You should ideally wait to take a pregnancy test until at least the day your period is due or after you have missed your period for the most accurate results. This is typically about 14 days after conception or ovulation, which allows enough time for the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to build up to detectable levels in your urine

. Key points on timing:

• hCG starts to be produced around 6 days after fertilization, but it usually takes 7-10 days for levels to rise enough to be detected by most tests

• Some very sensitive pregnancy tests can detect hCG as early as 6 days before your missed period, but testing this early increases the chance of a false negative if hCG levels are not yet high enough

• Testing too early (before your missed period) can give a negative result even if you are pregnant, so if you test early and get a negative, wait a few days and test again if your period still hasn't started

• For irregular cycles or uncertain timing, it is recommended to wait about two weeks after unprotected sex before testing to reduce false negatives

• Using the first urine of the day can improve test accuracy because it contains the highest concentration of hCG

In summary, the best time to take a pregnancy test is from the first day of your missed period onward, with many experts recommending waiting a week after the missed period for the most reliable result. Early detection tests are available but have a higher risk of false negatives if taken too soon