When to Take a Pregnancy Test

Knowing When to Take a Pregnancy Test

If you’re sexually active, knowing when to take a pregnancy test is important. Generally, you should take a pregnancy test if any of the following conditions apply:

• You’ve had unprotected sex or have a reason to believe your birth control has failed.
• You have early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and tender breasts.
• Your period is late by one week or more.

Buying a Pregnancy Test

Home pregnancy tests can be purchased at any drug store. Most tests cost between $6 and $18, although a higher price does not necessarily mean the test is more accurate. Some tests are more expensive because they are heavily advertised. Others contain more than one test in a package.

The EPT pregnancy test, First Response pregnancy test, and Clear Blue pregnancy test are three of the most popular brands of home pregnancy tests.

Taking a Pregnancy Test

Taking a home pregnancy test is surprisingly easy. In most cases you should urinate briefly and either hold the test stick under your urine stream or collect urine in a cup before dipping the test strip into the cup.

Most tests take only a few minutes to provide the test results. Lines or slashes are often used to show the result. One is used as a control to determine that the test is working properly. The presence of a second line or slash is used to show that you are pregnant.

Since instructions can vary according to the brand of test you have purchased, read the enclosed pamphlet carefully before you begin your home pregnancy test. If you have questions about when to take a pregnancy test, visit the manufacturer’s website or call the customer service hotline.

Pregnancy Test Accuracy

Home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate when used correctly. To get the most accurate results, remember the following tips as you’re deciding when to take a pregnancy test:

• Wait until your period is at least one week late. Testing on the first day of your missed period reduces the test accuracy to about 80%.
• Home pregnancy tests are typically most accurate when taken in the morning.
• Follow the directions carefully. Instructions for completing a pregnancy test can vary according to the brand you have purchased.
• Avoid reading the results of your test too early or too late. If it says to wait three minutes for the results, wait three minutes.

False Positives and False Negatives

A home pregnancy test works to detect a hormone in the blood called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). However, sometimes the test fails to accurately detect this pregnancy hormone. When this happens, you may get a false positive that says you are pregnant when you are not. You could also get a false negative that says you aren’t pregnant when you really are.

Pregnancy test false negative and false positive results are fairly rare. Most are caused by impurities in the urine sample, failing to read the test instructions, using an expired pregnancy test, or trying to take the test too early. However, certain medical conditions and prescription drugs can sometimes affect your pregnancy test results.

If you have doubts about the accuracy of your home pregnancy test, reread the instructions and try to take another test. If you’re still not confident you’ve received an accurate result, contact your healthcare provider. He/she can schedule a blood test to clear up any confusion.

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