When to do a pregnancy test

When to do a pregnancy test

When you're planning a baby, the wait between the end of your cycle and the test can feel very long. You want to know straight away, and you wonder when a test will really be reliable. Here are the official pointers for testing at the right time, and for understanding what the result means.

What the test detects

A urine pregnancy test looks for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). According to the NHS, it starts being produced around 6 days after fertilisation. So it takes a little time before there's enough of it to be detected.

The right time

The NHS gives two pointers:

• from the first day of a missed period;
• if you don't know when your period is due, at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex.

The second one is especially useful just after stopping contraception, or if your cycles are irregular: when you don't know when your period should come, it's hard to talk about it being "late".

As for the time of day, the Assurance Maladie (France's national health insurance) mentions morning urine, while the NHS says the test can be done at any time of day. If in doubt, follow the instructions that come with your test.

Early tests

Some very sensitive tests can be used even before you miss a period, the NHS says. But a negative result is less reliable than a positive one: an early negative test doesn't necessarily mean you're not pregnant. Testing every day before your period is due won't make the answer any more certain, and it can make the wait feel heavier.

Reading the result

• Positive: according to the NHS, a positive result is almost certainly correct.
• Negative: it's less reliable. If you still think you might be pregnant, wait a few days and test again. If the second test is still negative and your period still hasn't come, talk to your doctor.

If needed, a health professional can also offer you a blood test.

If the test is positive

• Make an appointment with your doctor, gynaecologist or midwife to start your pregnancy care.
• Keep taking folic acid: France's national health authority (HAS) recommends taking it until 12 weeks of pregnancy.
• Seek help straight away if you notice a warning sign. In early pregnancy, the Assurance Maladie lists: heavy bleeding with a feeling of faintness, bleeding with tissue passing, bleeding with pain in the lower tummy (on one side or all over), or bleeding with a fever. For a medical emergency in France, call 15 (SAMU) or 112.

If the test is negative and your period doesn't come

• Test again a few days later.
• If the second test is negative and your period is still late, talk to your doctor.
• If your periods have stopped for more than 3 months, the Assurance Maladie advises seeing a doctor.

After stopping contraception, your first cycles may take a little time to settle: the article "Planning a baby after the pill" tells you more.

While you wait

These few days can be full of hope, impatience or worry, sometimes all at once. That's normal. You can pick a date for your test and stick to it, talk to someone you trust, or simply allow yourself to think about something else. Whatever the result, you have nothing to blame yourself for.

This article is for information only. Lovae is not a medical device and does not replace medical advice. For any question, ask your doctor, gynaecologist or midwife.

Sources

• NHS · Doing a pregnancy test
• Ameli · What is amenorrhoea and when should you worry about missing periods? (in French)
• Ameli · Bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy (in French)
• HAS · Pregnancy planning: information, prevention messages and tests to offer (in French)
• Service-Public.fr · Emergency numbers (SAMU, fire brigade...) and helplines (in French)

Official sources, accessed in September 2026.