When To Take A Blood Pregnancy Test
Maybe youve taken a home pregnancy test, but now your health care provider is suggesting you take a blood test. What exactly is and when should you take a blood pregnancy test?
Home pregnancy tests measure the levels of hCG in your urine. A blood pregnancy test measures the hCG levels in your blood. Health care providers suggest taking a blood test because theyre more sensitive and can offer more information than a home urine test.
The best time to take a blood pregnancy test is if your period is several days late. If your home pregnancy tests are negative, but youre experiencing all the symptoms of pregnancy, its a good idea to take a blood test.
The most accurate blood tests are quantitative blood pregnancy tests, because they determine the exact amount of hCG in your blood. This is important because it can tell your health care provider if youre pregnant or if you need to do another test in a few days.
Health care providers also recommend blood tests if youve experienced an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage in the past. This ensures your health care provider will be able to observe your hCG levels more closely in the first weeks of your pregnancy.
For best results, take the pregnancy test in the morning. First-morning urine exhibits the highest concentration of hCG. Taking your pregnancy test sooner than eight days past ovulation might result in a false negative. Blood tests are more sensitive and can offer more information than a home urine test.
How Accurate Are At
When used according to the directions, a home pregnancy test can be almost 99% accuratePregnancy tests. Office on Women’s Health. Accessed 7/20/2022. . If you receive a positive result on a home pregnancy test, you should contact your doctor to confirm that you are pregnant and find out what to do next.
Early Signs Of Pregnancy
- Slight morning nausea
Depending on whether a positive pregnancy test would be good or bad news, symptoms like these may fill you with dreador excitement. But heres the good news: pregnancy symptoms do not mean you are pregnant. In fact, you can feel pregnant and not be pregnant, or not feel pregnant when you really are expecting.
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How To Use A Home Pregnancy Test
Buy your pregnancy test from a trusted seller and check that the expiry date has not passed.
Carefully follow the instructionsâââthese can vary depending on the brand. A 1993 study of pregnant women found that only a third of users complied with all test kit instructions. The incidence of false-negative results in this study was 1 in 4 .
You can do a urine test at any time of the day, because hCG production does not change throughout the day .
If you drink large quantities of water or other fluids during the day, you might want to do the test first thing in the morning, as the accuracy of the test can be affected if the urine sample is extremely diluted .
Whether your home test is positive or negative, itâs wise to confirm the results with a healthcare provider, if you can. Home tests are not as sensitive as those done in a healthcare providerâs office, and thereâs also more chance for human error.
What Other Kinds Of Pregnancy Tests Are There
Whether in strip or stick form, at home or at the doctors office, urine pregnancy tests all test for the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG.
If you go to your midwife or doctors office, they may also choose to do a blood pregnancy test, which looks for the presence of the same hormone, hCG, in your blood.
Urine pregnancy tests alone are typically very accurate, so blood pregnancy tests are mostly used only if there is a need to know the exact level of hCG in your system .
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How To Check The Results Of A Pregnancy Test Kit
Always test yourself with the first urine when you get up in the morning, regardless of which pregnancy test kit you purchase. The rationale for this is that it is the most intense, and your chances of getting a positive response are higher if you take the test during this time. The test findings are displayed in the middle of the stick/strip.
A single pink line indicates that the test was negative and youre not pregnant. If both pink lines appear, the test is positive, and you are expecting a child. When the second line is faint in color, it still holds positive. If there isnt a line, your test is invalid, and you must retake it. There are various reasons for a test to be invalid, including using the incorrect procedure, using an expired kit, spilling too little urine, or simply because the test was defective. In this scenario, retake the test using a new kit.
If your test shows a faint second line, you may be pregnant. Because you are still early in your pregnancy, a light line could be caused by a low hormone level. Take the test again after a few days have passed. If youre still unsure, see a doctor and have a blood test done to be cautious.
When Should You Take A Blood Pregnancy Test
Depending on a woman’s cycle, a blood test can detect pregnancy between 6 and 14 days after conception.
Blood tests for pregnancy are more sensitive to hCG than home pregnancy tests. They can detect this hormone in low quantities and tell you if you’re pregnant sooner than a home test.
While blood tests can provide results sooner than home pregnancy tests, they are usually more expensive and take longer to provide results because the blood must be sent to a lab for analysis.
If the lab is in-house then it will take a few hours. But if the lab is at a different location, it could take several days to learn the results.
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When To See Your Doctor
Although home tests can detect a pregnancy, it gives no information as to viability. Its important to make an appointment with your doctor to confirm your pregnancy and to detect a fetal heart rate through an ultrasound . If you have a positive pregnancy test, your obstetrician can provide information about warning signs of an abnormal or worrisome pregnancy and can advise you on when to make an appointment to confirm your pregnancy.
What Is The Most Accurate Pregnancy Test
In the largest study of over-the-counter pregnancy tests to date, First Response proved to be 97 percent accurate from the day of your missed period for both its digital and manual line tests.
However, the study was conducted in 2011 and only compared six over-the-counter tests from three major brands. Many brands may have changed their technology since. Newer direct-to-consumer brands that have burst onto the scene, as well as other brands not included in the study, may prove to be just as accurate.
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When Is The Early Pregnancy Test Positive
An early urine pregnancy test will not show up positive until there is enough hCG, the pregnancy hormone, in your body. This hormone isn’t even present until several days after the fertilized egg implants into your uterus. Implantation happens 6-12 days after you ovulate. It isn’t detectable until around the time of your period . While other women are able to take an early pregnancy test a couple of days before their period is due and get a positive test. However, that is not the case for MOST women. Have you ever heard of a “false negative”? It’s when you ARE pregnant, but get a negative test and then test a few days later and get a positive. That’s what happens most of the time when women test before their periods.
First Response , says the following regarding it’s accuracy: “4 days before your period, the test is 63% accurate 3 days before your period 83% accurate one and two days before 93% accurate.” So it’s most accurate around the time you miss your period.
When you do a pregnancy test too early, you may get a false negative pregnancy test and be disappointed. Waiting until you miss your menstrual period and until your menstrual period is late, maybe 1-2 days late, will save you money and will give you a better chance to prevent a false negative pregnancy test. A healthy mid-twenties couple without known fertility problems has a 20% chance each month of getting pregnant. 80% will get pregnant within the first year of trying.
Best Time During Your Cycle To Test
Some manufacturers produce home pregnancy tests that they claim can detect a pregnancy as soon as one day after your missed period or even before then. But remember: The earlier you take a test, the more at risk you are of getting a false negative result due to still-too-low hCG levels.
While you could give an early pregnancy test a try, research suggests that most over-the-counter tests arent sensitive enough to detect hCG before or on the first day of your missed period, per a 2014 study.
What’s more, about 10 to 20 out of 100 people dont get a positive test result on the day they believe is just after their missed periodeven when they are in fact pregnant, according to the Food and Drug Administration .
To avoid a false negative or positive result and the roller coaster of emotions that could follow, wait to test until a couple of days after your missed period or, even better, until a full week has passed. By then, the chances of getting a false negative result are very low.
If you take the test a day or so after your missed period and get a positive result, its likely correct. If you get a negative result, keep in mind that you could still possibly be pregnant. You might want to retest one week after your missed period to be sure.
If you havent been tracking your cycles or have an irregular period, know that hCG levels typically become detectable within two weeks of conception. As such, wait about 14 days after you had sex to take a test.
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How Soon Can I Take A Pregnancy Test
You can take a pregnancy test anytime after your period is late thats when they work the best. Its a good idea to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible if you miss your period or think you might be pregnant.
The earlier you know youre pregnant, the sooner you can start thinking about your options and get whatever care you need to stay healthy.
Many pregnancy tests say they work a few days before a missed period, but the results are usually less accurate then. Read the label on your pregnancy test to find out when to take a pregnancy test and how accurate itll be.
Sometimes a pregnancy test is able to find pregnancy hormones in your urine as early as 10 days after unprotected sex. But these results arent super reliable, and you may get a false positive or false negative test result.
If your periods are very irregular, or you dont get periods at all for one reason or another, your best bet for accurate results is to take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after sex.
Tips For Taking A Pregnancy Test
Although taking a pregnancy test appears to be simple, we all make some frequent errors. The most common errors which people make while using a pregnancy test could be understood by the below-mentioned pregnancy tips.
Taking the test too soon: Only when you take the test approximately 2 weeks after you conceive can you get a positive result on a pregnancy test. If you take a test too soon, you will get negative results. If you have regular periods, the optimum time to take the test is one day after you havent had one in a while. However, if you have irregular periods, three weeks following your sexual intercourse is the optimal time to take the test.
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Are All Pregnancy Tests The Same
Different pregnancy tests have different sensitivities. The lower the sensitivity, the earlier a pregnancy test becomes positive. Sensitivities are indicated in mIU/mL, the lowest amount of hCG in the urine that tests positive. A sensitivity of 20 mIU/mL requires one-half the hCG level to be positive when compared with a 40 mIU/mL sensitivity level, and it may become positive several days earlier than the pregnancy test with higher sensitivity. Make sure you read the package of the pregnancy test to determine your pregnancy test’s sensitivity.
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/5what Is The Best Time To Take A Test
Much like the day, the time of the day is also a hotly debated topic. According to experts, pregnancy tests will be the most accurate if taken in the morning, on your first pee. This is because as compared to night time, morning pee has a higher concentration of hCG hormones.
Unlike other urine tests, it is not important that you drink more water than usual. Doing so can dilute your urine, alter results and make it more likely to get to see false-positives on the test.
Goes without saying, if you see a negative result or observe false positives, you can repeat the test.
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How Soon Can You Take A Pregnancy Test After Sex
Although you might be eager to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible, its best to wait until your period is a week late to get the most accurate result. If you cant wait until your period, let at least one to two weeks pass after you have sex before taking a pregnancy test.
Its important to wait, because your body needs to develop enough of the pregnancy hormone hCG that a pregnancy test can detect it. In most cases, home pregnancy tests can detect levels of hCG around 10 days after successful implantation of an egg . If you take the test too early, you might get a negative result .
All You Need To Know About Testing Early For Pregnancy
After the egg is fertilized, it travels to the uterus and implants itself in the uterine wall. At this stage tiny amounts of the , start to appear in your urine. It is this hormone that all home pregnancy tests detect. can tell you 6 days sooner than your 1.
No matter when you test, you can be confident in the accuracy of a ‘Pregnant’ result with any
But if you are testing early, you should be aware that even if your result , you may still be pregnant. This is because levels of hCG vary from woman to woman and there may not yet be enough hormone for the test to give a . rise rapidly in early pregnancy, as shown in the graph below, meaning that if you test again on the day of your expected period, your result will be over 99% accurate.
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How To Tell If Your Period Is Late
Many people have irregular menstrual cycles, either longer or shorter than others. Sometimes its hard to remember the exact date of your last period and when to expect your next period. Between 10% and 20% of pregnant people get a negative pregnancy test because they test too early.
Tracking your cycle can help you know a few things: when you ovulated, the first day of your last period, when to expect your next period, and a general idea of the length of your cycle.
Whats Next If The Results Are Positive
Your next steps depend on two things: whether youre pregnant and whether or not you planned to get pregnant.
If your test results are positive and youve been planning to have a baby, take another test to make sure youre pregnant. Then, see your doctor before you reach the 8-week mark. You can ask them about prenatal care options or specialists who can help guide you through your pregnancy. Ask your doctor about any changes you need to make to your lifestyle, medications, or diet to keep yourself and your baby healthy for the next nine months.
If your test results are positive but you didnt plan to get pregnant, ask your doctor about available options, including:
- carrying the pregnancy to term for adoption
- what to do if you want to continue your pregnancy
You can also receive help from a clinic or health center that specializes in reproductive health and child care, like Planned Parenthood.
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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:
- 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.
