How long should I wait to do a pregnancy test?
Ideally you should wait until about 14 days after ovulation. This usually allows enough time for the pregnancy hormone hCG to increase to a high enough level for detection by a home pregnancy test.
Testing earlier than this increases the risk of getting a false negative – that is, the pregnancy test shows up negative even though you are actually pregnant. This can add unnecessary worry and anxiety (and cost, as you will need to test again later to make sure!).
By charting your fertility, you will know when your period is genuinely overdue and when a pregnancy test is justified. If your luteal phase extends at least 2 days beyond its normal length (after seeing ovulation clearly on your chart), your temperatures remain high and at least 14 days have passed since ovulation, you have good reason to take a test!
