Pregnancy Testing

If you think you may be pregnant, confirming with a pregnancy test is your next best step. We can refer you to free and confidential pregnancy testing through your nearest pregnancy resource center.

Pregnant women begin producing hCG (the pregnancy hormone) shortly after a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. If a pregnancy test is positive, hCG was detected in the urine, and the woman is pregnant. Most at-home tests can detect hCG early on, but a pregnancy resource center usually offers free lab-quality tests, which give you a more accurate result.

If your menstrual cycle is regular (every 28 to 30 days) and you have been tracking it correctly, you can take a test 1 or 2 days after your missed period. If your menstrual cycle is irregular and varies from month to month, we suggest you wait 6 to 7 days after your estimated missed period. At that point, your body has time to produce the hCG hormone and will be accurately detected in a pregnancy test. While over-the-counter home pregnancy tests are accurate, there is still a chance they could be false depending on how you use them. If the test is taken too soon or the directions are not followed correctly, you might get a negative result. Your best bet is to take one at a medical office or a pregnancy resource center.

If you receive a positive pregnancy test, there is still more to know about your pregnancy. The next step is to confirm it with an ultrasound. Almost 20% of pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage, so you may have received a positive result even when your pregnancy has ended. The only way to know for sure is through ultrasound. Our pregnancy counselors are ready and waiting to talk with you or give you a referral for a test or ultrasound. Call to discuss your test results and your next steps. You don’t have to face this alone. We want to walk alongside you. We’re available 24/7 to help. Call us now!