Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Pregnancy Test

Question:
Hey, just one last question. How early is too early to take a pregnancy test? I know they say wait til the day your missed AF but what about 3-4 days prior? Could it result in false negatives because it was to soon?

Answer:
I would wait at LEAST one day after you are sure AF was due. Before that most tests are not very reliable. There is one that claims to be, but even then you have 85% chance of a false negative on the day before AF. These things cost $13 or more a piece. And you're not going to be any more or less pregnant in 4 days.... I have gotten false negatives from trying to take the test too early. Wait until the day of your period, at the very least, to be sure. Another way to ensure that you'll avoid a false negative is to test with the most sensitive test you are willing to buy. I didn't know until this pregnancy that there were different hcg sensitivities available, so I always bought Equate (Wal-Mart) because they were cheapest. Turns out they're also one of the least sensitive. This is a good list of the different brands and sensitivities - http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hpt.html My recommendations - If money isn't an object, go for First Response Early Result. It detects somewhere in between 15-25miu of hcg. Technically this is the one to use if you want to test 3-4 days early. (I think this is one of the $12 range tests) If you're looking for something a little more cheaper, go for the Inverness Medical tests. They're available at a wide range of stores (Target, Walgreens, Dollar General), and they detect 50miu (around $6-7 for one). If you're looking for a bargain, or you're already a week or more past your period, go ahead and get an Equate from Wal-Mart, which detects 100miu (around $6 for one) Keep in mind that in early pregnancy, hcg levels double between 2-3 days, so if you get a negative and your period still hasn't come, test again. If you implant late, your hcg levels will take longer to show up. If you're still in doubt, call your doctor and see if you can get a blood test. Beta hcg levels are slightly different and will definitely verify pregnancy or not. My last pregnancy was the one I got the false negative on, but I can't remember the details except that one week I didn't have 100miu of hcg and the next week I did. With this pregnancy, I tested on the estimated day of my period (long story) with a left-over Equate test and got a line so faint (and at the end of the reading period) that my husband didn't believe it was real. I did some reading online, found out about the sensitivities, bought a Target test the next day, and the line showed up dark and immediately. It does make a difference when you can't stand the 2ww anymore! I got a false negative with th First Response test (supposedly one of the ones that detects fairly low levels of hcg and so you can use it 3 days before your period is due--with something like 56% accuracy) the day I expected my period. That was on a Thursday. I waited until the following Monday to take another test and it was positive. Relatively faint, but it did turn positive right within the 3 minute window. As it turned out, I ovulated a bit later that cycle than I thought at first and so I was exactly four weeks pregnant the day I had the positive test (since LMP, 2 weeks actual baby age). I'm 33 weeks now. Actually, I read a test where they came in second and were praised for their high sensitivity. But nevertheless, testing before your period is due can turn out to be an expensive habit. I choose to wait at least 3 days, after having gotting two negatives when I was 1 day late, and AF starting the next day...