Is it okay to take pregnancy test at night

You should wait to take a pregnancy test until the first day of your missed period. Since HCG is only present once implantation of the egg occurs, there often isn’t enough of the hormone to be detected until you miss your menstrual cycle.

Table of Contents Show

Signs You Should Take A Pregnancy Test
When Is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
Where To Buy A Pregnancy Test
How Soon Can You Take a Pregnancy Test?
Video : How Accurate Is a Pregnancy Test at Night?
Can You Take a Pregnancy Test at Night?
Why Is Night Time Not Considered as the Best Time for Taking a Home Pregnancy Test?
Do Blood Tests for Pregnancy Give Accurate Results at Night?
What Observations Can Be Made If You Take a Pregnancy Urine Test at Night?
Will a pregnancy test work if taken at night?
Does it matter what time of day you take a pregnancy test?
Can a pregnancy test be positive at night and negative in the morning?

“Pregnancy tests pick up the hormone secreted after implantation, which usually occurs about two weeks after the sperm meets the egg,” says Dr. Culwell. “For women who have regular periods, this usually means that HCG can be detected as soon as you miss a period.”

This, of course, assumes you have a regular menstrual cycle that can be easily tracked and predicted. If this isn’t the case, you may choose to instead track ovulation, or when an egg is released and makes its way to the uterus where it can potentially be fertilized. An at-home ovulation predictor kit can help you track fertilization.

If this method is used, it’s best to take a pregnancy test “approximately 14 days after a documented ovulation,” says Zaher Merhi, M.D., an OB-GYN, reproductive endocrinologist and founder of Rejuvenating Fertility Center with locations in New York and Connecticut.

Signs You Should Take A Pregnancy Test

The biggest indicator it’s time to take a pregnancy test is a missed period. It isn’t the only sign, however. Symptoms that signal it may be time to take a pregnancy test, according to Dr. Merhi, include:

Missing a period
Breast fullness/soreness
Frequent urination
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Abdominal bloating

When Is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?

You can take a pregnancy test any time of the day. But if there’s a chance you’re early in pregnancy, take it in the morning when your urine is most concentrated so the test can more easily detect the HCG hormone, says Dr. Culwell.

“The best time in the cycle to take a test would be after you have missed a period,” says Dr. Culwell. “This will make it less likely that you might miss an early pregnancy if the HCG levels are too low to be picked up by the test.”

Where To Buy A Pregnancy Test

You can buy a pregnancy test at most drug stores and grocery stores, or even online.

How Soon Can You Take a Pregnancy Test?

At-home pregnancy tests are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning their accuracy and labeling is evaluated before they reach store shelves. When it comes to the accuracy of at-home pregnancy tests, research shows if the test is used as directed, an inaccurate result is rare. While false-positive pregnancy test results are uncommon, if you do receive an inaccurate result, it’s more likely to be a false-negative. In this case, it’s likely you’re testing too early, before HCG can be detected.

“For most women who have a regular menstrual cycle, a pregnancy test could be taken on the expected day of the period,” says Dr. Merhi. “The earliest [time to test] would be the expected day of the period; however, I usually tell patients to wait at least a few days (or one week) after the expected day of the period in order to lower the chances of having a false result.”

It’s worth noting that at-home pregnancy tests accuracy claims—many of which advertise an accuracy rate of 99% from the day of the expected period—are based on data used in a sterile laboratory testing environment. If you think you received an inaccurate result, you can either wait and test again a few days later or see your doctor for a blood test, which can detect HCG earlier than at-home tests and has an accuracy rate of 99%.

If you’re trying to get pregnant, the ‘two week wait’ after ovulation can be a time full of anxiety. In those two long weeks, you’ll wonder if you’re experiencing pregnancy symptoms or they are a false alarm, just PMS. You’re likely to want to take a pregnancy test if you suspect that you might be expecting, but may delay it thinking that it is too early! While it’s important that you take a pregnancy test, but what’s even more important is that you take the test at the right time to get the accurate result.

Video : How Accurate Is a Pregnancy Test at Night?

Now if you’re bought a pregnancy kit and are planning to take a test at night, find out if you should do so!

Can You Take a Pregnancy Test at Night?

You can take a pregnancy test at night but don’t expect it to be accurate. The main purpose of taking a pregnancy test is to check for the Hcg or Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone which is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy. The hormone is released with urine in the morning and gives a strong reading, which is why the pregnancy readings tend to be accurate in the morning. At night, the lines may be faint and the pregnancy test may give a false result.

But if you wish to confirm that you’re pregnant, you should get a blood test done instead of taking a home pregnancy test as they give more accurate results than a home pregnancy kit does. Normally, a pregnancy test is done two weeks after ovulation and that’s still pretty early. Ideally, women repeat it in one week if they’ve not gotten their period yet but suspect they are pregnant.

Why Is Night Time Not Considered as the Best Time for Taking a Home Pregnancy Test?

Night time is not ideal since your test strips or machine won’t pick up the hCG hormone well. There isn’t a lot of trace of it at night and you may get a negative pregnancy test result at night. As mentioned above, at-home pregnancy tests work by detecting the hCG hormone in the urine. As urine is more concentrated in the morning, the chances of hCG being higher in the urine are more, and thus you’re more likely to get a positive result. But the same may not happen at night when your urine is diluted. The chances of getting a positive pregnancy test result at night are extremely slim. You’ll get a much better and accurate reading in the early morning, so do the test in the morning.

Do Blood Tests for Pregnancy Give Accurate Results at Night?

HCG levels in the blood are low at night which may lead to errors or skewed results. So in the mornings instead of night. You’ll be getting more accurate results for these tests if you’re willing to do them a day after the first day of your missed period.

This is because after the egg gets fertilized and attaches to the uterine lining, the placenta begins to rapidly release the HCG hormone every 2-3 days. You’re most likely to get an accurate reading when taking the tests during this timeline. Sometimes the timing of your period may be a bit off. This is when your healthcare provider might recommend doing another blood and urine test along with an ultrasound scan. Don’t skip those and follow your doctor’s advice because they will help in confirming whether you’re pregnant or not.

Keep in mind that fertility drugs and certain medications may interfere with home pregnancy test results. However, you don’t have to worry about antibiotics or birth control pills since they won’t influence the results.

What Observations Can Be Made If You Take a Pregnancy Urine Test at Night?

What is the best time to do a pregnancy test – morning or night? The answer is ‘morning’. But, if you do take a test at night, here are a few observations you can make:

If you get a positive result at night, you’re most likely pregnant. If you get a negative result at night, the reading could be inaccurate and you may need to test in the morning again. But then again, the reading could be accurate and you may not be pregnant.
If you’re taking a test at night, avoid consuming any beverages with caffeine or added ingredients throughout the day. Drink plenty of water and avoid salt. After your last glass of water in the noon, wait at least 6 hours without drinking before doing the test.

These are the basics you have to know when it comes to taking a pregnancy test at night. It’s pretty simple and straightforward. We understand that not everyone may have the time to test in the morning which is why, if you’re testing at night, you may have to take the tests a couple of times.

If you constantly get the same results, you are indeed pregnant. The best advice is to follow up with your healthcare provider and get a blood test to confirm the same.

Will a pregnancy test work if taken at night?

In short, yes. You can take a pregnancy test at night. However, the question of whether you should in order to get an accurate result is a little less clear. Home pregnancy tests that rely on your urine are designed to respond to certain levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Does it matter what time of day you take a pregnancy test?

You can take a pregnancy test any time of the day. But if there's a chance you're early in pregnancy, take it in the morning when your urine is most concentrated so the test can more easily detect the HCG hormone, says Dr.

Can a pregnancy test be positive at night and negative in the morning?

If the test comes back positive at night, then you are most likely pregnant, as it is pretty rare to get a false-positive result (but not impossible). A false positive is a positive pregnancy test when you are actually not pregnant. If your test comes back negative, just try again in the morning.