At what point can pregnancy be detected?
About seven days after fertilization, when the egg has nested in the lining of the uterus, the germ bud begins to produce the pregnancy hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). This hormone ensures that the corpus luteum in the ovary continues to produce the hormone progesterone, so that the uterine lining is not shed as it is during menstruation. This ensures that the pregnancy is maintained.
When can the pregnancy test start?
The common pregnancy tests that you can buy in pharmacies or drugstores test a urine sample for the pregnancy hormone HCG. It takes a few days until sufficient HCG is detectable in the urine. Conventional (not early) pregnancy tests usually provide a meaningful result from the day the next period is due. The test is even more reliable if you take it one or two days after your period has stopped, because the longer the pregnancy lasts, the more reliable the result.
Pregnancy test: Early test
Pregnancy can also be detected with a urine test before menstruation stops. However, these early tests or pre-tests are not as reliable. If the test is negative but you still suspect you are pregnant, you should repeat the test a few days later. An alternative is to go to your gynecologist to have the HCG level in your blood measured.
Positive pregnancy test
If the pregnancy test is positive, the next step is to visit your gynecologist. He can definitely confirm the pregnancy. He will do a urine test and a blood test, which can be positive as early as the sixth day after conception.
Pregnancy test positive – still not pregnant
This case is also possible – you have a positive pregnancy test and yet you are not pregnant. The reason for such a false-positive result may be that a fertilized egg has nested, the pregnancy hormone HCG has been produced, but then there was an early abortion, i.e. a miscarriage, which is often not even noticed.
Drugs containing HCG also lead to a false-positive pregnancy test. These include preparations given as part of artificial insemination.
Taking hormone preparations and antidepressants can also cause a pregnancy test to be positive even though fertilization has not taken place. The same applies to cancer and kidney failure.
Test negative – still pregnant
The opposite case would be a false-negative pregnancy test: So you may well be pregnant despite a negative test. There are several reasons for this. For example, you may have taken the pregnancy test too early, i.e. at a time when there is not yet enough HCG in the urine. If you suspect pregnancy despite a negative test result, you should repeat the test a little later or go to the doctor for a blood test. Pregnancy can thus be confirmed at an early stage.
Another possible reason for “pregnancy test negative, still pregnant” is handling errors: if too much urine got onto the test strip or you let the urine sit on the strip too long, this can also result in a false-negative test result.
Advanced pregnancy: test negative – still pregnant
Sometimes pregnancy is only noticed late. However, if a woman does not take a pregnancy test until after the second or third absence of menstruation, it may be negative, even though a pregnancy exists. The reason is that the pregnancy hormone HCG drops again after a maximum, which is reached in the eighth to twelfth week of pregnancy. It is therefore no longer detectable in an advanced pregnancy.
Pregnancy test despite pill
Even if a woman takes the pill, she can become pregnant. Although this is not very likely, it is still possible. The contraceptive pill has a Pearl Index of 0.1 to 0.9, which means that if 100 women take the pill for a year, pregnancy will still occur in 0.1 to 0.9 cases. In the case of the mini-pill, the Pearl index is between 0.5 and 3.0, which means that oral contraceptives do not offer 100 percent protection against conception. So the question arises: When should a pregnancy test be carried out when taking the pill? The answer: Whenever the monthly bleeding stops and/or other possible signs of pregnancy appear (such as morning sickness).
Pregnancy test: What you should pay attention to
When buying a pregnancy test, pay attention to storage instructions and expiration date. Read the instructions carefully before use, so that you also get a reliable test result. If it is positive, you should go to the gynecologist. He can confirm with final certainty that you are indeed expecting a child and initiate the first steps of prenatal care. You should also see a doctor if the pregnancy test is negative but you suspect that you are pregnant. A missed menstrual period should always be clarified!
