A pregnancy test should be taken one week following a missing period.
Pregnancy can be detected by some tests as early as 1-2 weeks post-intercourse, although HCG levels in the body need to build up.
The likelihood of getting a false-negative test result before a missed period rises.
Procedures for Performing Pregnancy Tests
There is always a potential for error, even with the most reliable means of birth control.
A single sperm can fertilize the egg.
A good quality OTC pregnancy test is a simple way to determine if this has occurred.
Urine pregnancy tests sold over the counter typically look for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Only pregnant women have detectable levels of HCG.
The hormone becomes active after a fertilized egg implants in a uterine wall or elsewhere outside the uterus.
It’s possible to take the test using various urine collection methods. There are a variety of options for exams, and your performance on each one may need you to:
You can either:
- collect your urine in a cup and dip a testing stick into the fluid
- collect your urine in a cup and transfer a tiny amount of liquid using an eyedropper
- insert the testing stick in the location of your projected urine stream so that it will capture your urine midstream
Approximately How Soon After Conception Should A Pregnancy Test Be Taken?
If you’re planning on taking a pregnancy test, it’s best to wait until one week after your missing period.
Waiting for one to two weeks after having sex is recommended if you don’t want to risk missing your period. If you are pregnant, it takes time for the body to produce detectable quantities of HCG. After an egg has been implanted, this usually occurs between 7 and 12 days later.
If you take the test too early in your cycle, the results may not be reliable.
Take a pregnancy test if you experience any of the following symptoms.
1.  You Haven’t Had Your Period in a While
If your menstruation suddenly stops, you may be pregnant.
Lateness can be challenging to detect if you don’t keep tight tabs on your cycle. The average menstrual cycle length for women is 28 days.
You might want to be tested if it’s been more than a month since your period.
Remember that several factors besides stress, nutrition, and exercise can cause your period to be late or even missed altogether.
If you think you could be pregnant, you should also monitor your bleeding.
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, it is normal to have some mild bleeding or spotting as the egg implants deeper into the uterine lining.
Note if there is a change in the blood’s hue, consistency, or volume.
You should seek medical attention immediately if you have been experiencing bleeding and have recently taken and passed a pregnancy test.
2.  You’re Experiencing Cramping
Aside from the pain associated with the procedure, some women report cramping similar to that experienced during their periods after implantation. This soreness is joint in early pregnancy when a period is expected but never arrives.
What’s that, you say? Do some testing. Pregnancy and the individual woman both affect hormone levels.
3.  You’re Experiencing Pain in the Breasts
More and more hormones, estrogen and progesterone, are being produced by your body during pregnancy, and these hormones are beginning to affect bodily changes that will help your baby develop.
Because of the increased blood flow, your breasts may feel sensitive and seem more significant. It could hurt your nipples and make your veins more visible.
However, this symptom is not always predictive of pregnancy because many women also feel breast soreness in the days leading up to their period.
4.  You Have a New Sensation
Early pregnancy symptoms can include:
- nausea
- food aversions
- cramping
- tender breasts
Symptoms include fatigue and increased urination.
These symptoms may intensify in the early weeks of pregnancy, but they should subside when your HCG levels stabilize in the third month.
Listen to what your body tells you since you know yourself better than anybody else.
You may want to take a pregnancy test if experiencing any unexpected physical symptoms.
5.  Your Birth Control Didn’t Work
Unfortunately, no method of birth control, including pills, condoms, and surgical procedures, can guarantee a woman’s safety from pregnancy.
So, no matter how cautious you are, you still might get pregnant.
Unwanted pregnancies can also occur due to human error or physical flaws.
The daily pill regimen required by some forms of birth control might be challenging to maintain.
Planned Parenthood reports that if birth control pill users don’t follow dosing instructions, 9 out of every 100 will become pregnant.
Condoms are fragile and can easily tear or be misused.
Nearly 18 out of every 100 women who use condoms report pregnancy each year, per data from Planned Parenthood.
For those concerned about their current method of birth control not working, discussing options like an intrauterine device with their doctor is a good idea (IUD).
Planned Parenthood reports that less than one in one hundred women who use an IUD will become pregnant yearly.
