When Can I Expect a Positive HPT if I am Pregnant?

When Can I Expect a Positive HPT if I am Pregnant?

The information provided by our expert should not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. Always consult a medical practitioner or healthcare provider for a formal diagnosis. By making use of this content, you agree that ConceiveEasy and the expert assume no liability.

A home pregnancy test is extremely effective at determining if you are pregnant. In fact, it is over 99% accurate when used properly. However, there are times when it will not necessarily read correctly when taken. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here

How Does it Work?

An HPT looks for a certain hormone in the body called hCG. This is actually referred to as the pregnancy hormone. It is a hormone that will actually increase in the body after the embryo implants. This occurs about a week after a woman ovulates.

However, the amount of hCG that is released by the body will continue to grow as the pregnancy progresses. Early on in a pregnancy, this could mean that a pregnancy test may not pick up on the hormone because it isn’t at a high enough level yet.

How Long to Wait?

When you are trying to get pregnant, the last thing you want to do is to wait and see if you are pregnant. After carefully charting and planning your intercourse around your ovulation cycle, having to wait to see if your hard work paid off can be agonizing.

Unfortunately, there really isn’t a way to speed up the process. Instead, you will need to wait until the right time to take a pregnancy test. Usually, this means waiting for around two weeks after ovulation before you take your first test. In reality, it is actually best to wait until the day you expect your period to begin to take a test. This will provide you with the most accurate results.

Dealing with the Stress

This two-week wait is extremely stressful for women who are trying to conceive. In many instances, women tend to become overwhelmed with stress when they are in this two-week section of their lives. There are some things you can do to even out the stress, however.

Start by avoiding thinking about your pregnancy. This could lead you to become highly disappointed if you find you are not actually pregnant. Instead, focus on maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and drinking plenty of water. These things can help keep your mind off the possibility of being pregnant. You can also choose relaxing activities like yoga and massage to help fill your time.

Also, avoid looking for symptoms you may be experiencing. It’s easy to look at symptoms while you are waiting to take a pregnancy test and wonder if they are related to a pregnancy. Since most early pregnancy symptoms are extremely minor, it is easy to think every minor issue is a sign you are pregnant.

Remember, if you do find you are pregnant, it is important to call your doctor to schedule your first prenatal appointment. You will also need to begin taking prenatal vitamins if you haven’t started already.

ConceiveEasy TTC Kit + 20 FREE Pregnancy Tests

Dr. Prabha Sahgal, MD
Dr. Prabha Sahgal, MD | ConceiveEasy
Dr. Prabha Sahgal MD, is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and subspecialty board certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Sahgal holds a B.S. degree from MIT in molecular biology and currently serves on the ConceiveEasy board of directors.

Comments