How soon after sex can I find out if I am pregnant?
You may find out you’re pregnant as soon as 10 days after sexual intercourse, or 5 days
before your missed period. How soon may vary from person to person.
- according to the package instructions with many over-the-counter urine
pregnancy test kits, 10 days after sexual intercourse is the soonest they will show
positive. - Many women will not show positive test results until the day of the missed period,
or 14 days after sexual intercourse.
How do the tests work?
The urine pregnancy test kits are measuring a hormone called human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG).
- Your body begins producing hCG soon after you get pregnant.
- hCG is produced in the placenta of the new pregnancy.
- The amount of hCG in your body doubles every other day in early pregnancy
and can be measured in either your urine or your blood. - Levels can vary from woman to woman. This means your friend might get a
positive test 4 days before her period; but you need to wait until the day you
miss your period. Both are normal.
What if I get a negative test?
- Negative test results before your missed period are not reliable.
- Try again in a few days. Wait to retest (if you can!) until the day your period is due. If it is till negative, you are probably not pregnant, but might want to explore some other reasons for a negative test.
Can I trust a urine test? Or should I get a blood test to be sure I’m pregnant?
The urine test itself, done as instructed on the package, should give you an accurate result
(99% according to most packaging), so if it says positive, you are probably pregnant.
- Even with a positive urine test, there is always a very small chance that you
are not pregnant. - Negative tests cannot be trusted until you are more than 14 days after
sexual intercourse. - Blood tests are usually done only if you go to the doctor or emergency room
for some other issue, or for bleeding and cramping. - The initial blood test for hCG will usually be followed by a repeat test a few
days later to see if the hCG levels are rising, indicating a healthy pregnancy.
Once you have that second and rising hCG, pregnancy will be confirmed by
your doctor.
Know for certain – have an ultrasound.
The other way to be absolutely certain you are pregnant is to have an ultrasound.
- We do limited obstetric ultrasounds at CPC and one of our nurses would be happy to talk to
you about scheduling one.
Here are some links to other common questions about pregnancy tests.
- How much fluid should I drink before the test? Answer: Three 8oz glasses.
- What brand of pregnancy test is best? Answer: All brands are treated the same.
- Are expensive test kits better than cheap ones? Answer: No.
- What’s happening in my body between the time I conceived and the time my test turns positive?
If you would like to have some help with the pregnancy test, or are uncertain if you are reading it correctly, drop in to see us at CPC, or call and talk to us. Schedule an appointment by clicking the button. We are here for you!