How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test

If you're hoping you're pregnant, or worried you might be, you're probably wondering: "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 at that point yet, though new tests will allow us to test for pregnancy even before you’ve missed your period.

All pregnancy tests look for the presence of hCG. hCG is short for "’’human chorionic gonadotropin’’". It is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy. It is not produced until implantation (when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall). Implantation does not occur until 6-12 days after ovulation. So the soonest you can take a pregnancy test and get a positive test result is seven days after ovulation, though many women will get a false negative at this time.

It can be tough, but you should try to wait to take a pregnancy test until 10-12 days after ovulation. Remember, even if you wait that long, you may still show a negative result. If you miss your period, you should retest. 90% of women will get a positive result the first day after a missed period--but 10% of women will test negative even though they are pregnant. If you’re trying to get pregnant and get a negative test result, you should still avoid alcohol, cigarettes and recreational drugs, just in case you are actually pregnant.

All home pregnancy tests are urine tests that measure the amount of hCG in your urine. You can find early home pregnancy tests in grocery stores, drug stores and pharmacies. But before you head out to buy one, you may want to know: "How soon can I take a pregnancy test at home?"

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

• In a dip test, you 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, you 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.

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. And you can even try again a few days later, because hCG continues to rise in the first part of your pregnancy.

If you're anxious or eager about getting pregnant, you may be wondering if there's a way to find out earlier. "How soon can I take a pregnancy test at the doctor?" 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 6-8 days after you ovulate. hCG is not even produced until implantation. So 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 let you know whether or not you're pregnant seven days after you ovulate.

The answer to "How soon can I take a pregnancy test?" depends on whether you use a home test or see your doctor, and whether you're willing to repeat the test if a very early try comes out negative.

If you choose a home test, check the instructions for specific information about when to repeat the test if a first attempt was negative. If you choose to see a doctor for the test, talk with him or her about whether to repeat it, and when.

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