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Expert Q&A
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| By Greg Hinson, MD Family Physician - Family Practice Associates of Tiftarea Tifton, Georgia | ||
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How soon after conception could someone find out if they're pregnant?
Pregnancy tests measure levels of a hormone called hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) which is made by the placenta and serves, among other things, to keep the body from rejecting the new pregnancy. The home pregnancy tests look for this hormone in your urine and are fairly accurate these days. Most can tell if you are pregnant by 14 days after conception, which is right around the time you would be due for your next menses.
In the office, we can test for the presence of hCG either with a slightly more elaborate urine test that is generally accurate to seven to 10 days after conception, or with a blood test that is virtually 100 percent accurate at seven days after conception and which has a much lower risk of a false-negative test.
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