Can pregnancy be detected 7 days after intercourse?
Mei and her husband had sexual intercourse a week ago and would like to know if it's possible to detect a pregnancy seven days later.
Doctor's answer (1)
In most cases, it is not possible to accurately determine pregnancy seven days after intercourse. Some women might be able to get a preliminary indication of pregnancy through a blood HCG test seven days after intercourse, but due to variations in the timing of embryo implantation and the rate at which HCG levels rise, it is generally still too early for an accurate determination at this stage.
Women wishing to test for pregnancy are advised to wait until two weeks after intercourse before undergoing a blood HCG or urine HCG test. By this time, the embryo has typically implanted and HCG levels have risen significantly, resulting in a more accurate test. If testing is done seven days after intercourse and the result is negative, pregnancy should not be immediately ruled out. Because HCG levels require time to rise, testing too early may result in a false-negative result. If pregnancy is suspected and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or breast tenderness appear, it is important to seek medical evaluation promptly for more accurate results and professional advice. To obtain more reliable test results, women should follow professional guidance and test at the appropriate time.
