Pregnancy can be detected as early as about 6 to 10 days after ovulation, which is when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus and the body starts producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) detectable by pregnancy tests
- Some highly sensitive home pregnancy tests can detect hCG and give a positive result as early as 6 days before a missed period, which corresponds roughly to 8-10 days after ovulation
- More commonly, pregnancy tests can reliably detect pregnancy about 10 days after conception, but for the most accurate result, it is recommended to wait until the first day of a missed period (around 14 days after ovulation)
- Testing too early may result in a false negative because hCG levels might not yet be high enough to detect
Blood tests can detect pregnancy slightly earlier than urine tests, as they measure hCG levels in the blood and can detect lower concentrations
. In summary, while some tests can detect pregnancy roughly 6-10 days post- ovulation, waiting until the first day of a missed period ensures higher accuracy. Early testing is possible but may yield false negatives if hCG levels are still low
