Have you recently undergone an IUI procedure? Then, congratulations on completing the procedure, and all the best for having a successful pregnancy.
After completing the insemination procedure, the one question that will come to your mind is, “When can I take my pregnancy test?”
There is a reason why your fertility doctor asks you to wait for some days after the procedure to take a pregnancy test.
In this article, we will look into when you can take a pregnancy test and what happens every day after the insemination procedure until the day you can take a pregnancy test.
When To Take A Pregnancy Test After IUI
Generally, fertility doctors advise their patients to take a pregnancy test about 2 weeks after the insemination procedure. This two-week gap is to allow the egg to get fertilized and implant deeply into the uterus.
After two weeks, you can either take a urine pregnancy test at home or visit your fertility hospital and take a blood test or ultrasound to confirm pregnancy.
Now, let’s look at what goes on in your uterus from the day of ovulation to the day of the pregnancy test. This can help you understand why you should wait for up to two weeks to take a pregnancy test.
1-2 Days After IUI (Ovulation And Sperm Injection)
Let’s consider the day of your ovulation, Day 1. When your eggs are about to mature, your doctor will administer injections to induce follicle rupture and release the mature egg into the fallopian tubes.
This is also the day when your partner’s sperm will be collected, washed, and transferred into your uterus. This process is called insemination.
3-10 Days After IUI ( Egg Fertilization )
After insemination, the sperm will swim to the fallopian tubes and fertilize the eggs waiting there. After fertilization, the eggs will travel from the fallopian tubes and reach the uterus for implantation.
During this stage, the egg undergoes cell division and develops into an embryo. This happens during the 3rd to 10th day of IUI. By the end of the 10th day, the embryo would have implanted into the uterus.
10-14 Days After IUI ( The Rise In hCG Levels )
By this time, your body would have recognized the implantation of the embryo and started releasing the hCG hormones (pregnancy hormones) into the body. These hormones prepare your body and promote the changes your body must undergo to sustain a pregnancy.
IUI Pregnancy Test After 15 Days (Fertilization Day)
After two weeks, the embryo would have implanted deep into the uterus, and your body would also have released enough hCG hormones into the bloodstream.
Taking a pregnancy test now will make it easier for the pregnancy kit to measure the hCG hormone levels and detect pregnancy. A blood test also measures your hCG hormone levels, so it should also be taken after two weeks of insemination.
You can also opt for an ultrasound if you want to get an accurate answer. Your doctor can view the implanted embryo and confirm pregnancy.
How Early Can You Test Positive After IUI?
If you can’t wait for 15 days and want to know the result as soon as possible, you can try taking a pregnancy test after about 10 days of insemination.
Your embryo would have implanted into the uterus by this time, and your body would be releasing hCG hormones into the blood. Though chances are not high, you can sometimes get an accurate result during the 10th day of insemination.
Conclusion
It is normal for you to be eager and anxious to know your pregnancy results as soon as possible. However, you should understand the science behind the process and give your body time to show signs of pregnancy.
If you have any doubts or concerns, don’t keep it in, and immediately contact your fertility hospital. The doctors or nurses there will guide you on what to do and not do during the two-week wait after IUI.
FAQs
There are cases where women get a negative pregnancy test but have no period some days or weeks after the procedure. Whatever the cause, it is best to visit a fertility specialist and diagnose what happened.
Taking a blood test 15 days after IUI helps you identify whether you are pregnant or not. The blood test will read the hCG hormones in your blood. This can help you detect pregnancy.
Sometimes, your body may take time to release the adequate amount of hCG hormones to be detected during a pregnancy test. This might be one reason for a negative pregnancy result.
Another obvious reason is that your IUI cycle failed, and you might get your periods soon.
