Pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy by measuring the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which starts to be produced after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall.

How early can a pregnancy test detect pregnancy?

• Some of the most sensitive home pregnancy tests can detect hCG as early as 6 days before your missed period , which corresponds roughly to about 8-10 days after conception or ovulation

• Trace levels of hCG can be detected in urine as early as 8 days after ovulation

• Blood pregnancy tests can detect hCG even earlier, around 8-10 days after conception , and are more precise in measuring hormone levels

• Many home tests recommend waiting until the first day of your missed period for the most accurate result, which is typically about 14 days after ovulation or conception

• Testing too early may result in a false negative because hCG levels may not be high enough to detect yet

Recommendations for testing

• For the most reliable results, it is best to take the test with your first morning urine , when hCG concentration is highest

• If testing early, a positive result is very likely to be accurate, but a negative result does not necessarily rule out pregnancy; retesting a few days later is advised

• Waiting about 14 days after ovulation or on the day of your missed period is generally recommended for the best balance of early detection and accuracy

In summary, with highly sensitive tests, pregnancy can be detected as early as about 6 days before a missed period (roughly 8-10 days post-ovulation), but for the most reliable results, waiting until the day of or after a missed period is advisable