{"id":83721,"date":"2023-05-10T10:00:32","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T08:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/?p=83721"},"modified":"2024-05-28T12:56:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T10:56:17","slug":"early-pregnancy-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/","title":{"rendered":"How early can you take a pregnancy test?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Taking a pregnancy test<\/strong> is a moment invariably surrounded by heightened emotion. You may be hoping to get pregnant after months of trying. Or you might be equally keen for reassurance that you&#8217;re not pregnant. In any case, the test is never a matter of indifference. It\u2019s perfectly understandable that when you want to take that test, you will be anxious to know the result as soon as possible. But it would be best to have a little patience.<\/p>\n<p>Given that an accurate result is just as crucial as a speedy one, <strong>resisting the temptation to take an early pregnancy test<\/strong> before the right time is essential. As a rule of thumb, the <strong>first day of your missed period<\/strong> is about right.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#How_do_pregnancy_tests_work\" title=\"How do pregnancy tests work?\">How do pregnancy tests work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#How_do_you_take_a_test\" title=\"How do you take a test?\">How do you take a test?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#How_do_you_know_if_Im_pregnant\" title=\"How do you know if I&#8217;m pregnant?\">How do you know if I&#8217;m pregnant?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#How_early_can_you_detect_pregnancy\" title=\"How early can you detect pregnancy?\">How early can you detect pregnancy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#How_accurate_are_pregnancy_tests\" title=\"How accurate are pregnancy tests?\">How accurate are pregnancy tests?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/#Getting_help_when_its_needed\" title=\"Getting help when it\u2019s needed\">Getting help when it\u2019s needed<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_pregnancy_tests_work\"><\/span>How do pregnancy tests work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are different ways of <strong>testing for pregnancy<\/strong>, including having a blood test at a doctor\u2019s surgery or a specialist clinic. For the moment, we\u2019re looking at <strong>over-the-counter pregnancy test kits<\/strong>\u00a0that you can buy in a chemist or supermarket and take home. With these tests, you get your result in the privacy of your own surroundings when the time comes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Home pregnancy tests<\/strong> work by checking for human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine. HCG is commonly called the <strong>pregnancy hormone<\/strong> because it starts circulating in your body after conception. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK532950\/\">Trophoblasts<\/a>, the cells found inside an early embryo that go on to form the placenta, produce the hCG hormone. After the embryo attaches to the womb lining, hCG builds up fairly rapidly in your body. At this point, the hormone is present in both urine and the bloodstream. Even though it is detectable at a low level and in very small concentrations, it takes some time for levels to build up for a reliable test result. <strong>Taking a pregnancy test before your period is due is not advised<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_take_a_test\"><\/span>How do you take a test?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Different brands have different methods of testing urine. Most advise doing the test first thing in the morning. This is because your urine will be at its most concentrated. Some ask you to collect urine in a receptacle and then dip a testing stick into it. With others, you need to collect the liquid and then use an eyedropper to place a small amount into a special container. Others work by holding the testing stick under the urine stream, so there\u2019s no collection involved.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_know_if_Im_pregnant\"><\/span><strong>How do you know if I&#8217;m pregnant?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The way the result is presented also varies according to the brand. It&#8217;s best to read the instructions beforehand. These will tell you the length of time you need to wait before checking the result. The result is often displayed with a colour change, a line, a plus or minus symbol or even the words \u2018not pregnant\u2019 or \u2018pregnant\u2019.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_early_can_you_detect_pregnancy\"><\/span>How early can you detect pregnancy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>How early you can detect pregnancy<\/strong> depends on the type of test you use. The usual and long-standing advice is to wait until the first day of your missed period. This is to allow enough time for detectable levels of hCG to build up. Some tests are more sensitive, and you may be able to <strong>take a pregnancy test as early as 4 to 5 days before your period<\/strong> is due. Check the instructions on the packet!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-104330 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-1024x580.jpeg\" alt=\"Graph showing accuracy of pregnancy test before and after date of missed period\" width=\"531\" height=\"301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-1024x580.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-300x170.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-768x435.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-1536x871.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-2048x1161.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-340x192.jpeg 340w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-200x113.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/03\/AdobeStock_480444270-700x397.jpeg 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 531px) 100vw, 531px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A <strong>pregnancy blood test<\/strong> conducted by a doctor\u2019s surgery or a specialist clinic can detect pregnancy earlier than a <strong>home pregnancy kit<\/strong>. These can be taken 7 to 12 days after you conceive. However, unless you&#8217;re undergoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/assisted-reproduction-treatments\/in-vitro-fertilisation\/\">IVF<\/a> or have a medical condition that makes an <strong>early pregnancy test<\/strong> essential, a home kit is much more likely to be your most practical option.<\/p>\n<p>You probably won\u2019t know the exact date of the suspected conception at this stage. Although you can roughly estimate when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/the-definitive-guide-to-ovulation\/\">ovulation takes place<\/a> (two weeks before your next period is due), this may be inaccurate depending on the regularity of your cycle. Irregular cycles are common, and they can make the exact date of ovulation unpredictable. The NHS advises that you can assume conception took place two weeks before your first missed period was due. They also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/conditions\/pregnancy-and-baby\/due-date-calculator\/\">pregnancy due date calculator<\/a> so you can work out your baby&#8217;s due date.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_accurate_are_pregnancy_tests\"><\/span><strong>How accurate are pregnancy tests?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Pregnancy test accuracy<\/strong> relies on the number of days you need to wait. As long as you follow the recommended time, home test kits are generally 97% accurate. Some kits come with two tests, so if you get a result you were not expecting, you can check again in a couple of days. It\u2019s worth knowing that <strong>a positive test is almost certainly correct,<\/strong> but that <strong>false negatives are slightly more likely<\/strong>. You should consult your GP immediately if you get a positive test result.<\/p>\n<p>A word of caution: some medications can affect the result and make it positive even though you are not pregnant. These include allergy medicines such as promethazine, medications for anxiety and anti-psychotics, diuretics, anticonvulsants and even some medications used to help infertility. You will also find a complete list in the instructions in the packet. If in doubt, you can ask a pharmacist.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_help_when_its_needed\"><\/span><strong>Getting help when it\u2019s needed<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We genuinely hope you get the result you were hoping for from your test! But if you are among the few people who long for a pregnancy that never seems to happen, don&#8217;t wait too long before finding some help. Your GP may be able to refer you for <strong>NHS-funded fertility treatment<\/strong> at a fertility clinic. This will depend on your eligibility, decided by your local clinical commissioning group (CCG). The NHS publishes a guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/service-search\/other-services\/Clinical-Commissioning-Group\/LocationSearch\/1\">finding your local CCG<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If the services you need are unavailable or the waiting list is too long, you could get in touch with us at IVI. A positive first step would be to take a look at the video about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=7&amp;v=V8EX0V__oOk&amp;feature=emb_logo\">our London clinic<\/a>\u00a0or sign up for one of our online <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/virtual-open-evening\/\">open evenings<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Taking a pregnancy test is a moment invariably surrounded by heightened emotion. You may be hoping to get pregnant after months of trying. Or you might be equally keen for reassurance that you&#8217;re not pregnant. In any case, the test is never a matter of indifference. It\u2019s perfectly understandable that when you want to take&#8230; <a class=\"view-article\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/\">View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":85582,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,18],"tags":[292],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How soon can I take a pregnancy test? - IVI UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Taking a pregnancy test is a moment surrounded by lots of emotions, and it&#039;s natural to want to find out the result as soon as possible.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/early-pregnancy-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How soon can I take a pregnancy test? 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