Hi anon,
Anytime you have unprotected sex, there is a chance of pregnancy...regardless of "when" during your cycle. Using the pull out/withdrawal method is only up to 70% effective at preventing pregnancy (compared to up to 98% with a condom).
In order for a home pregnancy test to detect any "pregnancy hormones", you would need to wait 10-14 days after unprotected sex. Conception does not happen immediately (the reason you can take emergency contraception up to 120 hours after intercourse), and it actually can take 10-14 days after sex for a fertilized egg to implant into your uterus for a viable pregnancy....and it is only after the implantation that your body releases the "pregnancy hormones" that can be detected by a home pregnancy test.
You can certainly take a home pregnancy test now, if you've had unprotected sex previously and are wondering why your period is late, but it won't detect any possible pregnancy that is in the works from sex 7 days ago...either the fertilized egg has not implanted, or there are not enough pregnancy hormones that can be detected by a home pregnancy test.
Once you have your period, then you will know that you are not pregnant.
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Hi anon,
Anytime you have unprotected sex, there is a chance of pregnancy...regardless of "when" during your cycle. Using the pull out/withdrawal method is only up to 70% effective at preventing pregnancy (compared to up to 98% with a condom).
In order for a home pregnancy test to detect any "pregnancy hormones", you would need to wait 10-14 days after unprotected sex. Conception does not happen immediately (the reason you can take emergency contraception up to 120 hours after intercourse), and it actually can take 10-14 days after sex for a fertilized egg to implant into your uterus for a viable pregnancy....and it is only after the implantation that your body releases the "pregnancy hormones" that can be detected by a home pregnancy test.
You can certainly take a home pregnancy test now, if you've had unprotected sex previously and are wondering why your period is late, but it won't detect any possible pregnancy that is in the works from sex 7 days ago...either the fertilized egg has not implanted, or there are not enough pregnancy hormones that can be detected by a home pregnancy test.
Once you have your period, then you will know that you are not pregnant.
March 21, 2010 - 8:06amThis Comment
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