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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.
Hey I had my cycle june19 and six days later I started spotting. Could that been me going through implantation
Hi Erica, I am confused since June 19th hasn’t gotten here yet. However spotting 6 days after your cycle is most likely ovulation bleeding.
I had my last period April 27-may 1 2018
I was supposed to start my period May 29 could there be a chance I’m pregnant????
Hi Angelica, I would recommend taking a pregnancy test.
Hi deedee, i am very irregular on my periods I never know when I ovulate Either , but I had my period on May 8 through 10 I spotted light pink on the 25th of May. Cramping and twitches on my lower abdomen, I have tested but all are negative, am i testing to early? Can I be pregnant or is it to late,?
Hi Sele, you could have been testing a little early. I would try again honestly at this point since this would be after your period, if it was on a 28 day cycle. However you didn’t mention if you had unprotected sex either and when. If you don’t know when you are ovulating it’s hard to tell if you would be pregnant. I would’t take a test every day I would wait at least 5 days between them.
Hello my period was around the 13th Of may in my boyfriend came inside me twice on the 26th Of may my nipples are very sore is there too soon to take a test?
Hi Erica, I would probably wait until the 13th of June to test. That would be right in the middle of when your period would have started as it’s supposed to start on the 10th roughly depending on a 28 day cycle.
Hi my last period was may 2nd to 8th I had unprotected sex multiple time. I’m usually on a 26 to 28 day cycle. It’s now June first and I haven’t seen my period yet. Could I be pregnant?
Hi Zoe, you could be. Have you taken a pregnancy test? At this point you are only a day or so late. Wait a few more days and if there are no signs take a test.
Hello,
My cycle is 26 days on april 14 was when i saw my period and my ovulation ended on the 26 and i had sex on that day though he always uses the withdrawral method which has been working for us i did not feel anything and on the 10 may my period came and my ovulation shows up as usual. for two days now have been feeling serious pains in my breast and last night as i was trying to observe my breast more pressing it a little something like watering milk like substance starting coming out from my nipple could it be that am pregnant really worried.
Hello Praise, the only way to know for sure if you are pregnant is by taking a pregnancy test.
I had my period may 22th till may 25th and had unprotected sex with my boyfriend and he came inside of me on may 26th. Could I be pregnant?
Hello Diamond, yes you could be pregnant.
My last periods was on may 7th and i had sex on 22,23,24,25 of this month do i have a chance of conceiving ??
Hello Shreedevi, yes there is a chance that you might have conceived.
hello, thats nice to hear.. when should i take pregnancy test.
suggest me plz…
Hi Shreedevi, I would wait until the middle to the end of next week to take one.
Hi.. my periods end on 16th may 2018 and I had unprotected sex on 25th may 2018.. we had unprotected sex just one time and also we used pulled out method.. i want to ask what are the chances of getting pregnant of me even i had sex just for one time and also used pulled out method… kindly help
Hello Rose, low chance of pregnancy if the withdrawal method was successfully used.
Hi I’ve used abortion pills 4 times but only had few drops after each dose. What might be causing the tissue not to pass out?
Hello Gaz, please see your doctor about this.
Hello I saw my period on the 13th May through 16th and I ovulate on the 26th and I have been having sex. The 29th of May was the last day I have sex. can I be pregnant?
Hi Fatmata, you could be, but you will have to wait until you miss your period to be sure. Good luck!
I had my period on 14th of May then on 20th of may I had unprotected SEX., can I have be pregnant?
Hi Blessing, did your period start at that point on the 14th? Then you most likely are not pregnant if you have a 28 day cycle that’s regular. However the only way to know is to wait for your next period.
Hi,
My 1st day of menses is on 26th of April and last on 2nd May. I have sex with my husband on the 12th May. When can I start to used my pregnancy kit? I’m afraid to get pregnant again coz I give birth last year only.
Hi Sue, well the 12th would have been roughly the end of your fertile period (or two days after if you are on a 28 day cycle), so you could potentially get pregnant. If you are not trying to get pregnant because you don’t want to increase the size of your family yet, then use another form of birth control. But if you are worried about your body not being able to handle it, it’s an amazing thing and you’ll get through it. I would wait to test until after this weekend the 26th as your period is due around now. Good luck.
Hi am Sophia.last year I miscarriage twice feb and aug.since then I have been trying to get pregnancy but all in vain.i have been using medicine to boost my ovulation like pregnant care,ovulate,folic acid and vitamin e.
Nearer to my periods I usually feel all the symptoms of early pregnancy.this month I was expecting my periods on 16th May but I didn’t. Today I have seen brown discharge.am I not pregnant?I did a pregnant text last week and it was negative.please help I really need a baby.am one and half year in marriage.
Hello Sophia, take a pregnancy test 7 days after your missed period to confirm pregnancy.
Hi, i had my last period on 27th april. We had sex on 6th, 8th, 10th and 11th may. Can i be pregnant?
Hello Sonam, yes you might be pregnant.
I have Thyroid..I’m on medication
Trying since a year now..is there any chance for me to have a baby? I’m loosing hope 🙁
Hi Sweta, it is possible even though you are on thyroid medication. I think the first thing you should do is start by calculating your periods and when your ovulation is. From there if you find that your cycle is irregular that means you are ovulating irregularly which will make it inherently more difficult to get pregnant. At that point, call your doctor and make an appointment and see if they can get your started on something that will help bolster your ovulation. Also you can take ovulation tests to determine if you are ovulating, which is the ideal time to have sex. Also it could be finding the right dose of thyroid medication as well so even discussing that with your doctor too could be something you might want to try. Good Luck!
So I’ve been having unprotected sex, he pulls out and I never feel any sperm, my period has been on point all 2 years we have been together always on the 28th, and I had my period on the 23rd of February, and it’s the 26th of March and I haven’t got it yet, can I be pregnant? There has been work changes, different food habits involved including stress, can this be it as well? I’m freaking out.
Hi Deedee, you could still be pregnant. I would wait a few more days to test if you hsven’t done so yet. Also, the changes and stressors that you mention could cause a change in your period. Pulling out isn’t a guaranteed method so if you aren’t trying to get pregnant, I would use a more reliable method.