An early pregnancy test is designed to indicate pregnancy by detecting a specific hormone in the body. How soon will a pregnancy test read positive? Urine tests are most accurate if you take them one or two weeks after a missed period.1
MedlinePlus. Pregnancy test.
Blood tests at a healthcare provider's office, in contrast, can detect pregnancy earliest. A blood test can confirm pregnancy about six to eight days after ovulation.2
An at-home test's accuracy is best if you take it in the morning, at least one week after a missed period.1 Read on to learn more about early pregnancy tests, including whether they are accurate and when to see a healthcare provider.
A pregnancy test detects the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your body. Placental cells produce hCG during pregnancy. Even a tiny amount of hCG means the fertilized egg has implanted in the uterus.1
The variance between at-home pregnancy tests is the amount of hCG they can detect. Early pregnancy tests are designed to detect low hCG levels.3
Early pregnancy tests claim to detect pregnancy one day after a missed period.3 You might use this type of test to learn if you are pregnant as soon as possible, but they may not be reliable. Research has found that at-home early pregnancy tests are not accurate this soon after an expected but missed period.2
Blood tests offer increased accuracy when it comes to pregnancy. These tests can detect hCG earlier in pregnancy, so they can confirm pregnancy before a missed period.4
Certain factors can affect accuracy, including chemical pregnancy and false negatives. Chemical pregnancy, for example, produces a positive test but results in pregnancy loss weeks later.5 False negative test results can happen when a person tests for pregnancy too early.6
You can detect pregnancy with an at-home test one to two weeks after you miss a period. That's because hCG shows up in the urine of people with a 28-day menstrual cycle between 12–15 days following ovulation.7 Ovulation typically happens two weeks after the first day of your last period.8
Holesh JE, Bass AN, Lord M. Physiology, ovulation. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
A blood test, in contrast, can detect pregnancy six to eight days after ovulation.
You'll want to take an early pregnancy test if you think you might be pregnant and have symptoms. Some of the most common early pregnancy symptoms include a missed period, fatigue, nausea, and swollen breasts.1
Taking an early pregnancy test may be necessary or helpful in some cases. It can help you:
The best time to take an at-home pregnancy test is at least one week after a missed period.2 You'll want to take the test in the morning. There's typically more hCG in urine earlier in the day than later.1
See a healthcare provider if you think or know you are pregnant. Seek medical attention if you are pregnant and have:12