Dr. Aruna Ashok MBBS, MS OG, DNB OG
- Clinical Director
Aruna Ashok | 18 September 2025
Once a woman starts to experience implantation symptoms, the next question that might come to their mind could be “how soon can a pregnancy test be taken after implantation?”
There is a particular timeline to perform a pregnancy test. And there is a reason for it. So, it’s better to understand why you need to wait for those days to know your pregnancy results after implantation. In the meantime, it is no wonder to have anxiety and intolerance. To get the right results, there is no other way but to wait.
This blog helps you understand when to take a pregnancy test for reliable results.
After the successful implantation, your healthcare provider may confirm the pregnancy through either a urine test (at home) or a blood test (at a laboratory). Both of these tests are performed to identify a growing pregnancy by identifying the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
The type of test to be done is generally recommended by your healthcare provider, especially if you try to become pregnant through fertility treatments like IVF (in vitro fertilisation).
It is essential to understand that the hCG hormone can be found even in non-pregnant women, but at a very low level. Pregnancy plays a role in increasing its level. Furthermore, pregnancy tests can only detect this hormone if it reaches a specific level. Say, for instance, 20-50 mIU/mL of hCG hormone in the second week of pregnancy. The hCG levels continue to increase until the first trimester of pregnancy.
Urine tests are otherwise referred to as at-home pregnancy kits. They mostly work by recognising the hCG hormone in the urine. Using a couple of urine drops in the kit can identify the presence of the hCG hormone.
For a true result, you may wait as long as a week or two of missing a period to do the urine test.
Blood tests are the most precise method of recognising pregnancy. Your healthcare provider may suggest performing a blood test if you become pregnant with the help of fertility treatments like IVF. Also, note that these tests can recognise the pregnancy at least a few days earlier than at-home pregnancy kits.
Your pregnancy is identified by withdrawing a small amount of blood from your arm vein.
Even before a missed period, pregnancy can be recognised through a blood test. Waiting for a minimum of a few days after missing a menstrual period is suggested to achieve the true results.
In general, a pregnancy test can be taken after two weeks of experiencing symptoms such as:
After noticing the implantation symptoms, some women may have the urge to do a pregnancy test. Testing a week after ovulation or 1 or 2 days after implantation is generally considered as the earliest detection of pregnancy hormone. The pregnancy hormone requires time to reach detectable levels. Even though blood tests are sensitive and can detect low levels of hCG hormone, it is like risking false negatives.
Waiting for a minimum of 3 to 4 days after implantation or a day of missing a menstrual period can provide true results. Around this time, you may also start to have pregnancy symptoms like breast tenderness and fatigue.
For the most reliable results with the blood test, waiting for more than 7 days after implantation or a few days of missing your period can exhibit optimal accuracy. While with the home pregnancy test, waiting for 10 to 14 days after implantation or a week of missing your period can be sufficient for providing the most reliable pregnancy results. Testing pregnancy around this time can also reduce the chances of false positives and false negatives.
Listed below are some of the reasons why you need to wait for the pregnancy testing. They may include:
Pregnancy is confirmed only when the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels spike. Testing too early can exhibit a false negative result. This is because pregnancy tests cannot recognise the pregnancy when the hCG hormone levels are low. Therefore, allowing the body to produce enough hCG hormone after implantation is advisable to achieve reliable results.
Testing early can possibly exhibit negative results, thus leading to stress and anxiety. This may certainly have a negative impact on the embryo, specifically in the earlier stages.
Waiting at least a few days after missing your period can exhibit accurate results. Allowing the body to produce enough hCG hormone can develop its concentration in either urine or blood. This can largely increase the chances of exhibiting true results.
False negatives simply denote that you might actually be pregnant, but the result shows you are not. Again, this can happen if you perform the pregnancy test too early than waiting for the missed period.
Similarly, a false positive denotes that you might actually not be pregnant, but the result shows you are pregnant. This can widely happen due to certain health conditions like pituitary gland disorders, ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, a recent miscarriage, or medications containing hCG hormone. However, remember that false positives are generally rare.
You may consult the healthcare provider no matter what the pregnancy test reveals. A positive test result may require confirming the pregnancy further and starting prenatal care. Whereas the negative pregnancy test result may necessitate repeated testing. Your healthcare provider may also try to determine the underlying cause that might be affecting the implantation. This is applicable if you find it difficult to become pregnant for more than one year.
Apart from these scenarios, you should see the healthcare provider if you experience:
We understand that it can be tempting to do the pregnancy test soon after suspecting the successful implantation. However, the optimal time to take a pregnancy test is after missing your period, at least a week after missing it.
Experts at A4 Fertility Centre can guide you through the feeling of being pregnant if the results are positive. On the other hand, the very same experts can also guide you to achieve a pregnancy if the results are negative.
Therefore, we suggest that you book an appointment with our experts if you need assistance.
1. What are the causes of false-positive results during pregnancy tests?
False positive pregnancy results can stem from numerous reasons. They may include certain health conditions like pituitary gland disorders, ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, a recent miscarriage, or medications containing hCG hormone.
2. What are the causes of false-negative results during pregnancy tests?
False negative pregnancy results can be caused by:
3. Is it possible to experience implantation symptoms without being pregnant?
It is quite common to experience implantation symptoms like breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, cramping, and light spotting without being pregnant. This is because many of these symptoms are identical to PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Therefore, it is natural to mistake these symptoms for implantation.
4. How can I differentiate PMS and implantation bleeding?
You can differentiate PMS and implantation bleeding by timing, colour and duration. The listed tabular column contains the detailed breakdown of the key differences.
| Key Differences | Implantation Bleeding | Menstrual Bleeding |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | 6 to 12 days after ovulation. | 14 or more days after ovulation. |
| Color | Light pink or brown. | Bright red, which begins with brown. |
| Flow | A few drops of blood. | Heavier flow that may require sanitary napkins to manage. |
| Blood Clots | No clots | Clots do exhibit. |
| Duration | A few hours to a couple of days. | 3 to 7 days. |
| Symptoms | Mild cramps | Intense cramps |
| Result | Pregnant | Non-pregnant |
5. Which type of pregnancy test is best for detecting pregnancy?
Pregnancy can be identified through either urine (at-home) or blood (at a laboratory) tests. Both of these tests have their own advantages. A blood test can be done to recognise the pregnancy as early as a few days before a missed period. They can also provide accurate and clear results. Conversely, at-home urine pregnancy tests can be a convenient and practical choice.
