A little help from MamaSkin
When can I take a pregnancy test?
A little help choosing a day to test, whether you know your cycle dates or not.
One less date to work out
Your estimate will appear here
The wait can feel long. Let’s find a sensible day to test.
Choosing a day to test
It’s tempting to keep counting days when you’re waiting for an answer. We made this tool to give you a simple date to come back to. It doesn’t interpret symptoms or tell you whether you’re pregnant.
How we calculate it
If you know when your next period is due, we use that date. With a last-period date, we add your usual cycle length. With a sex date, we add 21 calendar days. The last-period option assumes a regular cycle; the sex-date option doesn’t need that assumption.
Follow the instructions supplied with your test. For fertility treatment, follow your clinic’s testing date instead.
Sources & a note from us
Sources checked 28 October 2026. These organisations have not reviewed or endorsed the tool. General information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice.
A worked example
If your last period started on 1 October 2026 and your usual cycle is 28 days, your expected period and suggested test date are 29 October. If you don’t know your cycle dates and last had unprotected sex on 8 October, adding 21 days also gives 29 October.
Example dates only. Your own result uses the dates you enter.
Your questions, answered
Can I test before my period is due?
Some tests are designed for earlier use. Follow the instructions for that exact test. This calculator uses the expected period date rather than promising an early result.
What if I don’t know when my period is due?
Choose the date of last unprotected sex. The result adds 21 days, following NHS guidance. If there has been more unprotected sex since, an earlier test does not rule out pregnancy from those later dates.
What if the test is negative?
If you still think you may be pregnant, try again after a few days. Contact your GP if a second test is negative and your period still hasn’t arrived.
Can I use this after IVF?
Use the test date given by your fertility clinic. Treatment medicines and the timing of treatment need a different approach from a period-based calculator.
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