Most home pregnancy tests can be carried out from the day your period is due. Count the number of days from the first day of your period until the day before your next period starts - this will give you your usual cycle length. Allow for your longest recent cycle length before testing, if you have irregular cycles. If you don't know when your next period is due, wait at least 19 days after you last had unprotected sex before testing.
If you get a negative (not pregnant) result from the pregnancy test, but you still suspect that you could be pregnant, wait another 3 days before testing again. You may have conceived later than you thought, and there was not enough hCG in your urine at that stage to be picked up by the first test. Speak to your doctor if you still get a negative result after a second test but your period has not arrived.
You can also ask your doctor or midwife to perform a blood or urine test to confirm whether you are pregnant. Most surgeries will accept your positive home pregnancy test as confirmation, as the tests are now as accurate as those used by the health professionals.
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(www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk 25/09/2007)
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