Pregnancy Test Timing: When to Take a Test After Intercourse

It is recommended to wait at least two weeks after having unprotected sex to take a pregnancy test. This allows enough time for the levels of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), to rise in your urine or blood to detectable levels. Taking a pregnancy test too early may result in a false negative.

If you have taken a pregnancy test and it is negative, but you still think you may be pregnant, you should wait a few days and then take another test. It may take several weeks for hCG levels to rise high enough to be detected by a pregnancy test.

Pregnancy tests are available at most pharmacies and drug stores. You can also order pregnancy tests online. If you are unsure about how to take a pregnancy test, you can ask your doctor for advice.