How soon after sex will I know if I’m pregnant?
Someone asked:
How soon after sex will I know if I’m pregnant?
Good question! A lot of people don’t know this: you don’t actually get pregnant during sex or even right after. It can take up to six days for the sperm and egg to join and form a fertilized egg. Then, it takes 6-10 days for the fertilized egg to completely implant itself in the lining of the uterus. Pregnancy begins during implantation when the hormone needed to support pregnancy is released. That hormone is called the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (HCG). Pregnancy tests work by detecting it.
This is why emergency contraception is possible – and why it’s so great that it exists! Emergency contraception (a.k.a. Plan B or the so-called “morning-after” pill) can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.In a way, it should really be called the “up to a few mornings after” pill.
As for when you’ll know you’re pregnant, most people start to figure it out when they miss their period. Most over-the-counter pregnancy tests start being accurate around then – the first day of your missed period.
-Mary at Planned Parenthood