You can take a pregnancy test only once your body has had time to build up the pregnancy hormone (hCG) to detectable levels, so timing matters a lot for accuracy.
General timing
For most people with regular cycles, the most reliable time to test is on or after the first day of a missed period. At that point, many home urine tests are over 99% accurate when used exactly as directed.
Earliest you can try
Some “early response” tests can pick up pregnancy about 6 days before your missed period (around 8–9 days after ovulation), but they miss a significant number of real pregnancies that early. Testing too soon is “too soon” because hCG may still be too low, giving a false negative even if you are pregnant.
Counting from sex or ovulation
From unprotected sex, it usually takes at least about 2 weeks before a urine test becomes reliable, since the egg must be fertilized, implant, and start producing enough hCG. Many clinicians suggest waiting about 21 days after unprotected sex (or until your period is late) if you are unsure about your cycle timing.
Signs it’s not too early
It is reasonable to take a test if:
- Your period is late or different from usual.
- You have pregnancy symptoms (nausea, breast tenderness, more frequent urination) plus a possible risk of pregnancy.
If the test is negative but your period still does not come, repeat it after a few days to a week, ideally with first-morning urine, or speak with a healthcare professional.
