If you’re sexually active and have missed your period, it’s easy to panic, especially if you don’t feel ready or prepared for a pregnancy. It’s possible to get pregnant even if you’re using protection, and if you’re experiencing any of the early signs of pregnancy, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that you are pregnant.
However, it’s also possible for stress, extensive life changes, and other factors to cause your body to exhibit pregnancy symptoms without being pregnant.
That’s why you need to take a pregnancy test. It’s the only definitive way to know whether you’re pregnant or not. Here’s why:
Why you need a pregnancy test
A pregnancy test is reliable because it’s scientific. It is designed to detect hCG, a hormone that is only present in your blood when you’re pregnant. It can be detected as early as a few days after your missed period, and will show up on a lab-quality pregnancy test.
You may have read about other so-called ways to test if you’re pregnant like the toothpaste pregnancy test or others. Because these are not based on science, they are not able to truly determine if you’re pregnant.
Pregnancy symptoms can be misleading
Other hormonal changes can cause pregnancy symptoms. Unusually high stress from work or major life changes can produce major disruptions in your body, causing your period to be late.
Other symptoms of high stress are similar to symptoms of pregnancy: Low energy, headaches, nausea, aches and pain, and appetite changes. These are all symptoms of both stress and pregnancy but for very different reasons.
It can be easy to experience symptoms and immediately jump to the conclusion that you’re pregnant. But this can cause unnecessary worry and stress if you aren’t pregnant.
To find out for sure, schedule an appointment for a free pregnancy test at our clinic today. All of our services are free and confidential, and if you are pregnant, we can help you determine next steps.
