For anyone who is trying to become pregnant or believes she may already be pregnant, finding out for certain as quickly as possible is a major concern. If either of those describes you, you may find yourself wondering, “How early can I take a pregnancy test and still trust the results?” The waiting can seem absolutely insufferable, so you no doubt want to know if it is really necessary. At-home pregnancy tests make a lot of promises that they cannot necessarily keep. Let’s take a look at what doctors and scientific proof have to say about it so that you can better understand how pregnancy tests work and when you will get the best (i.e. most accurate) results.
How At-Home Pregnancy Tests Work
Home pregnancy test kits
Pregnancy test accuracy is also a concern. If you take a pregnancy test too early, you are likely to get a false negative (when the test reveals that you are not pregnant when in fact you are pregnant). A missed period is often the first noticeable sign of a pregnancy. Missed periods or other changes in your menstrual cycle can occur for numerous reasons, however, so a missed period does not automatically mean that you are pregnant. You probably hope to find out prior to your first missed period, but many of the non-prescription at-home kits that you can purchase at virtually any discount or drug store are not developed enough to accurately detect pregnancy that soon. Granted, technology is constantly advancing and at-home pregnancy tests are no exception. There are tests that claim to detect pregnancy as early as six to eight days after conception regardless of when you should experience your next menstrual cycle, such as those manufactured by Early Pregnancy Tests
At-home kits offer a wide range of sensitivity levels. They may begin detection at as little as 20 mIU (which stands for million International Units, or parts per million) or up to 100 mIU. Your hCG levels reach about 25 mIU at ten days past ovulation (dpo), about 50 mIU around 12 dpo, and 100 mIU at around two weeks after ovulation. At this time, even the least sensitive of at-home tests can generally detect a pregnancy assuming you follow the instructions carefully. A blood test administered by a doctor can detect as little as 5 mIU, thus revealing the presence of a fetus far earlier than home pregnancy tests. Some newer home tests claim to detect as little 5 mIU as well, making it possible to test positively at home as early as seven days after ovulation, but some small amounts of hCG may be present in your urine even when you are not pregnant.
So the question remains – how early can I take a pregnancy test
The Potential Discrepancy
The reason why these kinds of early-detection tests may lead some women to inaccurate results is because every woman’s body works on its own schedule, including conceiving at different rates. That is, once the egg becomes fertilized, it may implant itself in the uterus very quickly after conception or as long as a week later. Implantation is what triggers an increase in the hormone hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). Pregnancy tests measure the level of hCG in your urine; an increased level of hCG indicates a pregnancy. So, to answer the question of how early to take a pregnancy test for some women, the answer isn’t so simple. Taking a pregnancy test just a couple of days after a possible conception may lead to a false negative if the egg simply has not yet been implanted.
Tests performed at home
So we finally have the answer to the question, “how early can I take a pregnancy test and trust the results?” By about a week after your first missed period, even less sensitive tests should be able to accurately detect a pregnancy.
So How Early Can I Take a Pregnancy Test? A Recap Checklist:
• The most sensitive home tests can detect 20 mIU of hCG
• hCG levels should reach 20 mIU at around seven days past ovulation
• The earliest you should test is at seven dpo and only using a very sensitive test
• Implantation may not occur until later than seven dpo, so do not rule out pregnancy given a negative result that early
• The most accurate results from a home test are most often provided one week after your first missed period
• The earliest and most accurate results are obtained by visiting your doctor
Answering the question, “How early can I take a pregnancy test?” is no simple feat. You may opt to take an at-home test just days after conception, but at the risk of receiving disappointing results. While waiting can be frustrating, it can also build excitement for when you do finally get that positive result.