Wondering if you’re pregnant? The best pregnancy tests will help you get your answer.
Excitement, anxiety, hope: wondering if you’re pregnant can be nerve-racking. A home pregnancy test can quickly reveal if you’re expecting—some even work before your period is late—so you can get that need-to-know answer right away.
When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
The best time to take a pregnancy test is when your period is late. But some at-home pregnancy tests say they can detect if you’re pregnant or not up to five days before your period is due to start. How do they do it? At-home pregnancy tests use the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) to detect pregnancy, and some are more sensitive to hCG than others. So that’s why some tests work earlier when you have less of the hormone, while others won’t show a positive until later when you have a higher amount.
The best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning. Your urine is more concentrated in the a.m., so there’s more of that hCG in it. You can take a pregnancy tests at other times of the day, though there’s more of a chance of an inaccurate result. Also make sure not to drink a lot of water or other liquids, as you’ll dilute your urine.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?
When an egg is fertilized, your body starts producing hCG. During early pregnancy, hCG levels double every two to three days and peak by the end of your first trimester. Pregnancy tests look for how much hCG is present in your urine.
CHECK OUT THE BEST PREGNANCY TESTS BELOW