You can test for pregnancy as early as about 6 days before your missed period with some of the most sensitive home pregnancy tests available. These early- detection tests can detect very low levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine, which starts to appear around 7-9 days after ovulation if implantation is successful
. However, testing this early carries a higher risk of false negatives because hCG levels may not yet be high enough to be detected. For the most reliable result, it is generally recommended to wait until the first day of your missed period to take a pregnancy test. Testing after your missed period increases accuracy to over 99% with home tests
. If you do test early and get a negative result but still suspect you might be pregnant, you should wait a few days and test again. Using your first morning urine, when hCG concentration is highest, can also improve test sensitivity
. In summary:
- Earliest detectable pregnancy: about 6 days before missed period with sensitive tests
- Best accuracy: from the day of your missed period onward
- Use first morning urine and avoid excess fluids before testing
- Repeat testing if early test is negative but pregnancy is still suspected
