When To Take A Pregnancy Test: Early Signs And Symptoms

If you are trying to conceive and have recently missed your period, you may wonder when to take a pregnancy test. You may feel that taking an early pregnancy test is a good idea, and can confirm whether you have conceived right away. But unfortunately, early testing might give you a negative result, even when you are pregnant.

Taking the pregnancy test at the right time is essential to maximise the chances of an accurate reading. This post will give you more context on the right time to take a pregnancy test while trying to conceive and how to get a precise reading.

How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?

A pregnancy test is designed to show if your urine contains a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is released right after the fertilised egg implants on your uterine lining and keeps doubling every 2-3 days.

You can take a pregnancy test at home, as well as at the OB-GYN. If you are taking an at-home pregnancy test, then make sure you are carefully following the instructions given in the kit to get accurate results. 

What Is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?

You can take a pregnancy test as soon as you miss your period date. In some cases, you may also get a positive result a few days before your monthly menstrual cycle. As discussed above, the pregnancy test kit detects a hormone called hCG during pregnancy, and your body might be already producing this hormone before your period date.

However, experts consider that it’s too early to test on the days before your missed period, as it may give you an inaccurate result. Even if you get a positive result, it may turn out to be negative due to a spontaneous miscarriage. Hence, you should wait until the first day of your missed period before taking a pregnancy test.

When are Pregnancy Tests Accurate?

Pregnancy tests hold the most accuracy when used on the first day of your missed period and after. The best time to take a pregnancy test is in the morning when your urine is more concentrated. The accuracy of an at-home pregnancy test depends on the following factors:

• How soon you take the pregnancy test
• How precisely you follow the instructions
• When you ovulate and how long does it take the fertilised egg to implant

The Right Time to Test Pregnancy (Early Symptoms)

Instead of constantly worrying whether you are pregnant or not, you can watch out for some signs of pregnancy before taking the home test. Some early signs of pregnancy include:

• Cramping or a strange feeling of a pull in your tummy.
• Light bleeding or spotting due to the implantation of the embryo in the uterus.
• A feeling of tiredness and exhaustion without any apparent reason.
• Swelling of your breasts or tenderness due to the production of oestrogen and progesterone hormones.
• A sudden change in your dietary habits, including aversion toward certain foods that you’ve otherwise always enjoyed eating.
• Experiencing a heightened sense of smell and fragrance.
• An awful taste in your mouth.

These signs and symptoms usually appear in the first seven to ten days after your ovulation. Even if you are unsure when you have ovulated, you may still notice either some or most of these symptoms. 

Types of Tests to Confirm Pregnancy

Urine Test

This can be done within the comfort of your home, and with your choice of a pregnancy test kit. This is the most convenient method of testing pregnancy, and you can take this test week after you have missed your period. These test kits come with a specific set of instructions that you have to follow diligently to get precise results. Once you have taken the test, you can discuss the results of the same with your doctor, and then they may recommend more sensitive tests to confirm the status of your pregnancy. 

Blood Tests to Confirm Pregnancy

Blood tests are typically conducted are typically done at a medical centre or in your doctor’s clinic. While these tests are more reliable than at-home pregnancy test kits, it may take a longer time to produce the results. Your doctor may recommend any one of these two blood tests:

• Qualitative hCG test: It will check your blood sample for hCG, and then confirm your pregnancy status. While this test is usually conducted after ten days of a missed period, it can detect hCG levels in your blood even earlier.
• Quantitative hCG (beta-hCG): It measures the exact levels of hCG in your blood sample, and can even detect very low levels of the hormone in the early days of pregnancy. It measures the hCG concentration and also tracks any pregnancy complications. This test is used in combination with other tests to rule out the possibility of tubal or ectopic pregnancy.

Conclusion

We hope this post helped answer all your questions on when to take a pregnancy test and the accuracy level of all kinds of pregnancy tests. At-home pregnancy test kits are the most convenient methods to confirm conception, but in some cases, they might give you a false-positive or a false-negative result as well. Hence, ensure to consult your doctor and get clinical tests for a precise result. 

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