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On this occasion, we provide you with information about when you should take a test if you suspect a pregnancy. Don’t miss what’s next; I will share many details with you.
How Soon Can a Pregnancy Test Detect Conception After Unprotected Sex?
If you had unprotected sexual relationships and want to know if there is a pregnancy from that encounter, it’s recommended to wait until the first day of a missed period or at least 21 days after having unprotected sexual intercourse to take a test. We know that waiting can be difficult, but this allows your body to produce sufficient levels of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, the pregnancy hormone) so that it can be better detected and the result is more accurate. Tests done on the first day of the missed period have a sensitivity of 90% to detect it; waiting a week more increases its effectiveness to 97%.1
Pregnancy Test Timing: Why 21 Days is Outdated (New Testing Guidelines)
As we explained, the pregnancy hormone must be present in sufficient levels in the body to be detected in a test, and several processes need to occur for this.
Contrary to what is believed, fertilization does not always occur at the moment of unprotected sexual intercourse; it can occur within 45 minutes and up to 5 days after the encounter. This is due to the woman’s menstrual cycle. If she is ovulating, fertilization will be in hours; if her ovulation starts 3 days after the encounter, fertilization will occur during that time frame. This is because sperm can live up to 5 days inside the female reproductive system.2
However, fertilization is not enough for a pregnancy; the implantation of the zygote in the uterus is also necessary, and it occurs approximately 6 days after fertilization.2 Once the zygote is implanted, hCG hormone levels are very low,3 but on the first day of menstrual absence, the levels can be sufficient to be detected by a urine or blood test.2
The sum of time for all these processes leads us to calculate a range of 15 to 30 days after unprotected sexual intercourse and an average of 21 days to confirm a pregnancy with a urine or blood test.2
If you have a positive pregnancy test and do not wish to continue with your pregnancy, Telefem is a nonprofit organization that connects you with specialists who can advise you.
Is Your Positive Pregnancy Test Accurate? 2 Ways to Be Sure
Often, when having a positive pregnancy test, it is believed that there may be false positives or one wishes to confirm that this result is real.
2 Reliable Ways to Confirm Your Pregnancy:4
1. By doing a laboratory test. Through blood or urine, the presence of the hCG hormone is sought using specialized processes in a laboratory.4
2. Through an ultrasound. It is performed in public or private laboratories or health services. With this, you can check if embryo implantation is present. Additionally, another function of the ultrasound is to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. This is called a pregnancy that occurs when implantation occurs outside the uterus.4
How soon after an abortion can I take a pregnancy test?
When women and pregnant people decide not to continue with a pregnancy and interrupt it, they will want to confirm if it was carried out successfully.
In these cases, it is NOT recommended to take a pregnancy test immediately after having an abortion, as urine pregnancy tests, both high and low sensitivity, can have positive results even when the woman has had a complete abortion. This is due to hCG levels remaining elevated for at least 18 days after a medication-induced abortion.5
Therefore, we recommend waiting 4 weeks to perform a blood or urine test to confirm that there is no pregnancy.6
If you do not want a pregnancy, you must know organizations that support women and people capable of gestating in their decisions and offer remote medical guidance throughout the country through connection with professionals, such as Telefem. If you need support, send us a WhatsApp.
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References:
- Boyle J. Cuándo hacer test de embarazo. Flo health. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://flo.health/es/herramientas/cuando-hacer-test-de-embarazo
- Lovell C. ¿Cuánto se tarda en lograr un embarazo tras tener relaciones? [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://flo.health/es/quedarse-embarazada/intentando-concebir/cuanto-se-concibe-tras-tener-sexo
- Spinreact. Prueba Rápida de Embarazo (hCG) de Sensibilidad mejorada en Tira (Suero/Plasma/Orina). Prospecto. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://www.spinreact.com/assets/files/Inserts/poct-2023/fhc-u201u211-ce-sp-pi-10miu-for-a0159.pdf
- Ipas Latinoamérica y el Caribe (Ipas LAC). Material de apoyo para el acompañamiento del aborto. 1. Antes de un aborto. 1era ed. 2022. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://ipaslac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IpasLAC2022-AcompanamientoAborto1.pdf
- Ipas. Confirmación de aborto completo. 2022. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://www.ipas.org/clinical-update/spanish/recomendaciones-para-el-aborto-antes-de-las-13-semanas-de-gestacion/aborto-con-medicamentos/confirmacion-de-aborto-completo/
- Ipas. Cómo tener un aborto con pastillas. 2021. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://www.ipas.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Como-tener-un-aborto-con-pastillas_ASCTW2S22.pdf