If you think there’s a chance you could be pregnant, you’re probably thinking about what to do – and whether it’s time to take a pregnancy test. Read on to learn all about pregnancy tests and how they work and then schedule an appointment to get free pregnancy testing at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass today by calling (541) 479-6264 or visiting us online.

Signs You Should Take a Pregnancy Test

If you aren’t sure you need to take a pregnancy test, or you don’t know what signs to look for, you’re not alone. Early pregnancy symptoms can be hard to detect and easy to misinterpret. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a pregnancy test if you’ve been sexually active and you are noticing any of the following symptoms:

• Missed period

• Unexpected changes to your body such as soreness, headaches, tiredness, breast sensitivity, nausea, or vomiting.

• Unexplained mood changes like irritability, mood swings, or food cravings and aversions.

These are a few of the most common and well-known pregnancy symptoms. However, most women experience these symptoms differently, and some may have very few of them at all. For a more detailed list of pregnancy symptoms and other explanations for them, visit our page on this topic here.

How a Pregnancy Test Works

Pregnancy tests work by measuring the levels of HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, present in your bloodstream or urine. There are very few circumstances when your body would produce hCG without being pregnant (read our article here to learn more).

Urine-based pregnancy tests display a positive result if HCG is detected. Some pregnancy tests use digital readouts to make the results more clear, but all urine tests work essentially the same way.

When to Take a Pregnancy Test

Most doctors recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period before taking a urine pregnancy test. This is usually about two weeks after conception. However, some tests are more sensitive than others and can be taken earlier.

Our pregnancy tests can detect the HCG pregnancy hormone as early as 7 days after conception or 21 to 24 days after the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). Most pregnancy tests aren’t accurate until at least 7 days after fertilization, which is when the embryo implants into your uterus. Before 7 days, the levels of HCG in your body are simply too low for the test to detect them accurately. To learn more about the accuracy of pregnancy tests, read our article Is it Possible to Get a False Positive on a Pregnancy Test?

What Do I Do Next?

If you suspect you’re pregnant and are not sure what your next steps should be, we can help. Call Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass today at (541) 479-6264 to schedule your free pregnancy test appointment, and we’ll support you every step of the way. If you’ve already had a positive test result, we can offer you a medical confirmation of pregnancy using ultrasound after taking a professional-grade pregnancy test in our office, which is important to have before determining your next step. In addition, we offer Pathways, a free class where you learn about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting, what to expect, and get the tools you need to succeed.