Could I be pregnant?

If you feel you are at risk for an accidental pregnancy⁠ (pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the uterus. Medically, someone is considered to be pregnant when an egg has been fertilized by sperm, cells divide, and the fertilized egg is implanted within the lining of the uterus.) and are past the 120 hour mark for emergency contraception⁠ (emergency contraception: A method of contraception used to prevent pregnancy after sex or rape has already occurred, rather than used before or during, like most types of contraception. Includes emergency contraception pills and IUDs.) , you can wait until 10 days after the incident or after the first day your period⁠ (period: The fluid – or flow – which contains blood, from the shedding of the uterine lining usually at the end of each menstrual cycle. Sometimes periods may be less fluid and more globby; this is the state that is often mistaken for blood clotting.) is late to take a pregnancy test⁠ (pregnancy test: What we tell you to take when you ask us if you’re pregnant. A test that can be done at home or by a healthcare provider to determine pregnancy. Usually a urine test, a pregnancy test measures for a specific hormone, hCG, only produced with pregnancy.) .

It is much more likely to have a false negative pregnancy test than to have a false positive. By that I mean if it’s negative, you can and should test again in a few days to confirm. But if the test is positive, it’s pretty darn likely that you really are pregnant.

Make sure you follow the directions closely. It is best to use really concentrated urine for a home pregnancy test. Take the test first thing in the morning, right when you get up and head to the toilet. If your urine is too dilute, then there might not be enough hormone (human chorionic gonadotrophin, hCG) to show a positive test.

If you really are not pregnant, and your period is still missing, consider other factors: are you stressing over the pregnancy scare? Are you dieting? Do you have an eating disorder? Have you need exercising too hard? Are you ill? Are you stressed from other stuff? All of these things can affect your cycles. If your menstrual⁠ (menstrual: Having to do with menstruation.) cycles tend to be irregular, see your doctor for an examination.