best time to take pregnancy test

[phantomdog]

hi all,

last week my boyfriend and i had unprotected "intercourse" (quotations because he only put it in me for a few moments because we wanted to see if it really does feel better without a condom) and as of today my period is a day late. i'm aware that theoretically that was a risky action and can cause pregnancy. most tests i see at the store advertise themselves as being able to provide an accurate reading a day before a missed period. i was wondering if that would still hold true if my last unprotected activity was only a week ago. either way, i'll give it a few days and test if it still doesn't come but i still want to know if that was too recent for the test to be accurate. thank you!

[Gone.Sorry.]

When it's best to take a pregnancy test can actually depend on the brand you buy and how sensitive it is! For the most accurate result, you should wait one week after your first missed period, but there are some tests that you can receive an accurate positive on the first day of your missed period (putting conception at about two weeks prior). However, this should be considered secondary to the fact that pregnancy tests work off the levels of hgc in your body, meaning you can get accurate positives if you wait about two weeks after having sex, as it takes 7 - 12 days after conception for hgc levels to develop in measurable amounts. The most sensitive tests can report an accurate positive about 8 days after conception (which can occur up to a couple days after having sex).

Since your period has some flexibility of being 3 - 4 days off your expected, it's only been one missed day so far, and it's been less than two weeks since you had sex, I would hold off taking a pregnancy test just yet. If you still haven't seen your period by next week, two weeks after the unprotected sexual encounter, then that's when I would take a test.

ScarleTeen has a wonderful breakdown of pregnancy tests that should answer all your questions better than I just did, which you can find it here: Peeing on a Stick: All About Pregnancy Tests.

[Mo]

Hi phantomdog,

I want to check in on how you're feeling about this situation; was having intercourse without a condom (this does count as intercourse even if it was brief) something you'd discussed beforehand and that you were comfortable trying out?

[phantomdog]

horriblegoose - thank you, i’ll do that! hopefully it’s just late, it tends to jump around a bit in cycle length from time to time.

mo - i feel fine about it, we did talk and it was my idea and we were both aware of risks. currently the best i think i can do now is not worry about things i don’t know yet. if i am pregnant, i’ll cross that bridge when i get there but for now there’s no point worrying the way i see it. given that this is slightly stressful i doubt i’ll do it again and fully intend on speaking with my doctor about getting an iud when i see her in february.

[Mo]

I think this all sounds like a good plan, and I'm glad you have an appointment with your doctor coming up soon.

[phantomdog]

still nothing so i will be taking a test within the next couple of days. for the past two days or so it now hurts to press down on my uterine region and that makes lying down on my stomach painful too. i’m thinking if this isn’t pregnancy it could be something ovarian and will tell my doctor

[Heather]

Or it may just be premenstrual.

[phantomdog]

maybe, but i still think it would be worth telling my doctor

[Heather]

Of course. I simply added that because you've a history of medical/health anxiety, so I wanted to let you know that it isn't necessarily something to worry about.

[phantomdog]

oh i see. thank you