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. 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. 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: You may also be able to get a pregnancy test free of charge from your GP. 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. 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:When you can do a pregnancy test
Where you can get a pregnancy test
How does a pregnancy test work?
Pregnancy test results
- 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, you took an ovulation test, found out when you were most fertile, and, well, made sure sperm could meet egg. A few days later, you feel like you might be having early pregnancy symptoms — tender breasts, smell sensitivity, nausea, headache, vomiting, or unexplained tiredness.
Or maybe you’re experiencing none of these symptoms but are curious to know if you might still be pregnant. When can you take a pregnancy test after ovulation?
Let’s find out.
When can you take a pregnancy test after ovulation? Let's find out!
How many days past ovulation can you test for pregnancy?
You can take a pregnancy test 14 to 16 days after ovulation — usually after a missed period — if you’re using a urine (at-home) pregnancy test.
If you want to use a blood pregnancy test — usually done in a lab or a doctors office — you may be able to test a little earlier. Some doctors suggest taking a blood pregnancy test about six to eight days past ovulation, although other experts say to take a blood test nine to ten days after ovulation. We recommend consulting your doctor if you have specific questions.
Now, we know — it can be so hard to wait to take a pregnancy test after you know you’ve ovulated. However, there’s a reason to not test too early!
After ovulation, it takes a few days for the newly fertilized egg to travel through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. From there it takes another few days for the embryo to find a comfortable spot to implant, where it will live and grow during pregnancy.
All in all, it can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days after ovulation for an embryo to successfully implant into the uterus and for a pregnancy to begin. Once the pregnancy starts, the placenta starts producing hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the pregnancy hormone.
Even then, it can take a few days for hCG to show up in your blood and urine. This is why most pregnancy tests — both blood and urine based — recommend waiting until after a missed period (about 14 days after ovulation) to begin testing.
Although, in many cases, you’ll need to take a blood test to confirm the result of a urine test, you can also take a blood test to know if you’re pregnant earlier than you can take a urine test. This is because
How early can I test with an early home pregnancy test?
While most pregnancy tests recommend waiting until 14 to 16 days after ovulation, or after a missing period, there are some at-home pregnancy tests that claim they can detect hCG as early as 5 or 6 days sooner. These tests are often more sensitive to hCG levels.
Proov Check early pregnancy tests can detect hCG up to 5 days before your next expected period, or up to 6 days before a missed period. Our tests are sensitive to hCG, and have clear lines that are easy to read and don’t bleed.
Even if you’re using an early pregnancy test like Proov Check, we always recommend confirming pregnancy with your doctor to be sure.
What should I do after I get a positive pregnancy test?
If you get a positive pregnancy test, you should see a doctor. A doctor may confirm if you’re pregnant and talk with you about your results.
You might also get a doctor’s appointment six to eight weeks into your pregnancy. During the appointment, a doctor may ask questions about any health conditions you’ve had or still have, medications and supplements you’re on, any past pregnancies and problems you might have had with it, and how safe you feel with the people you live with. You’ll also go through a physical exam.
You might also need to make some lifestyle changes when you become pregnant. Here are some tips from the Office on Women’s Health on staying healthy during pregnancy:
- Avoid taking alcohol or smoking. Alcohol and tobacco can affect your and your baby’s health.
- Eat nutrient-rich foods and more protein, calcium, iron, and folic acid.
- Stay hydrated. Take as much as 10 cups of fluids daily. You can get your water intake from water-rich foods, fruits, water, juice, and tea.
- If you take caffeine at all, take less than 12 ounces of coffee or 200 mg of caffeine a day.
- Do low-impact exercises like walking, dancing, and swimming. Your doctor can confirm vigorous workouts you can do while pregnant.
You may need to change some lifestyle habits after becoming pregnant.
What if I’ve been tracking ovulation and am still not getting pregnant?
If you’ve been tracking ovulation and you haven’t gotten pregnant, you may not be ovulating successfully. In fact, problems with ovulation — including lack of ovulation or lack of sufficient progesterone production after ovulation — are the #1 cause of infertility in women.
Proov Confirm is the first and only FDA cleared PdG (progesterone metabolite) test to confirm successful ovulation at home. Elevated and sustained PdG levels after ovulation signal successful ovulation, which allows for a higher chance at successful pregnancy.
Testing for pregnancy can be exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Understand when exactly you can test will help you be prepared for when the time comes!