Home pregnancy tests are typically very reliable when done correctly. Pregnancy tests detect a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine or blood.
The body begins producing hCG right after the fertilized egg implants into the uterus’s wall. A pregnancy test can take another 5-7 days to reveal a positive result.
When Do I Take a Pregnancy Test?
Timing matters when it comes to getting an accurate pregnancy test result. The best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning after waking up. Your urine will be the most concentrated in the morning, making hCG easier to detect.
If you do decide to take a pregnancy test later in the day, be sure it’s at least three hours after you last urinate.
If a pregnancy test is taken too soon or the directions are followed incorrectly, you may receive inaccurate results. If you feel your results may be inaccurate, you can wait a few days and test again.
What if You Have Irregular Periods?
We know irregular periods can be complicated, especially when needing to know if you’re pregnant. The FDA shares that most pregnancy tests can detect hCG in urine 12-15 days after ovulation for women with 28-day cycles.
Take a test 36 days after your last menstrual period or four weeks after you had sex for accurate results with irregular periods.
What If it’s Positive?
What is a good next step after getting a positive home pregnancy test?
To be sure, you should receive a free pregnancy test at Life Choices Community Pregnancy Clinic. Our client advocates are here to walk you through the process and help you learn more about the results.
Once you receive a positive pregnancy test with us, your next step is a limited ultrasound. A positive pregnancy test can confirm pregnancy, but it can’t tell you all there is to know about your pregnancy. An ultrasound verifies you have a healthy, viable pregnancy.
Schedule a free and confidential pregnancy testing appointment to take your first step toward clarity. You are not alone!