Excitement, anxiety, hope: wondering if you’re pregnant can be nerve-racking. A home pregnancy test can quickly reveal if you’re expecting—some even work before your period is late—so you can get that need-to-know answer right away.
When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
The best time to take a pregnancy test is when your period is late. But some at-home pregnancy tests say they can detect if you’re pregnant or not up to five days before your period is due to start. How do they do it? At-home pregnancy tests use the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) to detect pregnancy, and some are more sensitive to hCG than others. So that’s why some tests work earlier when you have less of the hormone, while others won’t show a positive until later when you have a higher amount.
The best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning. Your urine is more concentrated in the a.m., so there’s more of that hCG in it. You can take a pregnancy tests at other times of the day, though there’s more of a chance of an inaccurate result. Also make sure not to drink a lot of water or other liquids, as you’ll dilute your urine.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?
When an egg is fertilized, your body starts producing hCG. During early pregnancy, hCG levels double every two to three days and peak by the end of your first trimester. Pregnancy tests look for how much hCG is present in your urine.
How Accurate are Pregnancy Tests?
In general, home pregnancy tests are more accurate the longer you wait to take them. Testing on the day of your expected period, or after, will yield a more definitive answer. If you test too early (think just days after ovulation), you could get a false negative and have to test again later.
Have more questions? Find out everything you need to know about how to read a pregnancy test.
If you’re making a store run or hopping online to purchase a home pregnancy test, we recommend you go with one of these.
Babylist’s Best Pregnancy Tests
Best Early Pregnancy Test
If you just can’t wait, the First Response Early Result test is what you want to grab. It’s the most sensitive over-the-counter pregnancy test, and can accurately tell you if you’re pregnant up to five days before your period is due. We also like the curvy handle, which makes it easier to hold the stick as you pee on it. It also comes in a digital version, which uses words instead of lines to report your results.
Best Cheap Pregnancy Test
These take away the plastic applicator and absorbent tip of your standard pregnancy test and give you a simple strip (the same one found in regular pregnancy tests) to dip into a cup of your urine. They’re much less expensive than applicator tests, so if you’re trying to conceive and using many tests each month, these could be a more economical choice—and they come in bulk packs. Wondfo is a similar pregnancy test, at a similar price point.
Best Easy-to-Read Pregnancy Test
Unlike manual pregnancy tests where you have to decipher how many lines are darkening to tell if you’re pregnant, this digital test leaves no doubt what the result is: it tells you in words. Flashing lights on the display indicate the time remaining until an answer appears (it can take up to three minutes). You can use this test up to four days before you expect your period.
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Best Ovulation and Pregnancy Test Kit
The new kid on the pregnancy test block, Natalist makes a test that is over 99% accurate, can be used up to five days before your missed period and is easy to use, with clear directions in both English and Spanish. The design is sleek and modern, and the packaging comes with a nice little note. The company is also woman founded and 100% plastic neutral.
This kit also comes with ovulation tests. They measure your level of the luteinizing hormone, which increases in the day or two before ovulation. A positive results means you’re likely to ovulate within the next 24 or 48 hours.
You’ll get 7 ovulation tests and 4 pregnancy tests in each kit. The Natalist pregnancy tests on their own are also available directly at Target.
Best Eco-Friendly Pregnancy Test
The first of its kind, the Lia test is made from 0% plastic and is 100% biodegradable. With over 2 million pounds of plastic produced annually from tests, this is a big step forward. Made from the same materials as toilet paper, the test can be flushed, composted or, if it’s exciting news, saved. It’s also FDA cleared and over 99% accurate—you’ll get results within 5 minutes, with two lines if you’re pregnant, one line if you’re not.
Fastest Pregnancy Test
If you are so eager, you can’t wait three minutes, the Rapid Detection pregnancy test is ready in just one minute! This box includes three tests. However, we’ve seen a lot of reports of more false positives with this test than with others. They always said patience is a virtue.
The Variety Pack Pregnancy Test
Don’t want to choose? This kit includes three different pregnancy tests, like a variety pack. One test lets you check six days before your missed period, another shows you a digital result and the last one is ready in only a minute.
The bottom line with any test you choose: if you tested early and it came up negative, but you end up missing your period, test again. If your home test says you’re pregnant, it’s time to make an appointment with your gynecologist to confirm the results.
And once you get a big fat positive, check out our week by week pregnancy guides and sign up for our pregnancy emails.
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