Testing When You Feel Pregnant
You may decide to take a pregnancy test because youre having early pregnancy symptoms, including:
- Breast tenderness
- Mood swings
- Slight morning nausea
Depending on whether a positive pregnancy test would be good or bad news, symptoms like these may fill you with dread or excitement. But heres the good news: pregnancy symptoms dont mean youre pregnant. In fact, you can feel pregnant and not be pregnant, or not feel pregnant and be expecting.
The same hormones that cause pregnancy symptoms are present every month between ovulation and your period.
Many symptoms similar to pregnancy symptoms can be caused by other things, like a cold, the flu, or even a few nights of poor sleep.
Pcos And Pregnancy Tests
Menstrual irregularity is often due to an imbalance of hormones. Some women with PCOS can have a period that lasts three weeks. Others may not get a period for three months, never knowing when or if it will show up. Some women may get no periods whatsoever.
Only a small percentage of women with PCOS will have a regular menstrual cycle.
A woman with PCOS who is trying to get pregnant could face the problem of not knowing if she is pregnant or not. She and her partner could attempt to conceive for months, trying to have sex at the most likely time of ovulation, when an egg is released.
Then, one month, she may miss a period. Since she always has an irregular menstrual cycle, however, this may or may not mean she is pregnant.
She and her partner might get their hopes up, thinking she is pregnant. But then she could take a pregnancy test and have it be negative. This scenario can repeat month after month and be a frustrating, emotional experience.
Or, in another month, a home pregnancy test could finally have a positive result. Then, at her first OB/GYN appointment for her pregnancy, she may learn that she was already 10 weeks pregnant. This is because the previous results were wrong, something that is also common with PCOS.
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.
Amber Bondurant-Sullivan is an Ob/Gyn at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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How Do Pregnancy Tests Work
After sex, an egg is fertilized with sperm . The fertilized egg travels to the uterus and attaches into the uterine lining . Implantation occurs about 7-14 days after you have had sex, and it triggers your body to start producing the pregnancy hormone, hCG. Your hCG levels will double every 48-72 hours after implantation, and it is important to give those levels time to climb.
When To Take A Pregnancy Test If You Have Pcos
If your menstrual period comes rarely or not at all, you may have the medical condition polycystic ovary syndrome . For women with PCOS who are sexually active or trying to get pregnant, waiting until you get your period or not becomes a guessing game. It also makes it difficult to know when you should take a pregnancy test.
This article will discuss when to take a pregnancy test if you have PCOS. It will talk about how irregular menstrual periods can make it difficult to determine whether you are pregnant or not.
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Inside Amy Huberman’s Glamorous Girl’s Getaway To Italy
Molly-Mae has made no secret that she is keen to have children with Tommy, 22 – and fans recently spotted a HUGE baby hint.
She gifted her boxer beau a sweet scrapbook of all their pictures together on Monday as part of their Valentine’s celebrations.
Fans couldn’t help but notice that motherhood could be at the top of the stars’ priority list after she referenced becoming parents.
Tommy flicked through the book on his Instagram stories when the special message about becoming a “mum and dad” was revealed.
“One day, we will have our own family, it will be the best day of my life,” she had penned. “Bring on mum and dad life.”
It comes days after Molly-Mae told fans that she and Tommy were not using contraception as she answered a fan Q& A.
Molly Mae, who has made no secret of her desire to with the boxer, was asked: “Proper girl talk this … but what type of contraception suits you best? I’m struggling.”
The vlogger, dressed in a cream jersey with her hair tied in her signature bun, said: “When you find one, let me know. Because I literally, without going into TMI not for me.
“The pills, I’ve been on a few, and I just can’t find the right one for me – it’s something I’ve struggled with my whole life.”
Changes In Cervical Mucus
Have you become a student of your cervical mucus? Then check it out now: If it becomes creamy and stays that way after ovulation, its a good sign youll have a positive pregnancy test.
As your pregnancy progresses, youll also notice increased vaginal discharge, called leukorrhea. This thin, milky-white discharge is normal and healthy, but speak to your practitioner if it appears lumpy or thick.
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Early Signs Of Pregnancy
Not all women, especially first-time moms, can tell whether they are pregnant in the early weeks of pregnancy. But there are signs and symptoms to look for that can give a clue that a woman is pregnant.
Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy include:
- Missed period
- Headaches
- Lower back pain
Becoming familiar with these common signs and symptoms can help you know if you may be pregnant. While you are waiting to find out for sure, avoid alcohol, smoking, and any drug use just in case.
Home Pregnancy Test Kits
Home pregnancy test kits are available from pharmacists. These kits offer accurate readings if performed strictly according to the manufacturers instructions. However, many women who use home pregnancy test kits get inaccurate results.The most common mistake is to test for pregnancy too soon after the missed period. The manufacturers instructions will tell you when is the best time to use the kit. It is very important to follow the manufacturers instructions exactly.
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Exercise Is A Big Factor
We all know that a certain amount of exercise is good for us, and some bodies may or may not require more of it than others, depending upon each womans health and whether or not she might have health problems. However, there are a number of reasons why too much exercise can be just as bad if not more than if we dont get enough of it.
If you are reading this and wondering how exercise can affect when you should take a pregnancy test, consider this: exercising is another activity that has the potential to cause stress to our bodies.
Therefore, someone who exercises extremely often and does things that challenge their bodies, then she might experience a delay in her period. Additionally, if you do not receive your period within a couple of months, it is a good idea to visit your doctor to make sure that there are no underlying causes of this problem. In conclusion, maybe you should wait to take a test until your period is late or missed completely.
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Dont Let The Test Sit For Too Long
There is a time limit involved in reading an at-home pregnancy testâif you read the test outside the window of time outlined in the instructions, you could end up with inaccurate results.
Most non-digital tests show lines to indicate the presence of hCG in the urine. One line will be a control line that shows up no matter what, and the second line typically indicates a pregnancy. If your test is negative, there is a chance you may still see a faint, colorless evaporation line that appears as the urine dries. If you’re not familiar with evaporation lines, you might see this line and think you’re pregnant.
Avoid letting the test sit too long, otherwise you may read an evaporation line and think you are pregnant.
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When Is The Best Time To Take Pregnancy Test
If youre trying to get pregnant, the best time to take a pregnancy test is one week after youve missed your period. Why? Because this is really the best way to prevent a false negative result result.
Home pregnancy tests can be used as early as the first day after your first missed period in women with regular/predictable monthly menses. If you have irregular periods, you can administer a test 14 days after intercourse, since you likely cant pinpoint your exact time of ovulation.
Pregnancy tests detect a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin , which is produced in early pregnancy. The production of this hormone begins slowly and increases as the pregnancy grows. Standard urine pregnancy tests will detect the HCG level when it reaches 20-50 milliunits/milliliters.
If you take a test too soon , the levels of HCG may not be high enough to detect a pregnancy and it could cause a negative result, even though you’re actually pregnant.
I advise my patients to wait at least one day after you miss your period. If you wait one week after a missed period, the chance of a false negative is very low if you have a normal monthly menstrual cycle.
When Is It Too Early To Test
It depends on the test. Some tests are sensitive enough to detect hCG in your urine . Read the instructions on the pack to understand what the brand of test youre using means by early detection. Some women still prefer to test on the day they expect their period, when all home pregnancy tests claim to be over 99% accurate.
Conception usually happens around two weeks before your period would normally be expected. If youre trying for a baby you can use an not only to know your peak fertile days, but it will inform you about your cycle, so you know when its best to take the test. This can help you feel more confident in the results you see.
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What Happens During A Pregnancy Test
You can get a home pregnancy test kit at the drug store without a prescription. Most are inexpensive and easy to use.
Many home pregnancy tests include a device called a dipstick. Some also include a collection cup. Your home test may include the following steps or similar steps:
- Do the test on your first urination of the morning. The test may be more accurate at this time, because morning urine usually has more HCG.
- Hold the dipstick in your urine stream for 5 to 10 seconds. For kits that include a collection cup, urinate into the cup, and insert the dipstick into the cup for 5 to 10 seconds.
- After a few minutes, the dipstick will show your results. The time to results and the way the results are shown will vary between test kit brands.
- Your dipstick may have a window or other area that shows a plus or minus sign, a single or double line, or the words “pregnant” or “not pregnant.” Your pregnancy test kit will include instructions on how to read your results.
If the results show you are not pregnant, you may want to try again in a few days, as you may have done the test too early. HCG gradually increases during pregnancy.
If your results show you are pregnant, you should make an appointment with your health care provider. Your provider may confirm your results with a physical exam and/or a blood test.
Is It Possible To Get A False Negative Pregnancy Test Result
Yes. The most common cause of a false negative result is performing the test too soon after conception, when hCG levels are too low to be detected. If your ovulation happens later than usual, this means that the first day of a missed period can be too early to get an accurate result .
Waiting a week or two after a missed period before performing a urine pregnancy test will minimize the chance of getting a false negative.
Rarely, false negative results can be caused by very high hCG levels associated with pregnancy-related tumors.
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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.
Blood Pregnancy Tests Used By Doctors
Your doctor can give you a blood pregnancy test as early as 1114 days after ovulation. To perform a blood pregnancy test, the doctor draws blood from a vein in your arm. This blood is sent to a laboratory for testing. The results of most blood pregnancy tests take at least a couple of days. The laboratory then advises the doctor of the result.Blood test results are about 99 per cent accurate and can detect lower amounts of hCG than urine pregnancy tests. The two main types of blood pregnancy test include:
- Quantitative blood test measures the exact amount of hCG in the blood and can give you an estimate of how far along the pregnancy has progressed.
- Qualitative blood test only checks for the presence of hCG. Since this test doesnt measure the exact levels of hCG, it cant offer an estimate of gestation.
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We Know You’re Wondering: Is It Possible To Be Pregnant And Still Have A Period
Nope, experts say. Some people may experience bleeding or spotting, but those are different bleeding patterns from the cyclical menses your body experiences in absence of a pregnancy.
Dr. Michele Hakakha, an OB-GYN and author of Expecting 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy, told Parents that people definitely can experience vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, but that “when they bleed, they are not having a ‘period.'” That’s because your body needs to reserve the uterine lining as nourishment for the growing pregnancy.
Although bleeding during pregnancy doesn’t always mean cause for concern, it can indicate something more serious like a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In the earliest stage of pregnancy, however, some very light bleeding is totally normal and leads us to our first pregnancy clue: implantation bleeding.
Implantation bleeding usually doesn’t last more than a couple of days, and it’s much lighter than most people’s periods .
Brand Name Versus Generic Pregnancy Tests
Home pregnancy tests, both brand name and generic, are very accurate at detecting the HCG hormone and any positive result, even a faint line, can be considered positive. HCG is only produced by a pregnancy any positive result indicates a pregnancy.
You dont need a serum pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy. Both urine and blood detect HCG, although the blood test is more sensitive and can detect HCG levels at much lower levels than a urine test. In certain situations, your doctor may want to perform a blood HCG test but its not typically needed to confirm a pregnancy.
Although most tests advertise 99% accuracy, the ability of a particular brand to detect HCG at levels less than 50 ml may vary. Some brands may be better able to detect lower levels of HCG than others. If your HCG level is more than 50 ml, which is the detection rate of most tests, even generic tests will detect a pregnancy accurately.
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How Many Weeks Do You Have To Wait To Take A Pregnancy Test Online
You should wait up to a week after your missed period to get the most accurate result before taking a pregnancy test. If you dont want to wait for your period to stop, you should wait at least a week or two after having sex. It usually takes seven to 12 days after successful egg implantation. You may get inaccurate results if the test is done too early in your cycle.
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How Early Can I Take A Pregnancy Test
How early you are able to take a pregnancy test will depend on the type of test that you use. All pregnancy tests measure the amount of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin in your body. This hormone is produced when the egg is fertilized and attaches to the uterine wall, usually six days after fertilization.
Some tests are more sensitive than others and can detect very low levels of hCG in your body. The more sensitive tests could detect hCG as early as four days before your missed period. The sensitivity of a pregnancy test can be found on the packaging and is measured in mIU/ml . Sensitivity can range from 10mIU/ml to 40mIU/ml. The lower the number, the more sensitive the test is and, in turn, will detect pregnancy sooner.
Different Types of Tests
There are two main types of pregnancy tests, urine test and blood test. Both tests detect the amount of hCG in the body.
Urine Test
Urine tests can be purchased at the grocery store or pharmacy and done in the privacy of your home. Results are most accurate when the test is performed when your period is due, or about 2 weeks after you ovulate. However, some can detect pregnancy as early as 4 days before your missed period.
If you get a positive result, you will want to make an appointment with your doctor to have a blood test done to confirm the pregnancy and begin prenatal care.
Blood Test
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