How to Calculate When I Can Take a Home Pregnancy Test
Planning to start a family is an exciting time for a couple. It can be somewhat consuming for a woman as she tries to pay attention to any signal offered by her body that may indicate a pregnancy. The challenge in doing so is that oftentimes early pregnancy signs can mirror the symptoms of an oncoming period. Additionally, it is easy to convince yourself that you have a symptom if you are looking for it. If you are anxious to know whether you are pregnant you will want to know how soon you can take a test.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Track your cycle. The average length of a woman's menstruation cycle is 28 days and she will typically ovulate on day 14. Since not all women have an average length cycle, you should keep track of how long your cycles last. You can do this by using a calendar. Mark down the day you menstruate each month for several months. After 3 months, count the number of days between your periods to see what the number is. If the number is consistently 28 or right around there, you can consider that the length of your cycle. Knowing when you can expect your period will give you a heads up as to when you can take a pregnancy test.
-
2
Chart your cycle. Charting will allow you to track your period if it is somewhat inconsistent. By taking your temperature each morning, you can find out when you ovulate. Ovulation can be indicated by a spike in your temperature in the middle of your cycle. The amount of time between when you ovulate and when you menstruate should be consistent from month to month. Charting will help you know when to expect your period even if there is a delay in your ovulation.
-
-
3
Read the instructions on the pregnancy tests at the drug store. Some pregnancy tests allow you to test for pregnancy up to 5 days before your missed period while others work after you have already missed your period. First Response is an example of a test that advertises its ability to reveal a pregnancy before you miss your period. The closer you take an early pregnancy test to the day your period is, the more effective the test will be.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
There are some occasions where you can get a negative test early on and still be pregnant. If your test is negative but you are still convinced that you are pregnant, re-test a couple days after your missed period.
