Knowing when to take a pregnancy test to get the most accurate results can be difficult. If you are trying to get pregnant then you want to know as soon as possible! If you suspect you are unknowingly pregnant, confirming or disproving this is a priority.
When can I expect the most accurate results?
It is recommended that you wait one week until after you miss your expected period to achieve the most accurate result.
If I don’t want to wait?
If you can’t wait this long, it is recommended that you allow one to two weeks after you have had sex for detectable levels of HCG to build up in your system. Sensitive home pregnancy tests claim to be able to confirm pregnancy as early as 8 days after conception and can offer an estimation of when you conceived based on the amount of HCG present in your urine.
Be aware that the levels of HCG produced throughout pregnancy vary from woman to woman, so do not be disheartened by an early negative result if you are trying to conceive, you may still be pregnant!
If you or a friend has recently become pregnant, why not book in for an earlyAssure™ scan? This reassurance and dating scan can be conducted at any time following your initial NHS scan and focuses on the development and wellbeing of your little one.
During the first few days of pregnancy, a fertilised embryo attaches to the uterine lining and your body begins to release a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG).
Pregnancy tests determine whether you are pregnant or not by trying to detect this hormone in either your blood or your urine. Urine tests can be carried out at home while blood tests are carried out by your local GP.
Positive Result
If you have just done a home pregnancy test and find that your test is showing a positive result, it is almost certain that you are pregnant. The test has positively detected the pregnancy hormone HCG in your urine.
Negative Result
A negative result can be slightly more ambiguous. It either means; you are not pregnant, you took the test too early so not enough hormone was present in your urine yet, or you took the test incorrectly. Be aware that some home pregnancy tests are more sensitive to detecting HCG than others.
What Should I do if I Take Multiple Tests and get Different Results?
In this circumstance, we recommended that you visit your GP and have a blood test done to get an accurate answer, however you will have to wait slightly longer to receive the results from this test.
If you find out that you are pregnant, why not book a First Encounter’s earlyAssure™ scan? Available as soon as 8 weeks after conception, this is a scan you can attend before your first NHS scan to seek reassurance about numerous aspects of the pregnancy.
