When planning a child, a woman, expecting a miracle, always listens to her body with the hope of recognizing the very first signs of pregnancy. It is very important for every woman to find out about a planned or unwanted pregnancy as early as possible, since this makes it possible to prepare for upcoming motherhood or take measures to terminate it.
For most women, a missed period is considered a suspected pregnancy, but many doctors are confident that this is not entirely true. Delayed menstruation can also occur for other reasons, including gynecological diseases, depression, hormonal imbalance and others.
Experts assure that if a woman wants to find out about early pregnancy, she needs to contact a gynecologist, undergo a series of laboratory tests, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, which will accurately confirm or refute the alleged pregnancy.
However, many women rely on their intuition and, just a few days after unprotected intercourse, are assured of pregnancy. Doctors are quite skeptical about the early signs of pregnancy and assure that it is impossible to feel it in the first week, since it will take at least 7 to 10 days for the egg to be fertilized and implanted in the uterine cavity. Some women still claim that they learned about their impending pregnancy already in the first week.
When is the best time to take the test?
Let's start with the main thing. Let's consider the question of which day of the menstrual cycle is best to carry out home diagnostics. Most experts say that there is no point in conducting a test before a missed period. This is due to the fact that even if pregnancy has occurred, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine is still too low, so the risk of getting a false negative response is very high. Despite this, some doctors claim that in some cases, a highly sensitive product can show the onset of pregnancy even before the delay, that is, 2-3 days before the expected menstruation.
Be that as it may, a woman must understand that there is no hurry in this matter. To obtain the most reliable results, it is best to perform a home diagnosis on the first or second day of the delay. This will increase the chances of seeing the long-awaited second strip.
What to do if there is a delay in a negative test
If there is no expected menstruation, and only one line appears on the test, then the following actions can be taken:
- repeat the study 1-2 more times with a break of several days;
- do a pelvic ultrasound in a week;
- wait a few more days, perhaps menstruation is simply delayed;
- remember if you took any medications or herbal remedies that could disrupt your cycle and delay menstrual bleeding;
- contact your gynecologist to choose a plan for further action.
A blood test that determines the level of human chorionic gonadotropin will help dispel doubts about pregnancy. In non-pregnant women this figure does not exceed 5 mIU.
On what day will the test show a positive result?
To understand on what day after intercourse you can get a reliable result, let’s return to female physiology. So, we know that conception occurs as a result of the fusion of a female and a male reproductive cell, that is, an egg and a sperm. This fusion usually occurs in the fallopian tube. This is the organ that connects the uterus and ovaries. After this, the fertilized egg moves towards the reproductive organ to attach itself to its wall. This process takes on average 7-10 days. As soon as the embryo is implanted, the production of human chorionic gonadotropin begins.
Consequently, the synthesis of the hormone, which pregnancy tests can recognize, begins no earlier than 7-10 days after unprotected sex, provided that the egg has been successfully fertilized and attached to the wall of the uterus. From this we draw the first conclusion: there is no point in conducting home diagnostics earlier than after 7-10 days. But that is not all.
In the first days after conception, the level of hCG in the urine is still too low. The most sensitive tests can show a positive result only if the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin reaches at least 10 mIU/ml. Therefore, it takes several more days for the hCG concentration to reach the desired level. From this we draw the second conclusion: 7-10 days should pass from the moment of unprotected sex, and then another 2-3 days, that is, a total of 9-13 days. This period usually coincides with the first day of the delay.
Expert opinion
Ksenia Dunaeva
User experience expert and comment moderator. Higher medical education and more than 5 years of actual practice.
Ask Ksenia
As practice shows, on the first day of delay the level of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine is still too low and tests often show a false negative response or a weak second line. In such a situation, the procedure should be repeated after a few days. If conception has occurred, you will see a positive result. The same calculation method can be used after transferring IVF, five-day DPP, that is, artificial replantation and implantation.
Treatment
Since there are many factors influencing the regularity of menstruation, the treatment will not be the same. Quite often, for menstrual irregularities of various etiologies, hormonal drugs from the category of oral contraception or progestogens are prescribed. To increase the chances of successful conception, the patient may be recommended to stimulate ovulatory processes. In each case, the decision on the nature of the therapeutic effect should be made only by a qualified specialist.
If tumor pathologies occur, then I can prescribe surgical intervention, although more often they still try to cope with such problems using hormonal therapy, which promotes the resorption or significant reduction of various types of formations. If problems with the cycle have nothing to do with pathological factors, then a banal lifestyle change is enough.
If a girl has lost a lot of weight, then a rational and balanced nutrition program is necessary. If severe obesity provokes interruptions in menstruation, then a strict diet is necessary. It is better to contact a nutritionist with this question. The psychological or stressful origin of the delay can be eliminated by a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist. The elimination of alcohol and nicotine exposure, a daily rational diet and drinking enough water helps restore the cycle. Treatment with homeopathic medicines is acceptable.
A disruption in the monthly cycle for several days (5-7) is considered completely natural and acceptable, so you should not always be nervous and run to the doctor; sometimes it is enough to wait a little and repeat the home rapid test. But if menstruation has been absent for more than a week, then an urgent gynecological consultation is necessary, which will help confirm or refute the pathological factor of the delay and eliminate it in a timely manner without any threat to the health and well-being of the patient.
How to start calculation?
So, we found that a positive early test result at home can be obtained approximately two weeks after unprotected sexual intercourse. But, as practice and reviews from mothers show, this information is not enough. A woman needs to understand at what point to start counting the days before the diagnosis. In most cases, it is quite difficult to determine the day on which fertilization occurred.
You might be interested in: At what week of pregnancy does the baby begin to move?
It often happens that unprotected sex occurs 3-5 days before ovulation, that is, you need to understand that conception can occur as soon as the mature egg leaves the follicle. The mystery of fertilization can also happen a day after ovulation, because the egg lives on average 1-1.5 days. After this, the fertilized egg begins its difficult journey to the uterus. It often happens that the embryo cannot attach to the wall of the reproductive organ for various reasons. In such a situation, menstruation begins.
With a successful pregnancy, the fertilized egg moves into the uterus in about 3-5 days. After this, the embryo may remain here for some time until it attaches to the wall of the organ. This period may take another 2-3 days, rarely more. Consequently, until successful implantation occurs, no special changes occur in the woman’s body, that is, there is no point in conducting the test. To determine the starting point when planning pregnancy, it is very important to know when ovulation occurred. This day can be determined using various methods. For example, by changing basal temperature.
Read about how to do it, when to check it and how to choose the right test to determine pregnancy in one of our articles. All information is here.
Diagnostics after implantation bleeding
Many mothers know that blood on underwear is always an unfavorable sign. But there is one exception here too. If a woman is pregnant, she may experience slight spotting, which is evidence of the successful implantation of the fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus. It is from this moment that the production of human chorionic gonadotropin will begin. From this it becomes clear that already 2-3 days after detecting this sign, a girl can easily check herself for pregnancy.
In what cases is an early ultrasound necessary?
If the test to determine pregnancy shows a positive result, then you first need to visit a gynecologist. And after an external examination, he will send you for an ultrasound if he finds clear signs of possible conception. But there are situations in which ultrasound examination is mandatory:
- If there is a delay, but the second line on the pregnancy test is very weak. In this case, the doctor will usually send the woman for a blood test to measure hCG levels before the scan. In case of pregnancy, this will help with further monitoring of the patient.
- If your period does not come on time and your lower abdomen hurts at the same time.
- If the delay is already long (day 10-14) and spotting (even minor) appears.
- If the test confidently shows two lines, but the obstetrician-gynecologist did not find visible signs of pregnancy.
How does the test work?
Most modern products for home pregnancy confirmation work on the same principle. They contain a special reagent that is able to recognize the presence of a specific hormone in the urine - human chorionic gonadotropin. HCG is present in very small quantities in the body of men and women. During pregnancy, the amount of this substance increases greatly. This allows us to diagnose the birth of a new life in just a few minutes.
You might be interested in: Baby gender charts
A product that can easily determine the onset of pregnancy can be purchased at any pharmacy. Today there is a huge selection of such products. These are inkjet, digital, electronic, tablet tests. The brands “Diaskintest”, “ClearBlue”, “Frautest” and many others are popular.
Can the test be wrong?
Sometimes it happens that such products make mistakes. Why does this happen and the test does not work? This is due to many provoking factors. Let's look at the situations in which home diagnostics can give a false positive or false negative result.
False positive response
Carrying out home tests does not always give the correct result. Of course, in most cases this method is effective and with its help conception is accurately determined, but this is not always the case. Let's consider the reasons for this phenomenon:
- Sometimes errors occur after a 5-day transfer, if a cryopreservation was performed and the hCG level is high, for example, while taking hormonal drugs.
- With a high concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin after a miscarriage. If less than 10 days have passed.
- When treating a woman with drugs containing hormones, for example, if the girl is on Duphaston or another medicine.
- If the diagnosis was carried out after a terminated pregnancy.
- Ectopic pregnancy is another pathological cause.
- The test will incorrectly indicate if the product is damaged or has expired. You need to use only quality products.
- For hormonal disorders in a woman, menstrual irregularities or endocrine diseases.
- If the miscarriage occurs immediately after implantation of the embryo.
To obtain a reliable result, you should not use ordinary cheap and low-quality products. Such savings will only lead to unnecessary waste of money and unjustified hopes. Preference should be given to proven products from a reliable manufacturer.
Two lines on a test are not always a 100% confirmation of conception. To confirm pregnancy, you need to donate blood for hCG in the hospital. Read more about this analysis here.
False negative
It also happens that during home diagnostics a woman may receive a false negative answer. This can happen if the diagnosis is incorrect or for a number of other reasons. Let's look at them in more detail:
- Late ovulation.
- Incorrect calculation of DPO for the day after fertilization.
- If you make a diagnosis before the delay of menstruation, for example, on the 25th day of the cycle, if it has 28 days.
- A false positive response can be seen if the procedure is done after drinking a large amount of liquid.
- If you carry out diagnostics without reading the instructions, the answer may also be incorrect.
- Another common cause is an abnormal pregnancy, such as ectopic implantation of the embryo.
- Often a false negative response occurs due to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. If you check yourself immediately after this.
- You should not undergo the study early in the afternoon. Most products must be used in the morning.
- If you use cheap and low-quality products, for example, old Soviet tests, the result may also be false negative.
Many women buy tests in advance.
You might be interested in: What are good pregnancy tests?
If the product is stored under incorrect conditions, they may give incorrect data. It is better to purchase goods the day before inspection. In this case, you should definitely pay attention to the expiration date of the product. Sensitivity is important. It should be 15-20 mIU/ml. It is these brands that give reliable results in the early stages.
False negative result
It happens that the test fails and shows a negative result during pregnancy. This happens, but it is not always the fault of the device.
Why it is possible to get a false negative result is explained more by the individual secrets of the female body than by a bad test.
- Possible disorders of the endocrine system: problems with the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, metabolic disorders. All these factors can have a negative impact on the appearance of the second stripe.
- There will be only one strip even if there is an existing threat of miscarriage.
- Testing too early using a test of low sensitivity may also produce a false negative result.
Some, especially impatient girls, begin to check the results starting from the 21st day of the cycle. If you diagnose long before the control period, on the 23rd day of the cycle or on the 20th day of the cycle, then even if your cycle is short and is only 21 days, then the hCG level, even with successful conception, will not yet increase so much that appear on the test. There is nothing wrong with a girl checking her results once every 2 days, just don’t be upset. At such an early date, one stripe is not yet a result.
Important! When choosing a pregnancy test for monitoring in the early stages, buy a test with a sensitivity of no higher than 10–15 mIU.
Mode of application
Instructions for use for each product will depend on its type. Test strips are typically immersed in previously collected urine. This is their main drawback. In the product description you will find all the necessary information on the use of such products.
Another option is tablet tests. They come in different types. Some of them need to be immersed in urine, others are placed under a stream of urine. Sometimes a pipette is also used, with which you need to drop a few drops of urine into the window provided for this purpose. Such products are easy to use and accurate.
The last option is digital or electronic products. Their main drawback is the accuracy of the results obtained, as well as the ability to determine the gestational age. Such devices are, of course, expensive, but the result is worth it.
Is preparation necessary?
A common question that can be heard from women is whether any preparation is needed for home diagnostics. It is worth noting here that no special preparation is required. The day before the study, you need to consider a few simple tips:
- You cannot drink alcoholic beverages.
- It is not recommended to consume too much liquid or fruits that contain a lot of water.
- You need to try to eliminate stress and anxiety.
- It is important to try to avoid intense physical activity.
Otherwise, the girl can lead a normal lifestyle, have a good rest and eat regular food. This cannot affect the diagnostic result.
When should you go to the doctor if the test starts showing two lines?
The question of when to go to the doctor after confirming pregnancy at home is quite relevant. Many women know that experts recommend registering at approximately 8-12 weeks. What is this connected with? The fact is that during the first trimester the risk of spontaneous abortion is quite high. This happens in 15-20% of all cases. Of course, if the purpose of your visit to the hospital is to confirm conception and monitor your health, such an initiative is welcome, but registering, as we have already said, is recommended from approximately 8-12 weeks.
Read one of our articles that tells you how to register. All the necessary information is here.
False positive
If a false negative result does not cause concern, then false positive results may indicate health problems.
It is not so easy to emotionally accept that a positive indicator does not refer to a joyful event - the birth of a baby, but to disorders in your body.
- Ovarian dysfunction or tumor formation, which, like pregnancy, is capable of releasing hormones so that the female body does not reject it.
- If a woman is being treated for infertility, then she should know that the hormonal medications she takes release the same hormones that come into contact with the reagents on the test, coloring the two strips.
- After a poorly performed abortion, when fragments of biological material remain in the uterine cavity.
Let's sum it up
So, we found out that it is not advisable to carry out home diagnostics to confirm conception at home before a missed period. This can be explained by the physiological characteristics of the structure of the female body. In addition, we see that tests can make mistakes. To accurately confirm the interesting situation, the expectant mother is recommended to visit the hospital and donate blood for hCG. This is the only way to be sure that a new addition to the family is expected soon. Take care of yourself and be happy.
