Know If You're Expecting

Pregnancy Tests

How It Works

About Pregnancy Tests

Pregnancy tests detect levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in a person’s blood or urine. HCG is a hormone that a placenta produces once a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. The placenta is an organ that grows in order to nourish the fetus, and it is delivered when the baby is delivered. Because the placenta is an organ that is only part of the body during pregnancy, the presence of HCG is an excellent indication of pregnancy.

Early Testing

How Early Can You Detect Pregnancy?

At the earliest, pregnancy tests can detect HCG when a person is four weeks pregnant, but many people do not find out until six weeks or later. For people with regular periods that are 29 to 30 days apart, this is around the time that they miss their period. That’s because medical providers measure the length of a pregnancy based on the first day of the person’s last period. If you believe you may be pregnant, it’s important to know as soon as possible. We offer blood and urine pregnancy tests.

What To Watch For

Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy

The most important symptom of early pregnancy is a missed period. If your period is more than a few days late, and you were sexually active since your last period, there’s a chance you could be pregnant. The other early signs of pregnancy vary, and some people don’t have any symptoms until later. The most common signs of early pregnancy are:

Tender or Swollen Breasts

A noticeable sensitivity or tenderness in the breasts, which can be accompanied by swelling

Nausea or Vomiting

Feelings of queasiness or unease in the stomach and any vomiting

Fatigue

General exhaustion, low energy, or feelings of being overtired

Urinating More Often Than Usual

A sudden onset of more frequent urination than normal

How We Can Help

Testing & Treatment

Perhaps the medical test that is most associated with pregnancy is the sonogram. However, sonograms are ineffective at detecting the earliest stages of pregnancy. The devices cannot see the embryo, which is still incredibly small at this point. Instead, there are two types of tests that providers use to detect early pregnancy: urine sample and blood test.

Urine Sample Pregnancy Test

Blood Sample Pregnancy Test

About Your Visit

What To Expect At Your Appointment

Do you think you could be pregnant? Or perhaps you want to monitor your HCG levels during early pregnancy. Center for Advanced Wellness makes it simple. Call your closest location to book an appointment. Then, check-in and arrive 15 minutes early. We’ll call you back when we’re ready for you!

Answers To Your Questions

Pregnancy Test FAQs

Have questions about your upcoming pregnancy test? The team at Center of Advanced Wellness has you covered.

Do I need insurance for a pregnancy test?

Nope! We’re happy to serve you whether you have insurance or not. If you have insurance, your cost will depend on your coverage. If you don’t have insurance or your deductible is simply too high, consider our membership plans. Options start at $50 per month for adults and bring your copays at our clinic to just $10.

Can a pregnancy test be a false negative?

False negatives do happen sometimes. This is most likely to occur in the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. It’s also more likely with urine tests than blood tests. Urine tests are most accurate when you haven’t urinated in several hours before the test.

Can a pregnancy test be a false positive?

False positive tests are rare, but they do happen. Most commonly, they are caused by what is called a “chemical pregnancy.” This is an embryo that does not implant in the uterus. It can also happen if you recently gave birth and still have HCG in your body.

Can drinking too much liquid affect pregnancy test results?

Yes! Before you plan to take your pregnancy test, it's important to make sure you don't drink too much liquid, which can be anything from water to alcohol.