Is it to early to take a home preg. test?

Question

my last period was 12/19/06 and I just feel like crap and my hubby said last night that he thinks I look preggers but I want to know if it is too soon to take a test?

Answer 1

Yes, you should wait to test until 4 days before your period if you insist on testing early, even then it's best to wait until the first day of your missed period. Good luck and **babydust** if you're ttc.

Answer 2

If you DH thinks that you look pregnant then you would have to be much farther along then 2 weeks. Normally most women don't start showing till 3 months. The extra weight gain can be from holiday meals and snacking. The feeling crappy can also be from stress over the holidays. The only other reason could be if you are significantly pregnant. Is there a chance that your period was lighter than normal or was just spotting? If so then you could be pregnant and a HPT can show a positive. If not and you think you got pregnant between the 19th and now then it is way to early to test. Good Luck.. Update us with the results!!

Answer 3

How soon can I test? Well, first you gotta know how the test works. Briefly: the home pregnancy test (HPT) works by detecting a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG.) When an egg is fertilized, it takes about 6 to 12 days to implant in the uterus, and then it begins to secrete hCG. It takes another day or two for enough hCG to build up and make its way into your pee. So, generally speaking, the earliest you can expect a positive HPT is 8 days past ovulation ("DPO") and the latest would be about 16 DPO. It is possible to get a positive test earlier or later, but not as common. In my experience, if you use a sensitive "early" test (anything that detects 25 mIU/mL of hCG or less) you can test around 12-14 DPO and feel reasonably secure with your results (the later you test, the more secure you can feel in its accuracy.)

If you do not chart or monitor your fertility in any way, and you think you may have conceived, you should wait 19 days (or longer) after having sex to test. Why 19?! Sperm can live approximately 5 days in the proper environment; if the sperm managed to live until you popped an egg, the actual conception could have taken place several days after the sex act that got the sperm there. To make sure you're not testing too early, assume the sperm had very long lives (5 days is considered a very long sperm life) and that conception occurred then. Then allow 14 days for the embryo to implant and develop enough hCG to show up on a pregnancy test (96% of pregnant women will test positive by then.)

Note: some HPT's say "test 5 days before your period is due!" or some such thing. Please note they are assuming a textbook 28-day cycle, with ovulation on Day 14. "5 days before your period is due" thus really "translates" to 10 DPO.

Essentially, you should remember that your high school biology textbook was WRONG. NOT all women have 28-day cycles and NOT all women ovulate on Day 14. For more info on this type of thing, see the Fertility Info section.

Here's an example. This is the textbook-perfect 28-day cycle with ovulation occurring on day 14 (in pink.) 10 DPO and later are reasonable days for testing (in green.) This is the cycle the HPT companies have in mind when they say "test 5 days before your period is due!"



Well, not everyone's body works this way. Here's another 28-day cycle-- but this one has ovulation occurring a little bit later, still well within the normal range. Watch what happens to your (green) testing opportunities!



All of a sudden, "5 days before your period is due!" is way too early for you to expect a positive test! (I tend to ovulate later myself, so by the time the "gold standard" of testing at 14 DPO is applicable, my period is already 3 days late! I needed to use an "early detection" test on the first day of my missed period. A "regular" test would probably have been negative-- even though my daughter is living proof that I was, indeed, pregnant ;)

Of course, it works in reverse, too. If you're an early ovulator, you're lucky! Check it out:



In this scenario, you could test even sooner than 5 days before your expected period.

Ultimately, it's important to remember that implantation is a variable thing. You may be able to detect a pregnancy very early on, but then again, you may not! If you can't, don't despair. http://www.peeonastick.com

Answer 4

You didn't mention how long your cycle is so I'm going to guess the standard 28 days. I think that you should probably wait another week at least. You probably only ovulated around the 25th so I'd say that it is. If you feel that you must take a test, try picking up an Answer one. That one worked preperiod for me. Just know that you may get a false negative because it is so soon. Good luck.

Answer 5

It might be a little to early. most women contraception take place 2 weeks after there missed period. Which mean if you were to get pregnant you would of had to have sex last night.
I would wait 4 days after your missed period and get a test. The early test are a waste of money.

Answer 6

I believe it might be just a little early. I can't remember but I think First Response is the test that you can take approx. 9 days before your period is due. You might be able to find out online.

Good luck! I hope the result of the test comes out the way you want.

Answer 7

The best time to test would be 2 days after your expected period. Your levels would be strong enough to be detected by a hpt or call your dr for a blood test, they are the most definitive tests.

Answer 8

Get the first reaction being pregnant try that checks a minimum of 5 days early. Get the %. with 2 or 3 in it so that you'll take one wide-spread if it nonetheless comes out negative the following day. each and every now and then those issues can nonetheless be incorrect until eventually in the route of your era. solid success

Answer 9

There are a few home pregnancy tests that detect early pregnancy hormone but I would wait to see if your period comes and go from there. Best of luck to you!

Answer 10

I took a test on the first day of my missed period. The line was faint but it was there. I would wait until it is time for your period.