Can you have a positive pregnancy test before implantation bleeding

• Definition
  • What Are Pregnancy Tests?
  • What Do Pregnancy Test Results Mean?
• When to Take
  • When Can A Pregnancy Test Be Taken?
  • How Soon Will A Pregnancy Test Read Positive?
• False Results
  • Why Might A Pregnancy Test Produce the Wrong Result?
• Guide
  • How Soon Will A Pregnancy Test Read Positive? Topic Guide

What Are Pregnancy Tests?

In 6 to 12 days after conception, a woman may experience implantation bleeding. About 7 days after that, hormone levels in the urine are high enough to detect using a home pregnancy test. In general, take the test after you notice your menstrual period is late.

Pregnancy tests are used to verify if a woman is pregnant. They work by checking urine or blood for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) that the body produces when pregnancy occurs. This hormone is released when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus, signaling the beginning of pregnancy. 

What Do Pregnancy Test Results Mean?

If pregnancy test results are positive, it means a woman is pregnant. If they’re negative, it means a woman is not pregnant.

When Can A Pregnancy Test Be Taken?

Pregnancy tests may be taken any time after a woman’s menstrual period is late.  

A woman may also choose to test after implantation bleeding has occurred. Implantation bleeding is an early sign of pregnancy. It occurs when a 6 to 12-day-old fertilized egg attaches to the inner lining of the uterus, causing light vaginal bleeding or spotting. About one-third of women experience implantation bleeding, which is normal and typically happens near the time of a woman’s next expected menstrual period.

About four to five days after implantation bleeding, HCG levels in the body reach detectable levels in the blood. For at-home urine pregnancy tests, it may take up to 7 days for HCG levels in the urine to reach detectable levels for testing.

How Soon Will A Pregnancy Test Read Positive?

While some pregnancy tests claim to work a few days before a missed period, the results are usually less accurate at that point. Some tests may be able to detect pregnancy hormones in urine as early as 10 days following unprotected sex, but the results are not very reliable, and women may get a false positive or false negative test result.

For women who have irregular periods or who do not get periods at all, testing about 3 weeks after unprotected sex may yield more reliable results.

If a test reads positive, a woman may want to check with her doctor for a blood pregnancy test to confirm the results. 

Most women who have a positive pregnancy test should wait a week or two before calling the doctor for a blood test. 

Why Might A Pregnancy Test Produce the Wrong Result?

There are 2 types of inaccurate results:

• False negative – the test indicates a woman is not pregnant but she is
• False positive – the test shows a woman is pregnant but she’s not

There are several reasons for inaccurate results:

• Urine is too dilute – this can occur if a woman drinks too much water or tests later in the day
• Testing too soon after unprotected sex – the body may not have produced enough HCG to be detectable 
• Using a test that does not detect lower levels of HCG – check package labels for which tests are more sensitive
• Using an expired test
• Not using a test right away after opening
• Use of infertility medications such as clomiphene (Clomid), menotropins (Pergonal, Humegon, Repronex) can cause false positives 
  • The manufacturer of Clomid suggests waiting three days between the last Clomid dose and the first day testing for ovulation

SLIDESHOW

References

Medscape Medical Reference

Every anxious mom-to-be asks a question- how early can they take a pregnancy test post-implantation. Experts suggest that it depends on person to person. One can notice several signs in their body that usually indicates successful conception. Let’s first understand the implantation process.

During and After Implantation

Implantation is a process in which the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. It then travels down towards the uterus, where it burrows into the uterine wall and that is when implantation occurs. The implantation process takes around 8 to 10 days after ovulation to complete.

After successful implantation, the embryo released the pregnancy hormone or hCG that helps the body to prepare for the pregnancy. This is the hormone that gets detected in the pregnancy test. One may have to avoid or limit strenuous activities to prevent implantation failure during this time. At this point, some may feel certain signs of pregnancy as well.

Signs in Your Body After Successful Implantation

• Implantation bleeding
• Cramps
• Sore breasts
• Increased basal temperature
• Frequent urination
• Missed period

A successful early implantation pregnancy may be indicated by light spotting or implantation bleeding which happens 10 days post ovulation in some women. While others may experience light implantation cramps. Due to the increase in progesterone levels after implantation, some may feel a slight increase in their body temperature.

Different Types of Pregnancy Tests and How Soon to Take One

Below listed are the different types of tests:

Blood Test

The levels of hCG doubles every 48 hours after implantation. So, if a woman experiences implantation bleeding, then it is better to wait for four to five before taking a blood test for accurate results.

Over-the-counter Test

hCG level takes a longer time to be detected in urine. So, one needs to wait untill six to seven days for the hCG levels to reach a detectable amount before taking the over-the-counter urine test.

Can you get a positive pregnancy test before implantation?

Can you take a pregnancy test before implantation bleeding?