I've got a really strong feeling that I'm pregnant, how soon can I take a test?
Planned or unplanned...
If you've made a conscious choice to become pregnant then there is obviously more reason to think that you may be so. Maybe you had unprotected sex and are worried that you may be pregnant. Either way there are a number of choices available to find out for sure.
Home pregnancy testing kits
Over the counter pregnancy testing kits are even in the supermarkets nowadays. Some brag they can be taken as early as on the day of your missed period. The test involves urinating on the test stick first thing in the morning when the hormone levels are at their optimum. These tests are not always 100% conclusive and sometimes give a false negative. On the plus side they can be taken any time and give a result within minutes.
Blood test
If you think you may be pregnant and really want to be sure, the most reliable test is a blood test. Your doctor can usually do this for you and the results are more accurate and reliable than the urine test. However, there is never any harm in doing both.
Are there any symptoms I can expect in early pregnancy?
Some women instinctively 'know' they are pregnant even before their first missed period. You may experience unusual headaches, higher temperature than normal, slight spotting (at implantation), sore breasts...all of which are also general post menstrual symptoms too. Nausea and morning sickness so early on is very rare, though it does happen.
When is the best time to test?
Both blood and urine tests can be taken around 12 days after fertilization/implantation, though it's best to wait until your period is at least one week late. As ovulation can generally occur any time between days 12 and 18 of your cycle, it's most likely that you will conceive in that time. Implantation usually occurs 3-4 weeks from the date of your last period or 8-10 days after ovulation. If you can't wait and don't mind spending a little money then home testing can be done as many times as you like...but it's not as conclusive as a blood test.