Pregnancy Blood Test

£55.00

Get early confirmation of your pregnancy and monitor your level of the pregnancy hormone hCG with our easy at-home blood test.

Results estimated in 2 working days

View 1 Biomarkers

How do you want to take your sample?

Please choose one option below
  • Collect your own finger-prick blood sample at home   Free

    We’ll send you everything you need to collect your blood sample from your finger at home.
  • Book a venous draw at a clinic   +£35.00

  • Book a venous draw at home with a nurse +£59.00

  • Self-arrange a professional sample collection Free

Pregnancy Blood Test

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Is it for you?

Are you trying to get pregnant and want an early check to find out if you’ve conceived? Perhaps you want to see if your IVF treatment has been successful. Or maybe you’re already pregnant and want reassurance that the first stage is progressing as it should be.

Our sensitive Pregnancy Blood Test can detect key pregnancy hormone hCG at a lower level than over-the-counter urine tests, so you can confirm your pregnancy at the earliest possible date.

Biomarker table

Hormones

Beta-hCG

Learn more

HCG is a pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta when a fertilised egg implants in the uterine wall. The hormone hCG starts to be produced around six days after fertilisation and can usually be detected 10 days after a missed menstrual period.
Special instructions

How to prepare for your test

Prepare for your Pregnancy Blood Test by following these instructions. Do not take biotin supplements for two days before this test, discuss this with your doctor if it is prescribed.

Blood testing made easy

How it works

Your personalised, actionable health results are only a few clicks away. Order your test, take and post your sample, then view your results online with our doctors' comments.

Your results, simplified

Track, improve, and monitor your health over time

MyMedichecks is your personal online dashboard where you can view your results, access clear and simple explanations about individual health markers, monitor changes in your health, and securely store information about your medical history, lifestyle, and vital statistics.

FAQs

What can I learn from a Pregnancy Blood Test?

Our at-home hCG level blood test can give you early confirmation of your pregnancy. You can also use it to check whether your hCG level is increasing as expected during the first stage of your pregnancy. 

Higher-than-expected hCG levels are sometimes due to multiple pregnancies (twins or more). However, this would need to be confirmed by an ultrasound. Your GP or midwifery team will be able to support you if you have any concerns.

It’s reassuring to know that unusually low or high hCG levels are usually the result of miscalculating the stage of your pregnancy. This can occur if you have irregular periods or aren’t sure when your last period was. In rare cases, hCG levels that are higher or lower than expected can indicate pregnancy complications.

When should I take a Pregnancy Blood Test?

You should take our Pregnancy Blood Test about six to eight days after you ovulate to find out if you’re pregnant. If you get a negative result but still think you might be pregnant, we recommend repeating the test.

What is a Pregnancy Blood Test?

Our Pregnancy Blood Test detects pregnancy by measuring the amount of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your blood. Levels of this hormone rise rapidly in the early days of pregnancy, usually doubling every two to three days, and peaking by the 11th week. Our test can pick up traces of hCG, allowing you to confirm pregnancy as early as possible, even before a missed period.

How soon can a blood test detect pregnancy?

As hCG levels rise rapidly in the early days of pregnancy, an hCG test can tell you if you're pregnant from about six to eight days after you’ve ovulated.

Is an hCG blood test more accurate than a urine test for pregnancy?

An hCG blood test is more accurate than an at-home urine hCG test, as the concentration of hCG in blood is higher than in urine. A blood test is also more sensitive than a urine test, so it can detect hCG at lower levels, giving you earlier confirmation of your pregnancy.

What causes low hCG levels?

Low hCG levels can sometimes indicate a problem such as an ectopic pregnancy, but they aren’t always a sign that something is wrong. There are various causes of low hCG levels, and it may simply mean that you’re not as far along in your pregnancy as you expected.

What causes higher-than-normal hCG levels?

There are several reasons why your hCG level may be higher than expected. It may be a sign that you’re having a multiple pregnancy, which is more common after IVF. It can also indicate that you miscalculated the date of your last period and you’re further along with your pregnancy than you thought.

Can I take an hCG test at home?

Yes, you can take our Pregnancy Blood Test at home with our finger-prick pregnancy test kit. We’ll send you everything you need, including a pre-paid return envelope for your sample.

How can I access my Pregnancy Blood Test results?

You can access the results of your at-home Pregnancy Blood Test on your MyMedichecks dashboard, alongside doctor’s advice and any next steps. You will see your hCG level alongside expected hCG levels throughout early pregnancy, so you can check if your result is in the normal range.

What are the early symptoms of pregnancy?

Many of the early symptoms of pregnancy are due to the surge in hCG, and confusingly, they’re very similar to symptoms you might have right before your period. They include breast tenderness, feeling tired and sluggish, needing to urinate more often, irritability, and feeling sick.

As most of these symptoms aren’t unique to pregnancy, a Pregnancy Blood Test can help you find out if they’re down to pregnancy or to rule this out as the cause.

Where can I get support for pregnancy?

Pregnancy can be an exciting time, but it’s also common to feel anxious and overwhelmed. If you need support or reassurance, your doctor and midwifery team can help.

Bounty has a wealth of resources for mums-to-be and Tommy’s has a support line giving midwives’ advice. And our Pregnancy Progress Blood Test can help you check how your pregnancy is progressing in the early stages.

If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, our Fertility Guide has information and advice on the causes of infertility, increasing your chances of getting pregnant, and treatments that can help you conceive.

Limitations of the test

Read before you order:

Sometimes a test may give a positive result when you aren’t pregnant (a false positive), but this is rare, and a positive Pregnancy Blood Test result is usually correct. The chances of getting a negative result when you are pregnant (a false negative) are higher. This is often caused by taking the test too early. Certain medications, including those containing hCG, can also interfere with your result. These include fertility drugs such as Pergonal, Profasi, and Pregnyl.

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