This would be my first time conceiving. Pls help.
Hello Liyann, it might be too early to tell, give it a couple of weeks and test again at morning time.