While these are all possible signs and symptoms of pregnancy, they may not add up to a positive pregnancy test. This quiz is designed with possible and probable symptoms of pregnancy in mind. While it can’t tell you for sure that you are pregnant, the higher your score on the quiz, the more likely you are to be pregnant. This should prompt you to take a pregnancy test to get a more definitive answer.
Take the Quiz: Am I Pregnant?
If you get a high score, confirm with a home pregnancy test. If you scored lower, consider using a home pregnancy test in seven days if you still haven’t started your period. If you are still getting unexpected results, you should also see your health care provider for advice.
If Your Test Is Positive
Once you have tested positive with a home pregnancy test, the next step should be to contact the midwife or obstetrician of your choice. This may be someone that you already have a relationship with, say for gynecologic exams, or it may be someone completely different. You may need to check with your health insurer first. They may have a list of providers or have other requirements before you can be seen. You will want to start this process right away so that you know where to go with your questions.
If Your Test Is Negative
If the test is negative, you may be relieved that you aren’t pregnant. But you may also be sad. If you were expecting the test to be positive and you have not yet started your period, it may have simply been too early to test. Most test product inserts will advise that you wait a week to retest. If this is just too hard, try to wait at least 48 hours before you retest. Remember that your hCG level doubles about every two days in early pregnancy, meaning two days is a large difference in hormone levels.
If You’re Disappointed
Either way, if the test wasn’t the answer you were anticipating, you may want to reconsider what you are doing. If you’ve been trying to get pregnant, perhaps it is time to consider taking it to the next level with charting and other fertility awareness methods. If you have already been charting, it may be time to look at seeking the assistance of a fertility specialist. If you do not want to be pregnant, but were worried that you might be, now is the time to rethink your birth control method. The type of pregnancy test that you take is rarely the reason for an outcome that you don’t agree with. Even the cheapest pregnancy test is capable of measuring very low quantities of hCG. So go ahead and buy the bulk cheap tests off the Internet or at the dollar store. That said, be sure that your pregnancy test wasn’t expired, exposed to extreme temperatures, or otherwise damaged. If you have medical questions about the test, such as whether medications you’re taking might affect tests, check the medication package insert and/or talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
