Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful feelings a woman ever experiences. However, if having a baby is not on your priority list as of now, this news might be an alarm for you to take corrective action. In both the cases, the confirmation of a pregnancy is the first and foremost step to decide any future course of action.
With the latest technology, now it is super easy to determine whether you’re pregnant or not. By taking simple 1 minute tests at home, you can decide the future course of your action. But the early determination of pregnancy can be confusing if you do not know as to when is the right time to take the pregnancy test. It you are too early, it might show you a false negative result. Sometimes the concept of a faint positive line is misleading too.
So, when is the right time to take the pregnancy test to get the most accurate result?
Pregnancy test results are based on the increased level of a hormone called HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in the woman’s body. This hormone gets produced just after a fertilized egg sticks to the wall of a woman’s uterus. This phenomenon usually happens after six days from fertilization. If a woman is pregnant, levels of HCG hormone continue to rise rapidly, doubling almost every two to three days.
If a woman experiences regular periods, the best time to take a pregnancy test is 4-5 days after the expected date of the period. The HCG levels are accurately detectable during this time. For women with irregular menstrual cycles, it is important to keep a tab on ovulation period. In case you have had unprotected intercourse, look for some of the early pregnancy signs like nausea, breast tenderness, dizziness etc.
If you’re planning to take a pregnancy test, preferably take it with the morning urine, as the HCG levels are the highest at this time and chances of accurate results are the most. Sometimes home pregnancy tests can be frustrating especially due to the possibility of false positive lines. Its confusing as you can’t conclude whether or not the result is positive. In such cases, it is best to repeat the test after 2-3 days. This faint line may be due to the low HCG level which tends to increase rapidly; hence a test after some more days is best likely to yield the correct result.
Another confirmatory test is the urine test. If you feel that you are experiencing early signs of pregnancy, and have a missed period, consult a gynecologist and get a urine or blood test done to erase all doubts.
