When is the best time to take a pregnancy test?

ndavis0412 · April 2015

My husband & I started trying to concieve 2 weeks ago & I'm suppose to be starting my period in about a week and half. When should I test? Or should I just wait to see if I start my P or not? However, I have heard some woman still have a period in early pregnancy, so I don't know what to do. I don't want to test too soon. Any advice would be awesome!

ecmb · April 2015

Use the search function and you'll find several recent boards on this topic. Good luck!

27alex · April 2015

Ugh.

janeyintrouble · April 2015

Wait until your period is late. If you get a period, you're not pregnant. Trust.

TheBorg7of9 · April 2015

Hello and welcome!
You've come to the right place if you want to get true information about ttc.
First, Women cannot get a period while pregnant. No. They might have bleeding, but it's not a period. A period is defined as the shedding of the uterine lining 10-16 days after ovulation.
Second, the best time to test is about 2 weeks after ovulation. That's why it's called the two week wait.
Third, the only way to determine what day you ovulated is to chart your basal body temp.
Fourth, a great way to learn about temping is to lurk on this board, do the tutorials on fertility friend and read a book called taking charge of your fertility.

crogers19 · April 2015

Pregnancy tests have directions in the box that tell you when to test. Many of them also have percentages of effectiveness as well, so common sense would say... wait until your missed period.

emilyjmiller · April 2015

I'm in the same boat. I recently stopped taking birth control, and I was supposed to ovulate on Friday April 10th. It is possible that I am pregnant but I'm not supposed to start my period until April 25th...I've been having mild constant cramping that I've never felt before and I've had it for like five days now. I've also been feeling growing pains in my knees and ankles and legs. Idk if that's just because of coming off of birth control or not. When should I take a pregnant test? Has anyone had similar symptoms like mine and ended up pregnant? Thanks!!

emilyjmiller · April 2015

*pregnancy test

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@TheBorg7of9 yeah I know its technically not a period, but I've heard of some woman bleeding bc of the implantation process. That's why I wasn't sure on what to do.
@crogers19 I am aware of the pregnancy test & the precentages, I was just wondering if anyone else was in the same boat as me, now or before and what advice they would give.

jnnfrrose6 · April 2015

emilyjmiller said:
I'm in the same boat. I recently stopped taking birth control, and I was supposed to ovulate on Friday April 10th. It is possible that I am pregnant but I'm not supposed to start my period until April 25th...I've been having mild constant cramping that I've never felt before and I've had it for like five days now. I've also been feeling growing pains in my knees and ankles and legs. Idk if that's just because of coming off of birth control or not. When should I take a pregnant test? Has anyone had similar symptoms like mine and ended up pregnant? Thanks!!

Did you not read ANY of the responses to your thread with this exact same thing in it?

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@emilyjmiller I have an app on my phone that said I would also be ovulating around the 10th and it showed me the days my fertility was the highest. I feel like taking a test now would be to early because I would only be about a week or so lol. & if I wait until 2 weeks after ovulation I would be about 2 weeks prego so I don't even know if it would register on a pregnancy test. Its all so confusing!! Researching online it says that the HCG hormones (I think that's what they're called) doesn't start releasing until 6 days after the egg is fertilized.

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@emilyjmiller I also have cramped like one time today, but not bad at all. I was wondering the same thing. However, I've been off birth control for about 2 months now so I doubt its that in my case.

jnnfrrose6 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@emilyjmiller I have an app on my phone that said I would also be ovulating around the 10th and it showed me the days my fertility was the highest. I feel like taking a test now would be to early because I would only be about a week or so lol. & if I wait until 2 weeks after ovulation I would be about 2 weeks prego so I don't even know if it would register on a pregnancy test. Its all so confusing!! Researching online it says that the HCG hormones (I think that's what they're called) doesn't start releasing until 6 days after the egg is fertilized.

Unless you entered your BBT into that app (which I doubt), it's total crap and only guessed at your ovulation based on an average 28 day cycle. If you have enough hcg to cause symptoms, you have enough hcg to turn a test. HCG doesn't release until implantation (7-10 DPO), so if by some chance you did actually ovulate on the 10th, you wouldnt be enough DPO anyways. All of this was already explained to @emilyjmiller in her own thread, though.

27alex · April 2015

@ndavis0412 you really think an app is going to tell you when you ovulated just like that?

Think about that realistically.

Spalex · April 2015

emilyjmiller said:
I'm in the same boat. I recently stopped taking birth control, and I was supposed to ovulate on Friday April 10th. It is possible that I am pregnant but I'm not supposed to start my period until April 25th...I've been having mild constant cramping that I've never felt before and I've had it for like five days now. I've also been feeling growing pains in my knees and ankles and legs. Idk if that's just because of coming off of birth control or not. When should I take a pregnant test? Has anyone had similar symptoms like mine and ended up pregnant? Thanks!!

I think you're just full of baby triceratops eggs

sunflower071913 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@TheBorg7of9 yeah I know its technically not a period, but I've heard of some woman bleeding bc of the implantation process. That's why I wasn't sure on what to do.
@crogers19 I am aware of the pregnancy test & the precentages, I was just wondering if anyone else was in the same boat as me, now or before and what advice they would give.

I've thought the same thing before when I started spotting and honestly telling myself it could be caused by implantation really just gave me false hope.. And it was harder when it turned out to be a normal period.. My sister in law experienced implantation bleeding with both of her children but it wasn't a constant bleeding it was like one (for the lack of a better word) wipe with a small amount of blood then was gone. So pretty much none existant.

crogers19 · April 2015

You don't seem to understand how this process works, and the time frame from period to ovulation to period. I seriously ADVISE you to educate yourself and pick up a copy of TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060881909/sr=8-1/qid=1429211600/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1429211600&sr=8-1

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@27alex no need for an attitude

. Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@crogers19 well this would be my first pregnancy, so um no I don't really know much about how this stuff works. I'm sorry.. Just don't understand why you feel the need to have an attitude about it. If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.

nicosh8 · April 2015

Don't ask for advice if you don't really want it.
@crogers19 gave you the same advice we all got when we started here and everyone who has followed it is happy they did.
Stop with your bad self.

ndavis0412 · April 2015

@nicoash88 stop with my bad self? Honey what are you even talking about, seriously. All I'm saying is people can give advice which is great, but don't be rude about it.

firebaby688 · April 2015

crogers19 said:
You don't seem to understand how this process works, and the time frame from period to ovulation to period. I seriously ADVISE you to educate yourself and pick up a copy of TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060881909/sr=8-1/qid=1429211600/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1429211600&sr=8-1

ndavis0412 said:
@crogers19 well this would be my first pregnancy, so um no I don't really know much about how this stuff works. I'm sorry.. Just don't understand why you feel the need to have an attitude about it. If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.

How was that attitude? She suggested you learn more about your body by reading a book...

nicosh8 · April 2015

She was even kind enough to find the link for you.

firebaby688 · April 2015

AND it's the advice every newbie gets

DandT2point0 · April 2015

Not every newbie, @firebaby688, just the newbies who don't lurk!! ;;)

sunflower071913 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@nicoash88 stop with my bad self? Honey what are you even talking about, seriously. All I'm saying is people can give advice which is great, but don't be rude about it.

I use to go by a app but thought I'd try temping just to see if the app was wrong and it was close but it never showed when I ovulated late so every time I would ovulate late I thought I was pregnant and would take a test and then get my period short after and it caused me a lot of stress and just heart ache. I'm not trying to tell you what to do but I do recommend taking your bbt to confirm ovulation and downloading the fertility friend app, it is great for temping. I like temping because I know for sure without a doubt when I ovulate and knowing when you ovulate and your fertile window is a big part of conceiving. It doesn't hurt to try something new! ;;)

27alex · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

No attitude. You should have lurked before posting though.

Those go by averages and they can be way off. We do science here.

jnnfrrose6 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

Why in the world would it be "nice to have a little something to go by" that, by your own words you "never said it was exactly accurate?" It gives you false hope and information and everyone here is just trying to point it out to you. No attitude involved, that's on you and your interpretation of what they wrote.

kbru88 · April 2015

If you want to know odds of turning a test positive early, there are websites that have the statistics for all the different brands. I think it's pregnancy countdown or something like that. That being said, the longer you wait, the less likely you will have the heart ache of a bfn. Temping is great because it eliminates the guess work of when you ovulated (opk's are not a guarantee of ovulation); and also can clue you in if your pregnant (no more wasting money on expensive pregnancy tests!). This board recommends you read Taking Charge of Your Fertility, and using the app fertility friend. Wishing you luck!

crogers19 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.

Um... yeah I gave you pretty much the best advice ever, and I wasnt rude, I just was being brutally honest, there is a difference. Providing you the means to educate yourself was above and beyond so NOW, Im going to have an attitude about it.

Get off your high horse and accept the fact that there are people out there who have been trying to have babies for a long time (a year or more) and instead of asking internet strangers for advice the first time something doesnt go the way they planned, they picked up a book.

missteacherlady16 · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

ETA actual gif

27alex · April 2015

BHEAT14 said:

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.
I used one of those apps as well as temping. The app had me ovulation a full 4 days before I actually ovulated. If I went by that I would have missed my window completely. I know you're new and excited but there are people on here who have been doing this longer than you. Trust me, listen to them and you'll learn a lot!

This! I was curious one day and used one. It was 10 days off some cycles.

VesperLove · April 2015

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

ndavis0412 said:
@crogers19 well this would be my first pregnancy, so um no I don't really know much about how this stuff works. I'm sorry.. Just don't understand why you feel the need to have an attitude about it. If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.

If this is your first pregnancy and you don't know how a lot of this stuff works I'd think you'd welcome the information/advice/knowledge from the people on this board who either have been pregnant or have been trying for long enough that they have really great information to share. Just a thought.

But, if you don't want to take their advice and buy a really great book that will totally help you out, or download an app that can get you far more accurate results than the one you're using, that's totally your choice.

In the meantime, let me share a little info as to WHY we don't recommend the type of app you are using or the methods in which you're following to try and predict your ovulation date.

Say you have a 28 day period. According to those apps, they are going to estimate your ovulation date as 14 days prior to your period starting which would put you on Cycle Day 14 (CD14) of your cycle. That would be great if every woman actually had a luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period arriving) of 14 days. However, that can range from 10-16 days.

So, say you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is only 10 days. That means you ovulate on/around CD18 and not CD14 ... so if you're having sex around CD14 and not around CD18, you could miss your chance completely. Or, if you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is 16 days, that means you ovulate on/around CD12 and not CD14. Which means you could start having sex AFTER you've actually ovulated.

Going by the apps that only estimate for you can lead to months and months of trying when you really haven't had any sort of shot at all given the unknowns about your body.

Temping, checking your cervical mucus, and using OPKs can help you figure out exactly when you actually ARE ovulating so you have the best shot.

THIS is the information available in the book that was recommended to you and via the app that was recommended. If you choose not to take that advice then that is your choice but don't expect any additional help/advice from people on this page who have just told you literally EVERYTHING you need to know in order to up your chances of conceiving.

PugsandKisses · April 2015

kyleneum13 said:

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

ndavis0412 said:
@crogers19 well this would be my first pregnancy, so um no I don't really know much about how this stuff works. I'm sorry.. Just don't understand why you feel the need to have an attitude about it. If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.
If this is your first pregnancy and you don't know how a lot of this stuff works I'd think you'd welcome the information/advice/knowledge from the people on this board who either have been pregnant or have been trying for long enough that they have really great information to share. Just a thought.

But, if you don't want to take their advice and buy a really great book that will totally help you out, or download an app that can get you far more accurate results than the one you're using, that's totally your choice.

In the meantime, let me share a little info as to WHY we don't recommend the type of app you are using or the methods in which you're following to try and predict your ovulation date.

Say you have a 28 day period. According to those apps, they are going to estimate your ovulation date as 14 days prior to your period starting which would put you on Cycle Day 14 (CD14) of your cycle. That would be great if every woman actually had a luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period arriving) of 14 days. However, that can range from 10-16 days.

So, say you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is only 10 days. That means you ovulate on/around CD18 and not CD14 ... so if you're having sex around CD14 and not around CD18, you could miss your chance completely. Or, if you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is 16 days, that means you ovulate on/around CD12 and not CD14. Which means you could start having sex AFTER you've actually ovulated.

Going by the apps that only estimate for you can lead to months and months of trying when you really haven't had any sort of shot at all given the unknowns about your body.

Temping, checking your cervical mucus, and using OPKs can help you figure out exactly when you actually ARE ovulating so you have the best shot.

THIS is the information available in the book that was recommended to you and via the app that was recommended. If you choose not to take that advice then that is your choice but don't expect any additional help/advice from people on this page who have just told you literally EVERYTHING you need to know in order to up your chances of conceiving.

Those apps said I was ovulating around CD 16ish. Nope CD 18 to CD 24. That is a big difference. An if I just assumed that I ovulated on CD 16 I would get my period 14 days later. But if it was CD 24 (and one cycle it was CD 32), then I would freak ou for being 'late" with negative pregnancy tests. However, I know when I was was going to get my period and when I could realistically get a Postive pregnancy test.

VesperLove · April 2015

PugsandKisses said:

kyleneum13 said:

ndavis0412 said:
@27alex no need for an attitude . Umm, its an app and you put down your last period and then it calculates your days up to ovulation and when you are the most fertile... Never said it was exactly accurate, but it is nice to have a little something to go by. Thank you.

ndavis0412 said:
@crogers19 well this would be my first pregnancy, so um no I don't really know much about how this stuff works. I'm sorry.. Just don't understand why you feel the need to have an attitude about it. If you aren't going to give helpful advice, just don't comment.
If this is your first pregnancy and you don't know how a lot of this stuff works I'd think you'd welcome the information/advice/knowledge from the people on this board who either have been pregnant or have been trying for long enough that they have really great information to share. Just a thought.

But, if you don't want to take their advice and buy a really great book that will totally help you out, or download an app that can get you far more accurate results than the one you're using, that's totally your choice.

In the meantime, let me share a little info as to WHY we don't recommend the type of app you are using or the methods in which you're following to try and predict your ovulation date.

Say you have a 28 day period. According to those apps, they are going to estimate your ovulation date as 14 days prior to your period starting which would put you on Cycle Day 14 (CD14) of your cycle. That would be great if every woman actually had a luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period arriving) of 14 days. However, that can range from 10-16 days.

So, say you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is only 10 days. That means you ovulate on/around CD18 and not CD14 ... so if you're having sex around CD14 and not around CD18, you could miss your chance completely. Or, if you have a 28 day cycle but your luteal phase is 16 days, that means you ovulate on/around CD12 and not CD14. Which means you could start having sex AFTER you've actually ovulated.

Going by the apps that only estimate for you can lead to months and months of trying when you really haven't had any sort of shot at all given the unknowns about your body.

Temping, checking your cervical mucus, and using OPKs can help you figure out exactly when you actually ARE ovulating so you have the best shot.

THIS is the information available in the book that was recommended to you and via the app that was recommended. If you choose not to take that advice then that is your choice but don't expect any additional help/advice from people on this page who have just told you literally EVERYTHING you need to know in order to up your chances of conceiving.
Those apps said I was ovulating around CD 16ish. Nope CD 18 to CD 24. That is a big difference. An if I just assumed that I ovulated on CD 16 I would get my period 14 days later. But if it was CD 24 (and one cycle it was CD 32), then I would freak ou for being 'late" with negative pregnancy tests. However, I know when I was was going to get my period and when I could realistically get a Postive pregnancy test.

Thanks for adding that piece in. I forgot to go into that -- how people stress over being late when in fact they are still totally normal given when they actually ovulated.

Jessie42613 · April 2015

Was I the only one around here who lurked for a solid 6 months before getting up the nerve to post?

And then we've got these newbs who roll on up on their first day and are like "GUYZ I HAD THE SEX YESTERDAY AM I ALREADY 2 WEEKS PREGGIE?!"

I don't get it.

firebaby688 · April 2015

Jessie42613 said:
Was I the only one around here who lurked for a solid 6 months before getting up the nerve to post?

And then we've got these newbs who roll on up on their first day and are like "GUYZ I HAD THE SEX YESTERDAY AM I ALREADY 2 WEEKS PREGGIE?!"

I don't get it.

It wasn't six months for me, but I definitely waited a while and then slowly started to participate

LauraSmarterSpam · April 2015

firebaby688 said:

Jessie42613 said:
Was I the only one around here who lurked for a solid 6 months before getting up the nerve to post?

And then we've got these newbs who roll on up on their first day and are like "GUYZ I HAD THE SEX YESTERDAY AM I ALREADY 2 WEEKS PREGGIE?!"

I don't get it.
It wasn't six months for me, but I definitely waited a while and then slowly started to participate

Same with me. I started lurking in December when DH and I decided we would start TTC in February after TTA in January. I knew I could easily take a while so I ordered my BBT when I had a chance and started temping. I still haven't picked up my copy of TCOYF, but that is on my to do even if we decide to not have any more kids. I just find information fascinating. You can never get enough of it.
I never even intro'd, same thing with DS back in 2011/2012. I just lurked and replied to posts.

27alex · April 2015

I used to come here and search questions when were NTNP...years before I created an account and actually posted!

I miss Darcy and slappiness when we have BSC days like this.

cards10 · April 2015

Jessie42613 said:
Was I the only one around here who lurked for a solid 6 months before getting up the nerve to post?

And then we've got these newbs who roll on up on their first day and are like "GUYZ I HAD THE SEX YESTERDAY AM I ALREADY 2 WEEKS PREGGIE?!"

I don't get it.

I lurked for about 3-4 weeks before posting anything after my last MC. I thought I would read and absorb everyone's comments and that I would never participate bc wow, these women know so much more than me! And I'm a shy person. Then as time went on and I started temping and absorbing everything I finally realized I could help someone else. But I agree, it took me a while... As it should.

Fuzzy228 · April 2015

Jessie42613 said:
Was I the only one around here who lurked for a solid 6 months before getting up the nerve to post?

And then we've got these newbs who roll on up on their first day and are like "GUYZ I HAD THE SEX YESTERDAY AM I ALREADY 2 WEEKS PREGGIE?!"

I don't get it.

I've lurked and lurked and respond when I have actual factual information to add... I still have not started a thread bc the search feature is your friend.

When I first came here I was like "woah bitches on this page" and then after actually reading the crap that's posted I was felt like an ass for thinking the regs were rude. The bump needs to up their lurking time to a month and the number of I think I'm pregnant because I farted posts would chill out. I'm with you. Just do everyone a favor and lurk people. :-w

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