Do you feel more tired than usual? Does the smell of coffee suddenly make you nauseous? Maybe your period is a little late, or you just feel extremely emotional about everything.
You may be wondering: What signs are associated with early pregnancy? or When is it time to take a pregnancy test?
The unknowns and the anticipation may be driving you to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. If so, here are some things you need to know about taking a pregnancy test.
How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?
When you become pregnant, your body’s developing placenta will create the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which works to thicken the uterine wall. This hormone also tells your body to stop menstruating.
Pregnancy testing works by detecting this hormone in your urine and in your blood.
The kind of tests you can buy at the store are typically urine tests, that work by peeing on a stick and then waiting a few minutes for the results. If hCG is detected, the pregnancy test should be positive.
You typically need to go to a healthcare provider to have a hCG blood test done.
When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test?
Common signs of early pregnancy include fatigue, nausea, increased urination, a missed period, moodiness, and appetite changes, among other things.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or just have a gut feeling that you may be pregnant, taking a pregnancy test can help you find out.
Cleveland Clinic reported that hCG can be detected as early as 10 days after conception.
However, if you take a pregnancy test too early, your body may not have produced enough hCG to be detected. So the pregnancy test may result negative, but if you wait another week to take a pregnancy test again, it could result positive.
How Can I Know for Sure If I am Pregnant?
Even after taking a pregnancy test the best way to confirm a pregnancy is to have an ultrasound. An ultrasound can be performed at no cost to you at our offices.
An ultrasound can confirm approximately how far along you are in your pregnancy and can assess viability, measuring fetal heartbeat, as early as 6 weeks gestation. An ultrasound can also alert you to any potential complications with your pregnancy like an ectopic pregnancy.
So, if you took an at-home pregnancy test, just don’t trust the results, or want to confirm pregnancy, we can offer help!
Call us today or go online to schedule your confidential appointment.