How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test?

Many women want to find out if they're pregnant the second they've conceived. Unfortunately, technology is not quite at that point yet, but new tests can tell you if you're pregnant before you've even missed your period. Find out just how soon you can take a pregnancy test and get an accurate result.

The Soonest Time to Test

All pregnancy tests look for the presence of hCG. hCG is short for ''human chorionic gonadotropin,'' a hormone produced during pregnancy. Your body does not produce this hormone until implantation (when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall). Iplantation does not occur until 6-12 days after ovulation. The soonest you can take a pregnancy test and get a positive test result is seven days after ovulation. Even though you can take the test this early, keep in mind that most women will get a false negative at this time. Levels of hCG may not be high enough in your system to register on the test.

To get more accurate results, take a pregnancy test 12-14 days after ovulation and retest after you miss your period if you get a negative result. Approximately 90 percent of pregnant women will get a positive result the first day after a missed period, but 10 percent of women will test negative even though they are pregnant.

Testing at Home

The pregnancy tests you take at home measure the amount of hCG in your urine. Each type of test is different; some are able to detect much lower amounts of hCG than others. If you plan on testing early, purchase a test designed to detect at least 20 mIU of HCG. You can find early home pregnancy tests in grocery stores, drug stores and pharmacies.

Types of Early Home Tests

There are two different types of home pregnancy tests: dip or midstream.

In a dip test, fill a clean, provided container with urine and hold a test strip in the urine for a specific amount of time.
In a midstream test, hold the test in your stream of urine.

Both types of tests are equally reliable, but you need to read the enclosed instructions to make sure you take the test correctly. Many false negatives are due to incorrectly reading the instructions.

When to Test at Home

Most home pregnancy tests are accurate if you test around the time you miss your period. If you tried testing earlier and got a negative result, try again after your period was due. You can even try again a few days later, because hCG continues to rise in the first part of your pregnancy, rising sharply every 48 - 72 hours.

Some home pregnancy tests may recommend that you test with your "first morning stream" or first urination of the day. Amounts of hCG may be higher in the more concentrated urine your body has been holding overnight, which can help the tests to get a more accurate result sooner than if you test at another time of day. If you choose to test earlier, doing so first thing in the morning may increase your chances of an accurate reading.

Keep in mind that the closer to the date of your expected period you are, the greater percentage of women get an accurate result. Every test is different, so be sure to read their accuracy predictions for your chosen time frame.

Testing at the Doctor

If you're anxious or eager about getting pregnant, you may be wondering if there's a way to find out earlier than a home pregnancy test can predict. Your doctor may be able to perform a blood test that can pick up hCG in smaller amounts than a urine test. However, even blood tests can not tell you whether or not you're pregnant until at least six to eight days after you ovulate, because hCG is not produced until implantation. The soonest you can take a pregnancy test, even if you go to your doctor, is seven days after you ovulate. Early pregnancy tests at home may also let you know whether or not you're pregnant seven days after you ovulate.

Take the Anxiety Out of Waiting

It can be stressful to wait for your results. Remember that if you can wait, you are more likely to get an accurate result. If you are unable to wait that long and want to test at the soonest possible moment, be prepared to retest. Either way, don't let the anxiety of when you test get in the way of your excitement. After you have your positive test result, be sure to follow up with your doctor of midwife to begin receiving pretnatal care for you new baby.