Are there any advantages to using an early detection pregnancy test before my missed period
- You will find out sooner if you are pregnant
- For some people this is very exciting particularly if they have been trying for a long time or the pregnancy is the result of fertility treatment
- For some it will encourage them to modify their diet and abstain from alcohol sooner than they might otherwise have done so, although if you are actively trying to conceive it is wise to abstain from alcohol if you think you may have conceived.
The pitfalls of using ultra early detection pregnancy tests
- You may raise your hopes that you are pregnant only to later find out that you aren't when your period starts. This is because ultra early detection pregnancy tests can detect very low levels of hcg and detect some pregnancies at a very early stage that then fail to continue. This is known in the TTC community as a 'chemical pregnancy'. If you are going to do your pregnancy test early, them you need to be prepared in case this happens.
- You may cause unnecessary emotional distress to yourself by raising your hopes. If this is going to be difficult for you you would be best to wait until your period is late before doing a pregnancy test.
- You may only get a faint positive line on your pregnancy test rather than a BFP which means you will need to retest.
Should I use an early detection pregnancy test before my missed period?
- This is really up to you. If you think you can handle the possible negative aspects of it then go ahead and test early.
- If you can wait until your period is overdue then the result is more reliable and the pregnancy hormone level is higher so you should get a good strong BFP
If you do decide to do your pregnancy test early, then make sure that you use an ultra sensitive pregnancy test that is suitable for early testing and be prepared to retest about every 48 hours in the early stages of the pregnancy, to confirm that the pregnancy is continuing. Your positive result should get stronger.
You can buy ultra early detection pregnancy tests online here