How long after spotting can i take a pregnancy test

If you have missed a period and recently had unprotected sex, you may be pregnant. Pregnancy tests are most reliable from the first day of your missed period.

When you can do a pregnancy test

You can carry out most pregnancy tests from the first day of a missed period. If you don't know when your next period is due, do the test at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex.

Some very sensitive pregnancy tests can be used even before you miss a period.

You can do a pregnancy test on a sample of urine collected at any time of the day. It doesn't have to be in the morning.

Where you can get a pregnancy test

You can buy pregnancy testing kits from pharmacists and some supermarkets. They can give a quick result and you can do the test in private.

The following places provide free pregnancy tests:

  • sexual health services
  • some young people's services – call the national sexual health helpline on 0300 123 7123 for details
  • Brook centres for under-25s – find your nearest Brook centre

You may also be able to get a pregnancy test free of charge from your GP.

How does a pregnancy test work?

All pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), which starts to be produced around 6 days after fertilisation.

Most pregnancy tests come in a box that contains 1 or 2 long sticks. You pee on the stick and the result appears on the stick after a few minutes. All tests are slightly different, so always check the instructions.

Pregnancy test results

Home pregnancy tests are accurate as long as you follow the instructions correctly.

A positive test result is almost certainly correct. However, a negative test result is less reliable.

The result may not be reliable if you:

  • do not follow the instructions properly
  • take the test too early

Some medicines can also affect the results.

If you get a negative result and still think you're pregnant, wait a few days and try again. Speak to your GP if you get a negative result after a second test but your period has not arrived.

Continuing with the pregnancy

If you're pregnant and want to continue with the pregnancy, contact your GP or a midwife to start your antenatal care. You can use the pregnancy due date calculator to work out when your baby is due.

If you're not sure you want to be pregnant

If you're not sure about continuing with the pregnancy, you can discuss this confidentially with a healthcare professional. Your options are:

  • continuing with the pregnancy and keeping the baby
  • having an abortion
  • continuing with the pregnancy and having the baby adopted

As well as a GP or a nurse at your GP surgery, you can also get accurate, confidential information – from the age of 13 – from the following:

  • sexual health services
  • the MSI Reproductive Choices website
  • the British Pregnancy Advisory service website
  • the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory service website

All these services – including community contraceptive clinics – are confidential. If you're 13 or older, the staff won't tell your parents. They'll encourage you to talk to your parents, but they won't force you. 

If you're under 25 and would prefer advice specifically for young people, the sexual health charity Brook provides a range of services for young people. The Brook website contains information on pregnancy choices. You can also use the Ask Brook 24/7 service.

Video: Is the pregnancy test accurate?

In this video, a midwife explains when you can take a pregnancy test and how to do it properly.

Media last reviewed: 5 February 2020
Media review due: 5 February 2023

So there’s a chance you could be pregnant, but you want to take a test to be sure. But how soon after implantation can you test?

How long after spotting can i take a pregnancy test

Implantation is a key moment in your pregnancy journey.

The fertilized egg (now technically called a “blastocyst”) has traveled down your fallopian tube and attached itself to the wall of your uterus, preparing to grow into a baby.

But how can I know that implantation has happened? you ask. And how soon after implantation can I test for pregnancy?

Let’s find out.

In this article 📝

  • When does implantation happen?
  • How can you know that implantation has happened?
  • How soon after implantation can I test?
  • Other FAQs about how soon after implantation can I test?

When does implantation happen?

So, we know what happens at implantation—but when does it happen?

Well, every woman is different, but it typically takes a fertilized egg about 6 to 12 days to make it to your uterus and implant.

If we imagine, then, that you ovulate on day 14 of your menstrual cycle (which is about average for a 28-day cycle), and the egg is fertilized within 24 hours, implantation could take place between days 20 and 26. Quite a wide time frame!

How can you know that implantation has happened?

There are a few possible implantation symptoms that could give you a clue that the fertilized egg has set up home successfully.

For example, you might have some implantation bleeding.

This looks like the kind of light spotting you may get at the beginning or end of your period and can be pinkish or brown in color.

It might also be quite watery if it’s mixed with vaginal discharge.

Other potential symptoms of implantation include:

  • Tender breasts
  • Bloating
  • Light cramping (it can feel like mild period cramps)
  • Headaches
  • Mood swings

Side note: If any of these symptoms sound familiar, that might be because they’re also common signs that your period is about to start.

That can make identifying true implantation symptoms a little tricky (especially considering that implantation can happen right around the time you’re expecting your period).

Implantation can also happen without giving you any odd symptoms—a missed period might be the first sign that anything has changed.

How soon after implantation can I test?

It’s totally understandable if you’re impatient to take a pregnancy test after implantation bleeding (or any other symptom that’s making you suspicious).

But when’s the best time to take a test?

To answer that, we first need to talk about how pregnancy tests work.

Both a home pregnancy test (of the pee-on-a-stick variety) and a blood test at your doctor’s office work by detecting a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Your body starts to produce hCG soon after implantation, and a pregnancy test will pick up on this once levels of the hormone are high enough.

How quickly after implantation does hCG rise?

Your hCG levels start to rise right after implantation, and they should double about every 48 to 72 hours in the first four weeks of pregnancy.

How many days after implantation can you test?

When to test after implantation bleeding or another symptom depends on the type of pregnancy test.

A blood pregnancy test is more sensitive, so it may be able to detect hCG about six to eight days after conception—in other words, very soon after implantation.

A home pregnancy test, though, might only detect hCG about 10 days after conception—maybe four days or so after implantation.

But for the highest chance of an accurate result (rather than a false negative), it’s best to leave taking a home pregnancy test until at least the day after your missed period.

Yep, even if you’ve noticed implantation symptoms. (We know—waiting is hard!)

➡️ You might also be interested in: 5 Tips for Surviving the Two-Week Wait

Other FAQs about how soon after implantation can I test?

How early after implantation can you test positive?

As we discovered above, it depends on the kind of pregnancy test you take.

A blood test might be able to detect hCG for a positive result very soon after implantation.

On the other hand, you might need to let your hCG levels build up for a few more days after you’ve spotted implantation bleeding to give a home pregnancy test a better chance of an accurate result.

What if I have implantation bleeding but a negative test?

It’s possible that either:

  • You’ve taken the test too soon, and your hCG levels aren’t high enough to detect yet, or;
  • What looks like implantation bleeding could actually be the start of your period.

That said, if you ever notice any abnormal vaginal bleeding or any bleeding in early pregnancy, it’s a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider.

And if you ever need a compassionate ear on your TTC journey, the Peanut Community is here for you.

How long after spotting will a test be positive?

About four to five days after implantation bleeding, HCG levels in the body reach detectable levels in the blood. For at-home urine pregnancy tests, it may take up to 7 days for HCG levels in the urine to reach detectable levels for testing.

Should I take a pregnancy test after spotting?

The best thing to do is wait a couple of days after seeing implantation spotting before taking a pregnancy test. This gives your body time to produce detectable levels of hCG. For the most accurate results, wait until your period is due before taking a home pregnancy test.