If you’ve recently had intercourse and are noticing pregnancy symptoms such as a missed period, then you should consider taking a test to confirm your pregnancy status.
However, it’s best to wait up to a week after your missed period before taking your test. This ensures there are detectable levels of a pregnancy hormone called hCG that pregnancy tests are designed to identify.
When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test?
It’s best to take the pregnancy test 10 days after your missed period. This allows for detectable levels of hCG, because it can take up to 6 days for the egg and sperm to join and implant into the uterus. It is not until the fertilized egg begins to divide and develop the placenta for there to be detectable levels of hCG.
What Types of Pregnancy Tests are There?
You can choose a blood or urine test to verify your pregnancy. A blood test is the most accurate but it takes the longest and you’ll have to visit your doctor, who will then send a vial of your blood to a lab and wait for their analysis.
A urine test is the fastest and most convenient. It requires just a drop or two of urine on a chemical strip which detects the pregnancy hormone, hCG, to validate the pregnancy. Results are usually available within 1-2 minutes.
How Accurate Are They?
You can take tests too early, so if enough hCG has not been produced yet, it will give you a false negative. Blood tests are 99% reliable and can detect lower hCG levels than urine tests.
At Choices Resource Center, we offer no-cost pregnancy testing administered by a nurse practitioner, which will verify your pregnancy.
We also offer the opportunity for an ultrasound, which will give you an idea of how far along you are and alert you to any health complications, such as an ectopic pregnancy which can be life threatening.
Contact us today for your appointment and we will be glad to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have!