How can I tell if I am pregnant?

The only foolproof way to tell if you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. At-home tests that you can buy at a pharmacy or drugstore are a great place to start. There are a few changes to your body that might mean you’re pregnant, so keep an eye out for missed periods, nausea or vomiting especially in the morning, sensitive breasts, or feeling unusually tired. But again, you’ll only know for sure with a pregnancy test.

What is a pregnancy test?

If you think you might be pregnant because you’ve missed your period, the first step is to take a test. You’ve got two different options: 

• Pee-on-a-stick test: This is the one you can grab from the drugstore and do in the comfort of your own home. You can either pee directly on the stick or collect a little bit of your pee into a cup and dip the stick in. Pregnancy tests are great for getting that "yes" or "no" answer. Here are some caveats, though: Most home urine pregnancy tests are 99% accurate, but 1 in 100 will be a false negative, meaning it will tell you that you aren’t pregnant when you are. Also, some people take the test too early after having sex, before the test can tell if you are pregnant. It can take 3 weeks after the start of a pregnancy for the test to work accurately. If you want to be extra certain, take a second test a week after when your period should have started, or call your doctor’s office for a blood test if you want to know sooner. 

• Blood test: This is the more precise pregnancy test that usually happens at a healthcare provider's office. They'll draw a small amount of blood from your arm, and then it gets sent to a lab for testing. The lab will check for the presence of a hormone called hCG that shows up in the bloodstream only during pregnancy. Blood tests are more sensitive and accurate than urine tests can detect pregnancy up to a week sooner.

Both types of tests are reliable when used correctly. Just make sure to read and follow the instructions that come with the test kit, and take the test at the right time, like after a missed period or as instructed on the kit.

When should you take a pregnancy test?

Take one if you think you are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests that you pee on are highly accurate, so you don't need to wait to see a doctor. You can buy one without a prescription at most pharmacies or grocery stores. They start working several days before your missed period or about 2 weeks after sex. Signs of pregnancy might include: 

• A missed period (if you typically have a period every month) 
• Nausea or vomiting, especially in the morning
• Being super tired and not knowing why 
• Sensitive or bigger breasts

I missed my period. Am I pregnant?

If you miss a period, you might be pregnant. But you also might have just missed a period! There are many reasons that you could miss a period, or that your period could be “late”. It’s actually pretty common for teenagers to have late periods. Don’t panic. Go to the store or pharmacy and buy a home pregnancy test. If it’s positive (meaning it says you’re pregnant), schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider to confirm the results using our easy free service finder. That’s it! 

Keep in mind that some birth control methods like the implant, hormonal IUD, or Depo Provera injection, can cause missed or late periods, or take away periods completely. If you are on one of these methods, you don’t need to take a pregnancy test every month. It’s important to pay attention to your body and take a pregnancy test if you notice unexplained nausea or vomiting (especially in the morning), being super tired for more than a day, or getting sensitive or bigger breasts. You can also take our decision support quiz, “How do I know if I’m pregnant?” to help you figure it out.