When to Test for Pregnancy With the Earliest Pregnancy Test

When actively trying to conceive, when to test for pregnancy becomes a popular question.

And that answer depends on what brand of test you choose. I have done a lengthy study on these and feel that many can be used before the first day of the missed period. The menstrual fertility cycle counts day one as the first day of bleeding.

Implantation of the fertilized egg usually takes place at around 7–10 days post ovulation. Though it can occur as early as 4 days and as late as 12 days. When you chart your cycle you will find out how long your luteal phase is – this will determine when menstruation should begin and thus should tell you when to take a test. However, if you are really attuned to your body and can identify possible pregnancy symptoms before the menstruation is missed, you could see a positive pregnancy test sooner.

This is true of myself. When I found out that I was pregnant with my fourth child my menstrual cycle wasn’t due yet. However, I had some classic pregnancy symptoms, such as food cravings, starting at 5 days post-ovulation. At 11 days post-ovulation, I tested, and it was positive. It was positive again the next day. I probably would have gotten a positive sooner.

There are many different brands of HPTs that detect as little as 20 mIU/hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, the hormone produced when implantation occurs). Below is a chart that shows averages of hCG starting with week 3 to week 40.

hCG Levels in Early Pregnancy

Week from the Last Menstrual Period (LMP) Amount of HCG in mIU/ml

• 3 weeks 5 – 50
• 4 weeks 3 – 426
• 5 weeks 19 – 7,340
• 6 weeks 1,080 – 56,500
• 7 – 8 weeks 7,650 – 229,000
• 9 – 12 weeks 25,700 – 288,000
• 13 – 16 weeks 13,300 – 254,000
• 17 – 24 weeks 4,060 – 165,400
• 25 – 40 weeks 3,640 – 117,000

A woman can test as early as 8 days post-ovulation and receive a positive pregnancy test. On the other hand, it can take up to 17 days to see a positive HPT. And some women, though few, will never see a positive HPT – even though they are indeed pregnant. I have a good friend who never had a positive HPT with all three of her children!

The next decision is to decide which brand is the best pregnancy test to buy. I personally have tried just about all the brands that I could get a hold of. I have heard rumors that some are not as reliable as others, and some may result in a false positive pregnancy test.