When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test?

Waiting to take a pregnancy test can be so hard.

You want to know as soon as possible, but testing too early can leave you with a negative result simply because your body has not made enough pregnancy hormone yet.

So when is the best time to test?

When can I take a pregnancy test?

Most home pregnancy tests are most reliable from the first day your period is due or late.

Some very sensitive tests can be used earlier, but the earlier you test, the greater the chance of getting a negative result even if you are pregnant.

Why can testing too early give a negative result?

Pregnancy tests look for hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin.

Your body only starts making hCG after implantation begins.

At first, the amount is very small.

It then needs time to rise high enough for a home pregnancy test to detect it.

So sometimes a negative test simply means it is too early.

What if I know how many DPO I am?

If you are tracking ovulation, you may be counting DPO, days past ovulation.

You might see very early positive tests around 9 or 10 DPO, but that does not happen for everyone.

Implantation happens at different times, so one woman may get a positive test earlier than another.

For the clearest answer, waiting until around the time your period is due is usually more reliable.

Do I need to use first morning urine?

Not always.

Pregnancy tests can be taken at any time of day.

But if you are testing very early, first morning urine can be helpful because it is usually more concentrated.

Drinking a large amount of fluid before testing can dilute your urine and make very low levels of hCG harder to detect.

What if the test is negative but my period still does not come?

Wait a few days and test again.

If you test again and your period still has not arrived, it is worth speaking with your healthcare provider.

Ovulation can happen later than expected, which can also make your period arrive later and shift the day a pregnancy test becomes positive.

What if I see a very faint line?

If the line appears within the test's reading time and the instructions say that any visible test line counts as positive, even a faint line can mean hCG has been detected.

Always read the test within the time window given by the manufacturer.

A line that appears much later can be misleading.

The simple answer

If you want the most reliable result, test from the day your period is due or late.

If you test earlier and get a negative result, do not assume that is the final answer.

You may simply need a few more days.

Read next

• When Does Implantation Happen, and Can You Feel It?

• Negative Pregnancy Test but No Period: What Now?

• PMS or Early Pregnancy: Why They Feel So Similar

• Pregnancy Week 4: Implantation and Your First Positive Test