Can You Take a Pregnancy Test at Night Or Should You Wait Till Morning?

Often some obvious things don’t strike our mind when we are occupied during the day. Like, many times I forget that I missed my period, and it is delayed. And I am sure, I am not the only one in this.

If this has happened to you, and you were struck with the sudden thought that you missed your period this month, and there are chances that you could be pregnant, waiting to test till morning could be taxing.

So, the question is, can you take a pregnancy test at night? Or should you wait till morning? Let’s explore.

Pregnancy Test Kits: How Do They Work?

Pregnancy tests detect hCG or the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood or urine. The placenta is responsible for producing this hormone during pregnancy.

You can test it at home with the home test kits, or you can visit a clinic and under the recommendation of a professional take a blood test or a urine rest.

When you are taking a pregnancy test with the kits you have to add a few drops of urine in the mentioned spot, and then it will filter the urine to remove the proteins and bacteria.

The filtered urine then combines with latex microbeads with an antibody which binds itself to the hCG present in the urine. If it is present, then the kit indicates a positive result, if not, then negative.

Blood tests also look for the presence of hCG in blood or urine to detect pregnancy. It can detect even if there is hCG in a very small quantity. So, blood tests can detect pregnancy even before you have missed your period.

Can You Take a Pregnancy Test At Night?

Can you take a pregnancy test at night? Well, yes. If you have a test kit at home, you can take the test at night. You might be intrigued to take a DIY pregnancy test, but it is better to use a kit.

There is no issue with taking a pregnancy test during the night. However, the question is whether the result is accurate or not.

Home pregnancy test kits depend on the presence of hCG hormones in the urine. During the first 8 to 10 weeks of pregnancy, the level of hCG in the body increases.

So, if you have missed your period, meaning there is enough hCG in the urine, then the pregnancy test kit can detect pregnancy even during the night.

However, if this is just a feeling in your get, and you are not past your period, then it is better to wait till morning. There is a chance of getting an accurate result if you test it in the morning.

The reason is that the first urine in the morning is more concentrated, and it becomes easy for the kit to detect pregnancy.

There are times when the body produces enough hCG, and can detect pregnancy even before you missed your period. Sometimes, you do not have enough hCG until you have missed your period or a few days after that.

What to Do If You Get a Negative Test at Night?

Now that you have the answer to whether can you take a pregnancy test at night, it is time to decode the answers. Is a pregnancy test accurate at night? There is no definite answer to this.

If the test result comes negative, you should wait a few more days till you take another test. If you took the test close to the date of your cycle, then wait a while and the next time you test, you might be surprised with a piece of good news.

Moreover, the chance of false negatives is more than the chance of false positives when you use home pregnancy test kits. So, if you get a negative result, you might wait a few days or take the test in the morning again, just for peace of mind.

Certain factors contribute to a false negative result:
• Taking medications
• Diluted urine
• If you take the test too early
• Not following the directions

What to Do If You Get a Positive Test at Night?

If you take a pregnancy test at night, and the result is positive, it could be real. However, there are times when you get a false-positive result. The situations include:

• Ectopic pregnancy
• Menopause
• Chemical pregnancies
• Recent miscarriage
• Ovarian cyst, or other conditions

However, this is not always the case. So, to be sure just visit a doctor once and get yourself tested to get an accurate result.

Which Is The Best Time To Take a Pregnancy Test?

Timing is one of the crucial factors when you are testing to get an accurate result. You have to consider a lot of factors to ensure you get an accurate result.

Take Your Menstrual Cycle into Account

If you are taking a urine-based pregnancy test, it is better to take it after a week you have missed your periods.

However, if you have an irregular cycle, then wait for two weeks from the date you believe you have conceived. If you have conceived, the hCG levels will increase during this time, and you are likely to get a positive result.

Time of The Day

Morning seems to be the best time to take a pregnancy test. Is hCG higher in the morning? Well, the urine is concentrated, so it is easy to detect the presence of hCG in the urine. If you suspect an early pregnancy, then it is best to avoid taking the test during the night.

Pregnancy Symptoms

If you are starting to see the signs of pregnancy, like morning sickness, sore breasts, or anything else, you can take a pregnancy test.

Also, think of the date you had your last period, and calculate if there is enough time between now and the last time to get an accurate result.

Prior Test Results

If you took a test in the last few days, then wait a while before you take the test again. Also, consider taking the test in the morning.

Waiting a while, and then following the test instructions can get accurate results. If you start getting impatient, you can try those mythical methods like soap pregnancy tests and salt pregnancy tests to keep yourself occupied.

Frequency Asked Questions

Can you take a pregnancy test at night comes with a few other questions commonly. Here are the questions mentioned.

So, When Did You Decide To Take The Test?

If you think that you cannot wait, and you want to take the test at night, then remember, certain factors can manipulate the result. The negative result can change to a positive one in the morning.

However, you can take the test. Not necessarily the test results are always wrong. You have to decide the time when you want to take the test, and then think what are the factors that can cause hindrances in your way.

Also, if you find out that you are pregnant, double-check it with a doctor. They will get you the result you are thinking of.