Why Not Take A Pregnancy Test Early
Figuring out the right time to take a pregnancy test can be very stressful. You want to make sure you get it right. After all, the anticipation can be too much to bear!
It can be very confusing, as you are trying to determine precisely when pregnancy can be confirmed. So how do you decide the right time to take a pregnancy test?
In this article, we will go over the principles behind pregnancy testing and the ideal time to test for pregnancy hormone Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
Let’s start with the Basics: Pregnancy Tests 101
Why do you need to do a pregnancy test?
Pregnancy can either creep up on you when you least expect it or be something you have planned and worked towards consciously.
The most common pregnancy symptoms include a missed period, pain in the pelvic region or abdomen, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, or episodes of fainting.
If you have planned a pregnancy, you would be counting the days till you get to check for a positive pregnancy test. Even minor signs can perk your hopes up.
The “two-week wait” period between ovulation and your expected period can be a time of deep anxiety. Will it? Won’t it? The two-week window is the phase between your ovulation and your next period. It allows for the hormones to reach a high enough level to be detected on the test.
You may be tempted to take the test as early as possible. However, getting a positive test for pregnancy 5 days post ovulation is rare. Therefore, it is advisable to wait until after10 DPO (days post-ovulation) or the day after your next period is due to test.
What does a pregnancy test check for?
It’s all about chemistry! Pregnancy tests use antibodies directed against a hormone called the Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (Beta hCG). It is one of the first molecules secreted by the embryo after implantation into the uterus walls, as the placenta begins to form.
Beta hCG is an ideal marker of pregnancy since it rises rapidly and consistently in early pregnancy and can be detected in urine. This makes it easy to test for, using over-the-counter urine pregnancy tests.
Summary:
Pregnancy tests check for the pregnancy hormone beta HCG
Getting a positive test for pregnancy 5 DPO is rare. It is advisable to wait until after 10 DPO or the day after your next period is due to test.
On Beta hCG levels and pregnancy
When do Beta HCG levels begin to rise in the body?
Beta hCG starts building up in the mother's blood 10 days after ovulation and reaches its peak during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Why should we not take a pregnancy test too early?
The Beta hCG hormone needs time to build up in your body.
So, if you take a pregnancy test too early, it could come back negative.
With each passing day, your body will create more and more hCG hormones. The levels begin to rise rapidly, doubling approximately every two days.
Eventually, these levels will build up until you are more likely to test positive on a pregnancy test.
Summary:
HCG starts rising 10 DPO till a pregnancy test can pick it up. If you test too early, it might be missed. The levels double every two days.
Interpreting Results: When is a pregnancy test positive or negative?
When can a urine pregnancy test come negative?
If you are pregnant, but your Beta hCG levels are lower than they should be at that time (typically less than 25 mIU/mL), the test could come back negative.
Another issue could be a diluted urine sample, which makes the level of hCG in the urine fall even lower so that it doesn’t get picked up on the test.
Is there any chance of a false positive urine pregnancy test?
False-positive urine results can result from fertility drugs containing Beta hCG, malignancies, and device error.
What are the limitations of a pregnancy test?
It will detect the presence or absence of Beta hCG but cannot tell you if the pregnancy is normal or viable. For example, your Beta hCG levels could be high due to an ectopic pregnancy (where the baby is developing outside the uterus), a miscarriage, or tumours that secrete the Beta hCG molecules. The pregnancy test cannot differentiate between these pregnancies.
What amounts of Beta hCG are required for the pregnancy test to come positive?
With Beta hCG, the interpretation is way more than a numbers game!
· An hCG value less than 5 mIU/mL is negative for pregnancy. Early pregnancy tests like First Response Early Results[2] could pick up hCG values as low as 6.3 mIU/mL. Studies show that it detects 95% of pregnancies on the day of missed period.
· A value above 25 mIU/mL is positive for pregnancy.
· An hCG level between 5 and 25 mIU/mL may be a gray area. You will likely need to be retested until your levels rise high enough to confirm a pregnancy.
What should we do if the first pregnancy test comes negative?
A single reading is not enough information for a confirmed pregnancy diagnosis. So, we often test multiple times, a couple of days apart, to get a clearer picture.
If a urine pregnancy test comes negative, you could choose to do a beta hCG blood test. These are often more accurate. Urine pregnancy tests are strip tests, which only show if the hormone is absent or present, known as qualitative tests. But a blood test can show the exact concentration of Beta hCG in the body, also known as a quantitative test.
Summary:
The pregnancy test is usually positive when hCG values are above 25mIU/ml. However, early pregnancy tests may pick up as low as 6.3 mIU/ml. If the first test does come negative, it is advisable to retest after a couple of days.
The time spent waiting for that little blue line to appear on a pregnancy test can keep you at the edge of your seat! It is an understandably anxious time for couples trying to conceive.
However, testing at the right time is essential so that you are not disappointed early on, you can avoid the stress of re-testing, and you get clear results as soon as you test.
Happy testing!
References
1. https://blog.inito.com/11dpo-symptoms/
2. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00343/full