Can I Take A Pregnancy Test In The Afternoon?

Are you also wondering about thinking taking a pregnancy test in the afternoon? A pregnancy test should be taken in the morning for accurate results mentioned on the pack. Yes, you can take the pregnancy test in the afternoon or any time of the day, but there are chances to get false results as the pregnancy hormone hCG is very high in the morning and can detect easily by the pregnancy test.

So, Stay tuned with me till the last line of the article to know how soon should you take a pregnancy test, how does a pregnancy test work to confirm pregnancy, and what is best to take a pregnancy test.

How Does a Pregnancy Test Work to Confirm Your Pregnancy?

A pregnancy test is a medical device designed to determine the amount of hCG in the urine of the woman’s body to confirm pregnancy. The hCG is the pregnancy hormone that starts to form in the woman’s body after conception. As you drop urine in the sample area, the chemical inserted in the pregnancy test reacts with the urine and shows the absence or presence of the hCG in the woman’s body.

There are two lines on the pregnancy test – the control line and the test line. Suppose you see only one line on the control line panel that indicates the absence of the hCG or no pregnancy. Suppose you see two lines on the pregnancy test that indicates the presence of the hCG or pregnancy. Most women prefer to take a pregnancy test first before consulting a doctor. This is because a pregnancy test can only give you pregnancy results in a few minutes.

Most Importantly, it is easy to take a pregnancy test at home to know about pregnancy in few minutes with out any medical help. All the steps are written on the pregnancy test pack, and only you need to follow them correctly to get an accurate result. Further in the article, you will know why you should not take a pregnancy test in the afternoon. So, stay tuned.

Should I Take a Pregnancy Test in the Afternoon? 

Detecting the level of the hCG in the urine is the main task of the pregnancy test, but the level of hCG may vary from woman to woman. In the early stage of the pregnancy, the level of the hCG may be less than a pregnancy test can detect. But the concentration of the hCG in the morning urine is so high that is why, it is recommended to take the pregnancy test in the morning. The high concentration of the hCG means you will get a dark and clear line to confirm your pregnancy. The darker lines indicate the most accurate pregnancy result. If you take a pregnancy test in the afternoon, you may get a false negative even though you are pregnant due to the low concentration of the hCG at that time. Therefore, taking a pregnancy test in the afternoon is not OK. You may get false pregnancy results, so always remember to take a pregnancy test with the first-morning urine.

Suppose you take the pregnancy test after a few weeks of the missed period. In that case, it does not matter if you are taking a pregnancy test in the afternoon, evening, or night as around that time pregnant woman’s body has a detectable amount of the hCG. You will get the most accurate pregnancy results. If you take a pregnancy test at night or evening, you will get faint lines on the pregnancy test which means you need to retake a pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy. Usually, it is recommended to take a pregnancy test after one week of the pregnancy to get the correct pregnancy results.

So, drop your idea to take the pregnancy test in the afternoon. Instead, always use the morning urine to confirm your pregnancy. Still, if you are puzzled by the pregnancy test results, consult with your healthcare provider. They may suggest a blood test to know about your pregnancy.

How to Take a Pregnancy Test to Get the Correct Pregnancy Results?

The instructions about taking pregnancy tests may vary per the brand. But don’t worry. Taking a pregnancy test is a simple process. To enhance the accuracy of the pregnancy test in the afternoon or morning, follow the below-mentioned tips:

Avoid Taking Too Much liquid

Don’t drink too much liquid before taking a pregnancy test, as it can dilute the hCG level, and you will get inaccurate pregnancy results.

Check Expiration Date

An expired pregnancy test is less effective in detecting the level of the hCG in the urine, so there are chances of getting false pregnancy results. Always check the expiry date before purchasing a pregnancy test to avoid any mess that an expired pregnancy test can create.

Read Package Directions Carefully

Either dip the pregnancy test strip in a cup of urine or keep the test in the stream of urine. Read all the information first before taking a pregnancy test. All the information is mentioned on the pack, so read them thoroughly to get the correct pregnancy test results.

Wait for the results

It would help if you waited for how long that is also mentioned on the pack. Read carefully to avoid false pregnancy test results as the evaporation will create after some time on the pregnancy test. Most importantly, read the instructions to interpret the pregnancy results, whether you are taking the pregnancy test the first time or the second time. Usually, two pink lines mean you are pregnant, and one pink line means you are not pregnant. For example, if you take the pregnancy test in the afternoon but get two faint lines on the pregnancy test means you are pregnant. Still, you need to retake the pregnancy test the following day or consult your healthcare provider to confirm your pregnancy.

Are Pregnancy Tests Accurate?

Most women take home pregnancy tests before consulting health care providers. Now, thinking about the accuracy of pregnancy tests is a general concern among women. The pregnancy tests are 99% accurate if taken correctly as per the steps mentioned on the pack. But some factors can affect the accuracy of the pregnancy test results that you should know to get the pregnancy test correctly.

When You Are Taking a Pregnancy Test

Taking the pregnancy test before or after a missed period affects the result of the pregnancy test. Some tests can only give accurate pregnancy results when you take the pregnancy test after the missed period. Some tests are more sensitive and can give you correct pregnancy test results.

When the Embryo Implants

For around 10 % of the women, the implantation only occurs on the first day of the missed period, so that they may get false negative results. To get the most accurate pregnancy results, you should wait until one week after the missed period.

How Concentrated the Urine Is

Many medical experts suggest taking pregnancy tests with the first-morning urine that is high in hCG. The second thing is that you should not drink too much liquid before taking the pregnancy test in the afternoon or morning to avoid getting false pregnancy results, as the consumption of water can dilute the urine.

Tips For Taking a Pregnancy Test in the Afternoon

You can’t wait till the following day and want to take a pregnancy test in the afternoon. Then, you should follow the below-mentioned tips to enhance the accuracy of the pregnancy test:

• Use a high-quality pregnancy test from a reputed brand.  
• Limit your take before taking the pregnancy test in the afternoon.
• Avoid using the bathroom for at least a few hours before taking the test to allow the concentration of hCG to build up in your urine.
• Retake the pregnancy test after some days in the morning to confirm your pregnancy.

Conclusion

You can take a pregnancy test in the afternoon, but to get more accurate results, take the pregnancy test in the morning. The level is high in the morning’s first urine and is easily detected by the pregnancy test to reveal pregnancy results. If you have missed a period and are also experiencing pregnancy symptoms, you can take the pregnancy test in the afternoon. You will get accurate pregnancy test results. While the concentration of hCG in afternoon urine may be lower than in morning urine, many pregnancy tests are still highly accurate and can detect hCG at low levels.

FAQ’s

Here are the answers to the most asked questions about taking the pregnancy test in the afternoon that will help you to understand to choose the best time to take the pregnancy test: