11/05/2025
How early can pregnancy be detected?
Many home pregnancy tests say they can detect pregnancy as early as the first day of your missed period, or even earlier. However, the earlier you take a home pregnancy test, the greater the chance of an unreliable result. You might find yourself taking multiple tests at home and getting mixed results — one positive, another negative.
HCG is the first pregnancy hormone the placenta makes after conception, the hormone that tells the rest of the body that it’s pregnant. In response to hCG, your body will stop menstruating and begin producing progesterone and estrogen.
For the first 8–10 weeks of pregnancy, hCG increases rapidly, almost doubling every three days. HCG needs time to build up in your body, and each day of early pregnancy, your body will create more hCG.
Most home tests can detect pregnancy 10–14 days after ovulation, or right around when you’d expect your period. That’s when the hormone hCG is high enough to be picked up in your urine. If you're pregnant, you’ll have more and more hCG in your body as the weeks go by, and a test will detect that. If you’re not pregnant, no hCG will be detected, and the test will show a negative result.
Not sure about your result? At My Life Clinic, we offer medical-grade pregnancy tests at no cost. A medical professional will run your pregnancy test, so your result will be more reliable. You can talk with a nurse about:
- Your symptoms
- Date of your last menstrual cycle
- Your cycle regularity
- Possible conception date
More information helps you gain clarity and decide your next steps with confidence.
Text APPT to 573-874-3561 or schedule online at mylifeclinic.org/appointments.
Just have questions? Call or text a nurse anytime. We're here to help in whatever way we can.
