When Is The Best Time To Take A Pregnancy Test?
Contents:
- How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
- When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
- What Time of the Day is Preferable for the Pregnancy Test?
- Common Mistakes that Affect the Test Accuracy
How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test?
Many women know that a pregnancy test is an easy way of confirming pregnancy (even at an early stage) at home. It sounds very simple, but in fact it’s not. There are many specific details that should be taken into consideration for the result to be precise. Let’s look into the matter to find out how to get a definitive result.
When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
Women usually wonder how soon can they take the test to get a definitive answer. Taking a test after a missed period is obviously the best option, that is strongly recommended by both the gynecologists and the pregnancy test manufacturers. Often women are so impatient to know the answer that they take the test a week after ovulation, which is earlier than the expected period.
Taking a test before the expected period may affect the results. It can be both false positive and false negative, with the second line being faint or not appearing at all. This result can be quite confusing for a woman. That’s why it is highly recommended to wait till you miss your period before taking the test.
If you are not able to wait so “long”, you can take a blood test measuring hCG levels. The presence of this hormone in your blood will confirm the pregnancy. The levels can be detected as early as 10-14 days after the conception. The test is not included in the regular prenatal care plan and needs to be paid for by the patient.
What Time of The Day is Preferable for the Pregnancy Test?
The pregnancy hormone in urine is highest early in the morning. The best time for taking a home pregnancy test is immediately after waking. If a woman already missed 1 or 2 of her periods, then the test can be taken at any time of the day.
Some women use pregnancy tests to check the course of their pregnancy, which we do not advise. If you have any suspicions regarding your pregnancy, pains or discharge, you need to immediately consult your doctor. A pregnancy test can’t predict a threatened miscarriage or missed miscarriage.
Common Mistakes that Affect the Test Accuracy
As was mentioned above, an early pregnancy test can be inaccurate. If not taken early in the morning, the accuracy of the test can also be affected. A defective pregnancy test that was stored or transported improperly may show inaccurate results too.
If you had a positive pregnancy test result but no pregnancy was later detected, you should pay a visit to your doctor, as increased levels of hCG can be an evidence of some disease (including oncology).
If you took a test and still have some doubts, try taking another one from a different brand. Other ways to confirm a pregnancy include a blood test, a gynecologist’s consultation and an ultrasound examination. Pregnancy tests are easy to use and every woman who has a sex life should know how to use them.