How soon can you REALLY take a pregnancy test?

Question

If the LH hormone changes to the Hcg (?) as soon as it attaches to the uterus, then couldn't you take a test sonner than 5 days before your period. And what if you ovulate early in the cycle? Could it be possible to take a test sooner?

Answer 1

The LH surge happens after ovulation, then it decreases after that point. The Hcg surge happens after the well-developed embryo attaches, digs in, and spends a few days growing enough to start producing a detectable amount. Here's how it works:

Ovulation day: When you ovulate, the egg begins the trek down the Fallopian tube, where sperm meet and fertilize the egg. This may take anywhere from 1-2 days.

Days 2-7 past ovulation: The embryo is developing, and it is either floating around in the tubes still or the uterus. It is not big enough to implant until it "hatches out" which happens between 6-7 days after the egg is fertilized. So implantation will happen near the 7 day past ovulation mark.

Day 7-12 past ovulation : Depending on how quickly the egg was fertilized and how fast the emby grew, it is growing in the uterine lining and will begin to secret detectable amounts toward the end of this range of days.

So basically, the egg needs time to fertilize, grow enough to implant, implant, and grow some more before there is enough HCG for any pregnancy test to detect.

I have seen women get positive tests as early as 10 days past ovualtion, but not much earlier than that. It think the average time is more like 11-13 days past ovulation.

Answer 2

I took a test 8 days before my period was due using these early pregnancy tests that I bought on-line and can tell you as soon as 6 days after ovulation/conception. I got a positive result, but the line was very very faint. I was 2 weeks and 6 days pregnant, although the baby had only been in me for 6 days since the first 2 weeks you aren't really pregnant I will never test this early again because it made my first trimester drag on forever, and my doctor wouldn't see me to confirm the pregnancy until I had skipped my period. The other thing is that about 25% of all pregnancys result in miscarriage and most are before the woman misses her period so I was really frightened about that.

Answer 3

Just so you know, LH does not change into hCG. After you ovulate your body stops making LH till your next ovulation. When conception has taken place, the body starts to make hCG--in a different process.

As for taking a pregnancy test, there are tests out there that claim to be able to predict pregnancy 5 days before a missed period. I don't know how valid these claims are, but if you look on the package directions of most pregnancy tests, they will tell you that the rate of a false negative or postive is higher the earlier you test. You will get better results if you wait to do the test on the day of your missed period or in the days after.

Answer 4

Sure, you can take it as soon as you want, but for really accurate results, you should wait until you've missed your period. It's all based on how high you hCG level is. SOme women have a very low level throughout most of their pregnancy. And while the HPT's say that you can take them up to 5 days early, you only get about a 54% accurate rating 4 days before you've missed your period. You can go ask your doctor about an early pregnancy test as hCG can be tested in blood sooner than it can be in urine.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 5

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RE:
How soon can you REALLY take a pregnancy test?
If the LH hormone changes to the Hcg (?) as soon as it attaches to the uterus, then couldn't you take a test sonner than 5 days before your period. And what if you ovulate early in the cycle? Could it be possible to take a test sooner?

Answer 6

It could be possible to take the test sooner, but it differs for each person. So there is the chance that the test will come out wrong. Just have faith and be as patient as you can until you are able to get a good test done. Hope all goes the way you want it to.

Answer 7

For an accurate result, wait until after you miss your period. In the fine print of those "early" tests, you'll find that they become less accurate the farther away from missing your period you are. I tested last year one day before my period was due. It was negative. I went to a Christmas party and had quite a few drinks. I never got my period and I was pregnant. Since then, I don't trust those early tests. Thankfully, my daughter was born healthy.

Answer 8

Its about the levels of the HCG hormone. They dont spike until you're due for your period, since its the high levels of that hormone that cause your period to subside. You always have trace amount of HCG hormones in your body since it uses those hormones to stimulate cell growth and repair.

Since it takes a few days for those hormones to reach a high enough level to trigger the reaction in the urine tests, if the test is sensitive enough, and your particular body starts producing more hormone in advance of your period, you can get a result a few days before your period is due. But only 60% of women can get a true positive on those tests before their periods.

Blood tests are more accurate since they detect parts per million, and can notice even a slight rise in hormone production.

The LH surge happens for a few hours directly before the egg is released, it doesnt continue after the egg is released.

The egg then is only viable for 24-36 hours. And can take up to 5 days to even reach the uterus and implant, and then start the production of hormones.

Length of cycles dont have much to do with anything, since its the release of the egg that gears your body up for your period.

I have a 38 day cycle, but ovulate on day 23. I was late by nearly a week before I even tested for this baby. I was a few weeks late with the last and still didnt get a true positive until I was already miscarrying.

Bodies are unique. Tests arent.

Answer 9

I know a lady who took her PG tests at 8 days past ovulation, or just about a week before she was due. The test was accurate both times. Myself, though, I wouldn't test before I was due on the off chance it would be negative and I would have wasted the money. That's just me, though.

Answer 10

I took mine 6 days before and it came out positive.

However, it really depends on when you get pregnant. I think my cycle was off and that I actually ovulated earlier, hence the earlier result.