When to Test
It is generally assumed that you will wait until the first day you expect your period before taking a home pregnancy test. If you test prior to this date there is a higher likelihood that you will get a false negative, meaning the test is negative but you really are pregnant.
To combat the false negative, you should also use first morning urine when possible. This will have the highest concentration of hCG. Don't drink more water in an attempt to make more urine. Drink as much as you normally would prior to going to bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night, try to avoid going to the bathroom.
I don't sleep normal hours; when should I take a pregnancy test?
We say that first morning urine has more hCG because it has been longer since you've urinated. If this isn't true because you haven't been sleeping, test at the time of day that you normally wake up from your longest period of sleep. Anything over 4 hours should be plenty.
You might choose to take more than one pregnancy test. It's such a life-changing event, it can be hard to digest the information from one small disk with a couple of pink lines. While taking several urine tests won't tell you if your hCG is rising, it can be a source of comfort for some. There are women who test two or three times and there are even some who test daily until their pregnancy is confirmed by their midwife or doctor. Keep in mind, that's an expensive habit!
If you are unsure of how to interpret the results of your test, most test kits recommend that you retest within a week if you haven't had your period. This is a great option, given that any hCG in your system should nearly double every forty-eight hours. If you're still concerned there are other ways to test for pregnancy. Talk to your practitioner about your options and why your period has been delayed.
