June 22, 2018 Show
By: Cara Terreri, LCCE, CD(DONA) | 0 Comments But wouldn't it be great not to waste time, money, and hope on taking a home pregnancy test when it's not even possible to tell if you're pregnant? Let's take a look at the timeline of conception and the mechanics of home pregnancy tests to better understand the best time to take a pregnancy test. From the time of intercourse or insemination, it can take from a few hours up to 5 days for fertilization to occur, depending on when you ovulate, or release an egg. Sperm can live for approximately 5 days. An released egg is viable for 24 hours. After fertilization, it can take between 6-12 days for implantation to happen. Implantation is when the fertilized egg implants itself into your uterine wall. Once the fertilized egg implants, the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) enters the blood stream. It is this hormone that is responsible for a positive pregnancy test. From the time of implantation, HCG hormone levels are approximately 1-2mIU (milli international unit) and double every 48-72 hours. Any HCG level above 25mIU is considered pregnant, while less than 5 is considered not pregnant. The average pregnancy test detects 20-25mIU of HCG. Therefore, taking a pregnancy test 3-4 days after implantation is the earliest you could possibly test positive with a urine pregnancy test. If you're counting the time since ovulation, this would be between 9-16 days past ovulation -- at the earliest. It's important to know that not all home urine pregnancy tests are the same. Each one detects pregnancy, or HCG levels, at different mIU levels. Some early pregnancy tests will detect lower HCG levels and can give you results earlier, while others are not as sensitive. This list seems to offer a fairly comprehensive list of brands and HCG levels. If 9-16 days past ovulation is the earliest you can test, what's the ideal time to test? Anything beyond 16 days past ovulation, or from the beginning of when you would expect your period. The closer to that time and in the first week after a missed period, the more accurate your pregnancy test will be. If you receive early negative tests, wait until you're closer to your expected period. While early false positives may happen as well, they are less likely. Usually, a positive pregnancy test indicates pregnancy. It's time to find an amazing care provider! Sometimes, an early positive pregnancy test followed by a later negative pregnancy test can indicate that the pregnancy has ended, as the levels of HCG are not increasing as expected, though this is not always the case. Contact your care provider to discuss your results and potentially schedule a blood test for pregnancy. TagsPregnancy Early pregnancy Conception Early Pregnancy Hormones Pregnancy Test HCG Published on March 12th, 2022 and Updated on June 22nd, 2022 Check out SneakPeek Gender Test to find out your baby’s gender as early as 6 weeks at 99.9% accuracy! You’ve circled your ovulation days on the calendar. You’ve tracked your basal body temperature like a pro. You practically feel butterflies in your stomach. But, when it’s time to take your pregnancy test, you look down and see… blood. What’s the deal? When trying to conceive, vaginal bleeding can be disappointing, especially when you hear that a missed period is one of the first pregnancy symptoms you may experience. However, a few drops of blood might actually be a good thing. In fact, it may be an indication that your fertilized egg has implanted itself onto the lining of your uterus. Implantation bleeding is a fairly common early pregnancy sign —and it’s nothing to fear. But how can you tell the difference between implantation bleeding and menstruation? Will a pregnancy test clue you in to what’s really going on? While you can take a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding, you’re more likely to get an accurate result if you wait at least 5 days after bleeding has stopped. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at implantation bleeding so you can better understand why you may want to wait to take a pregnancy test. What Is Implantation?You can consider implantation to be the second major step of your pregnancy journey. After conception (the first major step), the fertilized egg must attach to the wall of the uterus in order to survive. But when does implantation occur? Let’s take a look at this process, step-by-step:
How Can Implantation Cause Bleeding?Even though your blastocyst is only a tiny cluster of cells, it can nevertheless cause quite the commotion with things like bleeding and cramping. This is because, during implantation, the blastocyst creates a mini rupture in your cushy uterine lining (you know, trying to get comfortable). This rupture leads to bleeding in about 1 out of 4 pregnant women, making it a relatively common early sign of pregnancy. Let’s explore some factors that can differentiate implantation bleeding from other types of vaginal bleeding. Timing of Implantation BleedingImplantation bleeding occurs between 1 to 2 weeks following conception. Here’s where things can get tricky. Because you’re most likely to conceive during ovulation, the timing of implantation bleeding might overlap with the timing of your next menstrual period. This isn’t always the case, as each week of your cycle has a certain amount of fertility potential. For instance:
So, if you have the rare experience of conceiving outside of ovulation, your implantation bleeding won’t occur the same week as your period. However, most women will conceive during ovulation, so it’s good to know other identifying characteristics of implantation bleeding, such as its appearance and duration. Appearance of Implantation BleedingMenstrual blood can come in a variety of looks—red, brown, pink, thick, thin. However, implantation blood tends to maintain the same appearance for all women. Happily, for identification purposes, the appearance of implantation blood is quite different from that of your menstrual blood. Implantation blood has traits like:
Duration of Implantation BleedingDuring menstruation, your body sheds its now unneeded uterine lining, along with your unfertilized egg. This results in menstrual bleeding that can last between 3 to 7 days. However, during implantation, the uterine lining is only mildly ruptured—not totally shed—so bleeding isn’t nearly as long. Typically, implantation bleeding will only last 1 to 2 days. If you are experiencing severe pelvic or abdominal pain accompanied by vaginal bleeding and extreme lightheadedness, you could be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, and you should seek emergency medical help immediately. Are Pregnancy Tests Accurate during Implantation Bleeding?After those first few drops of blood appear, it can be tempting to run to the nearest drug store to stock up on your pregnancy tests (if you don’t already have a collection under the bathroom sink). However, taking a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding may not give you accurate results. This is all due to a key pregnancy hormone—hCG. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin—the Key to Pregnancy TestsAfter implantation, your body releases a cascade of hormones to prepare itself for pregnancy. One of these hormones is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Once pregnant, hCG levels begin to rise, signaling to other hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) that there’s a baby on the way and assisting in fetal growth over the course of the first trimester. Hormone hCG is what at-home pregnancy tests measure to determine if you’ve got a bun in the oven. Here’s why:
Timing Your Pregnancy TestAfter implantation, hCG levels start to climb rapidly. However, it may still take between 7 to 12 days for hCG to reach a detectable level. This is about the same amount of time it may take for you to experience implantation bleeding. This leads to a gray area for testing, where some pregnant women may get a positive result and others may not. For the most accurate, dependable results, doctors recommend waiting until about 7 to 12 days after implantation to ensure your hCG levels are soaring and save you from having to retest. This means waiting to test until at least 5 days after bleeding has stopped. More Tips for Pregnancy Test AccuracyFor results you can rely on when you do take a pregnancy test, here are tips for accurate testing:
Learn More About Your Newest Family Member With SneakPeekSo, can you take a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding? In short, yes, but keep in mind that your result may not be as accurate as it would be a few days later. If you test negative, don’t feel discouraged. You can simply wait a few days and try again. The longer you wait, the more time you give hCG levels to accumulate, and the more accurate your test will be. And when you do test positive? Share the news with your friends and family, start stocking up on diapers, and order your SneakPeek At-Home Early Gender Blood Test. From the comfort of your own home, SneakPeak’s test can tell you if you’re having a little boy or a little girl with clinically-proven 99.9% accuracy. Even better? You can take the test as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy. That’s months before a traditional anatomy ultrasound at 20 weeks can tell you. It’s no wonder SneakPeek Gender is the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home fetal sex test on the market today, trusted by over 500,000 moms just like you. So, after you test for hCG, test for gender, with SneakPeek Gender. This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional: Dr. Heather Soper, Certified Nurse Midwife Heather has 15 years of women’s health and obstetrics experience. She is the owner of The Genesis Resort for Birth and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at James Madison University. Sources:
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