How many days after conception can you test

Doing a pregnancy test - NHS

If you have missed a period and recently had unprotected sex, you may be pregnant. Pregnancy tests are most reliable from the first day of your missed period.

When you can do a pregnancy test

You can carry out most pregnancy tests from the first day of a missed period. If you don't know when your next period is due, do the test at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex.

Some very sensitive pregnancy tests can be used even before you miss a period.

You can do a pregnancy test on a sample of urine collected at any time of the day. It doesn't have to be in the morning.

Where you can get a pregnancy test

You can buy pregnancy testing kits from pharmacists and some supermarkets. They can give a quick result and you can do the test in private.

The following places provide free pregnancy tests:

• sexual health services
• some young people's services – call the national sexual health helpline on 0300 123 7123 for details
• Brook centres for under-25s – find your nearest Brook centre

You may also be able to get a pregnancy test free of charge from your GP.

How does a pregnancy test work?

All pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), which starts to be produced around 6 days after fertilisation.

Most pregnancy tests come in a box that contains 1 or 2 long sticks. You pee on the stick and the result appears on the stick after a few minutes. All tests are slightly different, so always check the instructions.

Will a pregnancy test work if I'm on the pill?

Yes.

Some methods of contraception, such as the contraceptive pill, contain hormones, but these hormones will not stop a pregnancy test working.

No method of contraception is completely effective, so it's important to take a pregnancy test if you think you might be pregnant.

Pregnancy test results

Home pregnancy tests are accurate as long as you follow the instructions correctly.

A positive test result is almost certainly correct. However, a negative test result is less reliable.

The result may not be reliable if you:

• do not follow the instructions properly
• take the test too early

Some medicines can also affect the results.

If you get a negative result and still think you're pregnant, wait a few days and try again. Speak to your GP if you get a negative result after a second test but your period has not arrived.

Continuing with the pregnancy

If you're pregnant and want to continue with the pregnancy, contact your GP or a midwife to start your antenatal care. You can use the pregnancy due date calculator to work out when your baby is due.

If you're not sure you want to be pregnant

If you're not sure about continuing with the pregnancy, you can discuss this confidentially with a healthcare professional. Your options are:

• continuing with the pregnancy and keeping the baby
• having an abortion
• continuing with the pregnancy and having the baby adopted

As well as a GP or a nurse at your GP surgery, you can also get accurate, confidential information – from the age of 13 – from the following:

• sexual health services
• the MSI Reproductive Choices website
• the British Pregnancy Advisory service website
• the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory service website

All these services – including community contraceptive clinics – are confidential. If you're 13 or older, the staff won't tell your parents. They'll encourage you to talk to your parents, but they won't force you. 

If you're under 25 and would prefer advice specifically for young people, the sexual health charity Brook provides a range of services for young people. The Brook website contains information on pregnancy choices. You can also use the Ask Brook 24/7 service.

Video: Is the pregnancy test accurate?

In this video, a midwife explains when you can take a pregnancy test and how to do it properly.

Media last reviewed: 5 February 2020
Media review due: 5 February 2023

Page last reviewed: 9 February 2022
Next review due: 9 February 2025

How They Work, Types & Accuracy

What is a pregnancy test?

A pregnancy test is a way to determine if you’re pregnant by looking at the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your body. From the very beginning of pregnancy, your body starts to go through changes to support growth in the grouping of cells that will develop into your baby. One thing that happens very quickly is production of hCG. This chemical is only found in pregnant women and it starts to build up once the fertilized egg implants in the uterus — about 10 days after conception.

There are two main types of pregnancy tests — urine tests and blood tests. Often, you’ll take a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test kit. This type of test can be purchased over-the-counter (you don’t need a prescription from your healthcare provider) and is available in a variety of price ranges. Blood tests to check for pregnancy are done in your healthcare provider’s office.

There are several reasons why you might take a pregnancy test. You could be trying to get pregnant and hoping for a positive result. You might have experienced an issue with your birth control. You might even be about to have a medical procedure or start a new medication that could be complicated by pregnancy. No matter what the reason, if you ever have any questions about your test results, the best thing to do is reach out to your healthcare provider. A pregnancy can also be confirmed through an ultrasound. Later in a pregnancy, an ultrasound is actually used to not only look at your baby, but make sure the timeline of development matches the dates of your conception and missed period.

How do pregnancy tests work?

When you take a pregnancy test, it’s looking for the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your body. You can find hCG in your urine or blood. However, this chemical needs time to build up in your body, which can cause very early pregnancy tests to come back negative. Each day of early pregnancy, your body will create more hCG. As the weeks go on, you’ll have more and more hCG in your body, which will make it more likely that a pregnancy test will show as positive.

Pregnancy tests work by reacting to the amount of hCG in either your urine or blood. In a urine test, a piece of reactive paper detects the hCG. This might then show a plus sign, double vertical lines or even the word “pregnant.” Different tests will show a positive result in unique ways. Read the directions that come with the test to know what a positive result will look like. On the test, there will also be a control window that will show up first. Seeing a symbol in this window will tell you that the test is working. Keep in mind that different brands of tests will take different amounts of time to process.

If you take a blood test, your provider will take a sample of your blood and send it to a lab. The lab will determine the amount of hCG is in your blood.

What are the different types of pregnancy tests?

There are two main types of pregnancy tests: urine and blood tests. Urine tests are typically done at home — though you can have a urine test done at your healthcare provider’s office — while blood tests are done by your provider.

At-home pregnancy test

An at-home test usually uses your urine to look for hCG in your body. According to most manufacturers, at-home pregnancy tests are about 99% effective when used as instructed. That’s about the same accuracy rate as urine pregnancy tests done in your healthcare provider’s office. These tests are available in most pharmacies or grocery stores and they don’t need a prescription. They can take different amounts of time depending on the brand. It’s important to read the instructions on these tests before taking them.

When you go to take an at-home pregnancy test, you’ll typically place one to several drops of urine on a prepared chemical strip or place the strip in the urine stream. The strip is specially-designed to detect hCG. For many of these tests, hCG can be detected in your urine about 10 days after conception. However, taking it after your missed period reduces the chance of getting a false-negative.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you take a home pregnancy tests, including:

• Using your first morning urine when possible. This is the time of day when your hCG levels will be the most concentrated and easily detected. If you do it at another time of day, try and make sure your urine has been in your bladder for at least four hours.
• Not drinking excessive amounts of fluids before you take a pregnancy test. Many people think this will increase the volume of urine, but it can also dilute (thin out) your hCG levels.
• Reading the directions that come with the test thoroughly before starting the test, and following every step precisely.

Blood test

Another type of pregnancy test that can be used is a blood test. Blood tests are rarely done because they’re expensive and tend to have the same result as a urine test. This type of pregnancy test is done using a small sample of blood that’s analyzed at a hospital or healthcare provider’s office. This blood test not only detects whether the pregnancy hormone is in your body, but can also determine how much of hormone is present.

A blood test for pregnancy might be done in special circumstances, such as for women who are having infertility treatments or when the healthcare provider thinks there might be a problem.

These blood tests are slightly more sensitive than urine tests because they can detect very small levels of hCG. That means they can provide a more accurate answer very early on in pregnancy — within nine to 12 days after conception. For this test, your blood sample is taken and sent to a lab for analysis. Results might take anywhere from a few hours to more than a day.

Your provider might also choose to use a blood test to compare hCG levels during the pregnancy. Your hCG levels usually double about every two days during the first few weeks of pregnancy. If the levels don’t rise, it might suggest a problem with the pregnancy. Extremely high hCG levels might mean that your carrying twins or that there’s an issue with the pregnancy.

When should I take a pregnancy test?

If you think you could be pregnant, it’s a good idea to take a test and make sure. If you are pregnant, you will need to begin prenatal care. Home pregnancy tests can differ in how early they’ll detect a pregnancy. In many cases, you might get a positive from an at-home test as early as 10 days after conception. For a more accurate result, wait until after you’ve missed your period to take a test. Remember, if you take a test too soon it could be negative even if you are pregnant. If you get a negative test and then miss your period, take another test or contact your healthcare provider.

What are the advantages of using a home pregnancy test?

There are quite a few advantages to using a home pregnancy test, including:

• Pregnancy tests are inexpensive.
• They’re easy to use.
• Home tests provide results quickly.

According to pregnancy kit manufacturers, most at-home pregnancy tests are 97% to 99% accurate when you use them as instructed. Positive results can be trusted, but you can get a falsely negative result very early in pregnancy.

Blood tests tend to be more expensive and, for many women, the wait for an appointment can be difficult. Home tests allow you to quickly know if you’re pregnant shortly after conception.

Are all home pregnancy testing methods the same?

Most brands of at-home pregnancy tests are reliable. Although the exact testing method of different pregnancy tests can differ from one type to the other, they all look for hCG in your body. Some tests might do this through urine while others look for the pregnancy hormone in your blood. If you’re using an at-home test, most will give you the same result. The difference with your at-home tests will be the sensitivity of the test. Some might be more sensitive than others and produce a positive result — detect hCG in your urine — sooner than others. For the most accurate reading, it’s still recommended that you wait till you’ve missed your period. At that point, all tests should be accurate.

Are there any medications that can change the result of my pregnancy test?

For the most part, medications do not change your pregnancy test results. Antibiotics, birth control, alcohol and many other drugs do not impact your test results. The main reason for a false-negative is testing too early. You might also get a false-negative if you use a home test incorrectly. It’s important to follow the directions on your test kit to make sure you get an accurate result.

However, fertility drugs are one exception. These medications can sometimes cause a false-positive on your pregnancy test. If you’re taking fertility medications, reach out to your healthcare provider about your results to make sure they are accurate.

What should I do after getting a positive pregnancy test?

If you take a pregnancy test at home and it’s positive, there are a few things you should do, including:

• Take your prenatal vitamins — pick a vitamin with folic acid included in the ingredient list. It’s recommended that you actually start taking these vitamins before becoming pregnant. This is because the folic acid can help prevent birth defects.
• Call your healthcare provider for an appointment. This appointment might not happen for a while — sometimes several weeks — but it’s a good idea to call your provider and make the appointment.
• Make sure to pursue healthy habits. It’s recommended that you don’t drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy. You may also want to limit the amount of caffeine you consume each day during pregnancy.

When to do a pregnancy test? Maternity hospital Leleka | Blog

Pregnancy in the life of every woman is a significant event and most often unexpected.

But, even if the pregnancy came as a “surprise”, you must definitely confirm your suspicions or refute them. And you can do this with the help of an instant express pregnancy test, in a matter of seconds.

The most informative are digital and tablet tests (the strip is placed on a plastic device with two "windows"). However, strip tests remain the most popular, which means that the price of the test does not affect the result.

If there is any doubt after the test, you should make an appointment with a gynecologist.

How the pregnancy test works

Despite the whole range of pregnancy tests, the principle of action is the same for everyone - to determine the level of hCG (the first hormone of pregnancy) in the urine.

Pregnancy test procedure

Pregnancy test is performed no earlier than the first day of missed period or approximately 2 weeks after the expected day of conception. Until the zygote attaches to the wall of the uterus, hCG is not released, which means that before ten days of pregnancy, it is not advisable to carry out a test or any other tests.

At the beginning of the test, you should carefully study the instructions for its use. Although the principle of operation is always identical: one part of the test (paper) is immersed in a container with urine, the other (with a chemical indicator) determines the result in the form of red / blue stripes, the symbols “+” / “-” or the words “yes” / “no” ". The result is evaluated after the time specified in the instructions (from 1 to 5 minutes).

Sometimes there are mini-pipettes for metered distribution of urine in the tests, which are very convenient to use.

But putting the test under the urinary stream is not recommended, since this method can technically disrupt the express screening and give an error.

When to take a pregnancy test

In order not to be confused by the numbers, dates and know exactly when it is appropriate to take a pregnancy test, you need to keep a calendar, control your well-being and know the basic process of how the egg is fertilized .

In every woman with a regular monthly cycle, the egg goes through several physiological stages of development, one of which is called “ovulation”.

Ovulation is the process where a mature egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube to join the sperm. If there is no sperm in the tube, the egg dies and menstruation occurs.

If during ovulation the spermatozoa were inside the woman's genitals and conception did occur, the fertilized egg (zygote) begins to "move" into the uterine cavity, with the help of the ciliated epithelium and the muscles of the fallopian tube itself.

This whole process takes about 1 week.

After a fertilized egg enters the uterine cavity, it attaches there, hCG rises in the blood, cells divide and further development of the fetus occurs.

Some rapid tests can determine the presence of the hormone as early as the fourth day, but it is still better to check after at least 1.5 weeks. Then the level of the hormone becomes high enough to confidently determine the condition of the woman.

When is a pregnancy test false?

Two strips on the test do not always cause delight in women, since pregnancy is not a cherished dream for all women, for most it is a surprise.

However, if you really do not plan a child and your test suddenly becomes “striped”, do not rush to panic, since a result error is not ruled out here.

False-positive or false-negative responses can range from a technical failure of a screening test to the identification of serious gynecological pathologies.

As you can see, pregnancy is not the most “terrible” thing that a test can determine, so we once again emphasize the importance of a gynecological examination.

Be that as it may, a positive test result is only the first step towards determining pregnancy. The second step is a visit to the gynecologist, who must confirm / refute the information received. Since there are situations when express screening gives a false positive answer.

Main causes of a false positive result

A false positive result is a result that indicates the presence of pregnancy, in the absence of it.

Causes:

1. Incorrect express test.

Incorrect use of the test is the main cause of a false positive response. Therefore, you always need to read the instructions and follow the specified algorithm of actions. The evaluation of the result should be carried out strictly within the specified time range, from 3 to 10 minutes. After this period, a weak second strip may appear on the test (due to evaporation of urine), and the woman will perceive the result as a pregnancy.

2. Marriage.

A defective test is a very rare occurrence, but no one is immune from such a situation. Knowing this, women buy several tests from different brands and thus the problem is leveled.

3. Postpartum period.

Pregnancy test remains positive throughout pregnancy and 3-4 weeks after delivery. Therefore, if the test after the recent birth of a child shows a positive answer, and you are not planning children of the same age, you should not worry. However, you still need to check with your doctor about the absence of pregnancy.

4. Miscarriage, abortion.

After a miscarriage, miscarriage or medical abortion, the level of hCG cannot immediately decrease, it takes time. And, as a rule, this process takes from 2 to 4 weeks. Therefore, doing a pregnancy test during this period simply does not make sense, since the result will be false positive.

5. Preparation for IVF.

Some women dream of pregnancy so much that they take tests even when they don't have to. As, for example, when preparing for IVF.

During this period, ovulation is stimulated with hormonal preparations, which also increase the level of hCG, although there is no pregnancy itself yet. Therefore, a pregnancy test done during this period can misinform a woman.

6. Oncopathology.

Sometimes a positive pregnancy test, in its absence, indicates serious pathological processes that increase the level of hCG. These are ovarian tumors, lung, brain, breast or stomach cancer.

Main causes of a false negative test

A false negative is a result that indicates no pregnancy, if any.

Causes:

1. Fertilization occurred before the start of menstruation, and the level of hCG did not have time to rise to the desired concentration.
2. There is a threat of miscarriage.
3. A woman is taking diuretics (diuretics).
4. Technical damage to the test.

If a pregnancy test shows a negative result, but the woman has specific pregnancy symptoms (morning sickness, dizziness, frequent urination, pain in the lower abdomen and chest), you need to see a doctor.

What to do if in doubt?

There are situations that make a woman doubt the correctness of a pregnancy test. For example, different tests give different results, spotting is present (similar to menstruation), screening gave a positive response, and there are no specific symptoms of pregnancy.

What to do in this case?

1. Do not look for the cause yourself, but go for a consultation with a gynecologist and approach the solution of the problem comprehensively.
2. Do not dispose of unwanted and unconfirmed pregnancies yourself.
3. Find the exact reason why the test showed a false positive result in the absence of pregnancy.

The Leleka maternity hospital is a modern medical institution where you will always receive specialized, highly qualified obstetric-gynecological and neonatological medical care at the level of world standards.

Only timely diagnosis and competent treatment will help preserve the reproductive health of a woman and there are no other options here.

On what day after conception the test will show pregnancy, why the test does not show pregnancy: how to determine early pregnancy | 59.ru

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Usually, those who are planning a pregnancy would like to know about its onset as early as possible, but in the early stages, even the woman herself may not be aware of her condition for some time. The earliest modern diagnostic methods allow you to establish pregnancy on the 7-10th day after conception. All of them are based on the determination of the concentration of the hCG hormone in the body fluids.

Fertilization occurs in the upper fallopian tube. Normally, a fertilized egg moves through the tube into the uterine cavity. On the 6-7th day after conception, the embryo is implanted, i.e. attached to the uterus - according to statistics, in about 20% of women, implantation is accompanied by bleeding, which is most often mistaken for the next menstruation.

Chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) begins to produce one of the membranes of the embryo called the chorion. If the normal level of ?-hCG in the blood does not exceed 5 mIU / ml (international units per ml), then already on the 6-8th day after conception it reaches 25 mIU / ml. During normal pregnancy, the level of this hormone doubles every 2-3 days, reaching a peak at 8-10 weeks.

A blood test for hCG is the earliest and most reliable method for diagnosing pregnancy today, it can be performed 7-10 days after conception, the result of the analysis is ready in a day.

The hormone hCG is also present in the urine of a pregnant woman (however, its concentration in the urine increases 1–2 days later than in the blood serum). This is what home pregnancy tests are based on.

Most tests have a standard sensitivity of 20-25 mIU hCG / ml, an objective result can be obtained in the first days of a missed period, i.e. about two weeks after conception. However, there are tests with high sensitivity (10 mIU hCG / ml) that can recognize pregnancy even with a low level of hCG, which allows them to be used on the 7th day of pregnancy, that is, 1-2 days before the expected menstruation.

There are 4 main types of home pregnancy tests, they differ in device, quality and price.

Paper test strips are the simplest and cheapest. They are a multilayer strip impregnated with a reagent, which is immersed in a container with urine for 5-10 seconds. The sensitivity of the strip is 25 mIU.

It is better to choose a test strip with a width of at least 3 mm (they are from 2.5 to 5 mm) - in this case, the liquid quickly and evenly saturates the absorption surface of the test, and it does not have time to soak.

The disadvantages include the fact that the carrier of the reagent is paper - it is impossible to evenly apply the reagent on it, so errors can occur.

If the strip is immersed for a long time or, vice versa, the test result may also be incorrect - if the test is underexposed, the reagent strip may not be sufficiently saturated with urine, and the test will not show anything. If overexposed, the reagent may wash off, and the second strip will again not appear. In addition, only morning urine is suitable for the test, which must be collected in a separate clean container.

Tablet tests (test cassettes) is a more advanced device, its device does not have the disadvantages that are observed in test strips. Tablet tests are more sensitive (10-25 mIU), they are used for professional analysis in hospitals. To see the result, it is necessary to apply a drop of urine into a special window on the plastic test with a pipette attached to the test.

Inkjet tests are fundamentally different from other tests with a more complex device and high sensitivity - they can recognize pregnancy even with a low level of hCG (10 MIU / ml). Today they are recognized as the most perfect.

The advantage is that they can be used in any conditions and at any time, just put the receiving end of the test under the urine stream.

Reservoir test systems are a plastic reservoir for collecting liquid with a test part built into the side surface. The test part itself will absorb the right amount of liquid. The result can be read in the test window located on the outside of the tank.

Pregnancy tests may give false negative or false positive results.

A false negative result (there is pregnancy, but the test does not show it) can occur when the test was performed incorrectly (the instructions were not followed), when the gestational age is still too short and the hCG level is too low to detect it, or the test not sensitive enough.

In addition, an erroneous result is possible when drinking a large amount of liquid - the concentration of hCG in the urine decreases. If there is a delay, and the test shows a negative result, you need to do it again in a few days.

A false-positive result (the test shows two lines in the absence of pregnancy) occurs when a woman takes drugs containing hCG for trophoblastic tumors and dysfunctional ovarian diseases.

After a miscarriage or early abortion or removal of an ectopic pregnancy, hCG remains in the body for some time and the test gives false positive results.

The disadvantage of all hCG tests is that they are equally positive in both uterine and ectopic pregnancies. An accurate answer can only be obtained with the help of ultrasound. Therefore, during pregnancy, it is important to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible for an ultrasound examination. It can be done starting from 2-3 weeks after conception.

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