Women all over the world take pregnancy tests every single day. These tests take a sample blood or urine to determine the amount of hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin in the body. hCG is present after the egg attaches to the wall of the uterus – a positive result means you’re pregnant!

The test based on blood is usually done in a doctor’s office. The pregnancy test that so many women are familiar with uses a bit of urine and is often taken at home. These tests are quite accurate when used correctly. You can increase your chances of getting the accurate result by choosing the best time in a day to take a pregnancy test and following the instructions exactly.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Take a Pregnancy Test?

When most women sleep, they sleep soundly, and don’t wake up until morning. Their body has held all that urine produced during the night, and it is rather concentrated. That urine has higher levels of everything in your body, including hCG. That’s why the best time to take a pregnancy test is usually first thing in the morning.

Remember that a pregnancy test might not show your pregnancy until a few days or weeks has passed the day your period is supposed to come. Some women will get a positive test right before their missed period, but most women won’t get a positive until a few days after their period was due. 

What About the Accuracy?

In addition to knowing the best time of day to take a pregnancy test, remember that your accuracy of the test depends upon following the directions perfectly, when you ovulate, testing on the right days, and how sensitive the test is. Remember that when used correctly, urine tests are about 99% accurate.

Keep in mind that if a urine test shows positive, you will need to have it confirmed with a blood test through your doctor’s office. If you get a negative pregnancy test but you are having all the symptoms of pregnancy, a blood test might also come in handy to rule out problems.  

How Many Days After Missed Period to Take the Test? Can I Test Before Missed Period?

Since there are so many pregnancy tests out there, keep in mind that sensitivity is the key to successful testing. Pay attention to what the box says concerning when you can take the test. Most are accurate in the days and week following your missed period, but some claim to tell you whether you are pregnant up to five days before you miss your period. However, the accuracy rates go up as you get closer to your period, and especially so if you follow the best time of day to take a pregnancy test.

Waiting to take a pregnancy test can be tough. Many women begin feeling pregnancy symptoms before their period starts, and if they were tracking ovulation, they know they might have a few weeks before they get a definitive answer. If you are going to test quite early, be sure to have additional tests on hand – your first tests might be negative.

What Others Have Experienced and Suggested?

Knowing what others have experience helps you feel less along. It can also give you valuable information, like the real best time of day to take a pregnancy test, which tests are most accurate, and how soon the blood test was done. Here are a few experiences that other women have had with the home pregnancy test.

“I know they say the best time of day to take a pregnancy test is early morning, but all of my tests came back negative – it was only when I tested at night that they came back positive! This was true of all three of my children. Maybe taking tests at different times of day, such as one in the morning and one at night, will keep all the bases covered?”

“The brand of test definitely matters. I took a pregnancy test at the doctor’s office that was just barely positive, but the tests I took at home had really deep, dark positive lines. So just keep in mind that all the tests are different, and one might say you are not pregnant while another one says you definitely are.”

“When you test and get more than one results, believe the positive one! The only way hCG can be in your body is if you have an egg attached to the placenta.”

“Most of the time the tests will be positive only after your period, because it takes that much time for hCG levels to build up, but it depends on when you ovulate. I took a pregnancy test on a whim a full week before my period was due and it popped positive immediately! I think I ovulated earlier that month and that’s why it happened.”