How long after intercourse can you test for pregnancy

How long after intercourse can you test for pregnancy

If you have just had sex and are worried that you could be pregnant here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. You can have sex and not get pregnant.

For a woman to become pregnant, a few things must take place. About halfway through her cycle, a woman’s body releases an egg into her uterus – something called ovulation. That egg has up to 24 hours to be fertilized by sperm before it dies.

Sperm can survive for around five days. This means a woman can conceive (become pregnant) from sex that took place five days before her body released an egg. Sex that takes place in the 24 hours after the egg is released can also lead to pregnancy.

According to yourfertility.com, if a woman “has sex five days before she ovulates, her probability of pregnancy is about 10 percent. If she has sex on the day of ovulation, or the two days before, the chance of getting pregnant is around 30 percent.” This means that even if all the stars align there is still only a 30 percent chance that a woman will get pregnant.

2. A pregnancy test measures your HCG levels.

HCG (the easy way of saying human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that appears in your body after the fertilization of an egg. According to the American Pregnancy Association, HCG is “made by cells formed in the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall.” The earliest signs of HCG can be detected through a blood test. For a woman taking a urinary pregnancy test, it is best to take the test 12-14 days after sex.

3. Have you missed your period?

If you are unsure of when you ovulated, or are concerned you conceived during that time, check to see if you’ve missed your period. Missing a period is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. When checking to see if you’ve missed your period, count 28 days out from the first day of your last period. If you’ve passed the 28-day mark, you may want to take a pregnancy test. As Health Line states “Keep in mind that your period can sometimes be delayed or skipped due to stress, diet, exercise, or certain medical conditions.” Missing your period is not a guarantee that you are pregnant but for your peace of mind, it may be worth taking a test.

4. When is the best time to take a pregnancy test?

a. If you believe you could be pregnant and have missed your period

b. If you believe you could be pregnant and have not yet missed your period, you can take a test 12-14 days after sex.

If you think you may be pregnant, consult a women’s clinic, or a medical facility, like your local hospital or gynecologist. Your most important resource is information.

Call (815) 242-6402 to schedule your free and confidential appointment. Our staff is here to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information about your options for the future.

Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not, the urge to take a pregnancy test immediately after having sex is common. So, when should you take a pregnancy test, how do pregnancy tests work, and what can affect the efficacy of the test?

How soon can you take a pregnancy test after sex?

If you are taking an at-home pregnancy test, it may be best to wait until the day following the day your next period should begin. Although some tests may be sensitive enough to detect hCG earlier, the hormone’s presence in your urine will increase with time, making an accurate result more likely. Blood pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy earlier than urine tests because they are more sensitive, but they are also more expensive.pregnancy-ovulation-test-combo

How soon after sex can you get pregnant?

The first day of a missed period marks the beginning of pregnancy, but fetal development doesn’t begin until after conception. Conception usually occurs two weeks after the first day of your last period (around the time of ovulation). The implantation process may happen several days after you have sex. At this point, hormones needed to support and maintain a pregnancy are released.

When can pregnancy be detected?

It takes some time for hCG to build up enough for a pregnancy test to detect it. When you miss a period (and your menstrual cycle is regular), it might be time to take a pregnancy test. Tracking ovulation can also help you determine whether a pregnancy test might be necessary. If you track ovulation, you can take a pregnancy test around 14 days after the last time you ovulated. Missing a period is the most obvious signal that you might be pregnant. Other signs suggesting you might be pregnant and should take a pregnancy test include:

  • Bloating
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sore or full breasts
  • The need to pee frequently
  • Feeling fatigued

How do pregnancy tests work?

Pregnancy tests detect the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). When a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus (the implantation process), hCG is released. Blood tests and urine tests can both detect the presence of hCG. You can do a urine pregnancy test at home or in a clinic. Urine tests have more accurate results about 14 days following conception. Blood tests can only be done at a medical office and provide more accurate results about 10 days after conception.

There are two different types of blood pregnancy tests: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative blood tests will tell you whether hCG is present in your blood. Quantitative blood tests will measure how much of the hormone is present.pregnancy-tests

What’s the best time of the day to take a pregnancy test?

Once your menstrual period is late, you can take a pregnancy test. Before this, it may be too early in the pregnancy to detect hCG levels. Take a home pregnancy test first thing in the morning because hCG levels will be most concentrated and easily detectable. HCG levels can become diluted when you drink water, and it may affect the accuracy of the test.

How long does a blood pregnancy test take?

You'll have to go to a medical office for a blood pregnancy test. Your primary care provider will take a sample of your blood and send it to a lab for analysis. It can take anywhere from a few hours to over a day to get your results from the lab. A quantitative blood test can compare levels of hCG through the pregnancy, but it is typically used only for higher-risk pregnancies or multiples.

What can cause false-negative or false-positive test results?

Sometimes pregnancy test results will be false negative (indicating you’re not pregnant when you are) or false positive (reads as if you’re pregnant, but you’re not). You may get inaccurate results from a pregnancy test for various reasons, including:

  • You test too soon, and there isn’t enough hCG to be detected
  • You used a test that isn’t sensitive enough to detect lower levels of hCG
  • You don’t use the test immediately after opening it
  • The pregnancy test is expired
  • You drank too much water, diluting your urine
  • You tested later in the day. You use certain infertility medications

If you take a pregnancy test too early, it might cause a false negative result. There’s a “two-week rule” that those with a regular 28-day cycle may follow. However, this guideline isn’t reliable for many since several factors may make things less predictable. Your usual menstrual cycle can be affected by factors such as:

  • Stress
  • Birth control
  • Antidepressants
  • Painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen
  • Certain medical conditions, including thyroid disorders

If you take a home pregnancy test and the result is positive, make an ultrasound appointment with your primary care provider to confirm the result at around 8 weeks of pregnancy.

How soon after unprotected can I test for pregnancy?

Two Weeks Later. Many women test according to the “two weeks” rule. This means waiting to take a test until two weeks after unprotected sex. It can provide accurate results for women who are on a predictable 28-day cycle and who ovulating once and at a regular interval.

Can I take pregnancy test after 1 week of intercourse?

If you track your period, and it's regular, most doctors recommend waiting until your period is late before taking a pregnancy test. If you don't know when your period is supposed to be, or if your period is irregular, experts recommend waiting 9 to 12 days after unprotected sex.

Can you test for pregnancy 3 days after intercourse?

When you're worried about an unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex (or contraception that went awry), it's only natural to want to test as early as possible. But for the most accurate results, you want to wait at least 12 days after intercourse, or three weeks if you have an irregular period.

Can pregnancy be detected after 5 days of intercourse?

Some tests say they can tell you if you're pregnant a few days before a missed period, but they're not as accurate before that missed period. Pregnancy actually doesn't start the day you have sex. It can take up to 6 days after sex for the sperm and egg to join, and then it has to form into a fertilized egg.