how soon after sex will a pregnancy test work

A pregnancy test will typically work best when taken at least 10 to 14 days after unprotected sex. This delay is because it takes time for sperm to fertilize the egg, the fertilized egg to travel and implant in the uterus, and then for the body to produce enough of the pregnancy hormone hCG to be detected by a test. Generally, pregnancy tests are most accurate starting from the first day of a missed period, which often corresponds to about two weeks or more after sex. Testing too early (within the first few days after sex) is likely to give a false negative because hCG levels will not yet be high enough to detect. For those unsure of their menstrual cycle timing, waiting about two to three weeks after unprotected sex before testing is advised to ensure accuracy.