If you’ve recently had unprotected sex, or your regular contraception has failed, then you may be wondering how soon will a pregnancy test read positive.
It can be a nerve-wracking time and one that requires some understanding of the basics of human reproduction.
Let’s take a look at what happens in the body when you become pregnant and how soon after conception the results of a home pregnancy test will appear.
How does conception occur?
An egg released from the ovaries during ovulation must travel down the fallopian tubes to meet with sperm within 24 hours for fertilization. If successful, conception occurs.
The newly formed embryo will then travel back down the fallopian tube to implant into the uterus wall around 6-10 days after conception has occurred.
During pregnancy, the body begins to produce hCG, commonly known as “the pregnancy hormone.” This hormone is what most home pregnancy tests look for when determining if a woman is pregnant.
How soon will a pregnancy test read positive? Home Pregnancy Tests Accuracy
The amount of hCG detected by a home pregnancy test increases rapidly as time progresses and so detection rates also increase accordingly over time.
Most tests claim they are able to detect hCG levels between 10-25 mIU/ml but this can vary greatly depending on which brand test you use and how sensitive it claims to be.
Home tests are usually able to detect positive results around 4 days before your expected period date but this does depend on your own particular cycle length, hormone levels and sensitivity of the test used.
However, it is important to note that home tests should not be used until your period is late otherwise false negatives are more likely as there may not be enough hCG in your system yet for detection by a home test kit.
Many have found that home pregnancy tests can generally detect a pregnancy four days before a woman’s expected period date.
Various factors such as hormone levels, cycle length, and the sensitivity of the test affect the accuracy of these tests.
To get accurate results it’s important that you wait until at least one day after your expected period date before using any kind of home test kit so that there is sufficient hCG present in your system for detection purposes.
Of course if you’re experiencing any symptoms that could indicate early stages of pregnancy then don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor who can provide more accurate advice tailored specifically to you!
