Early diagnosis of pregnancy is based on hormone changes in the body. They are usually able to detect pregnancy about 12-15 days after conception. The results are ready in a few minutes. Home pregnancy tests are almost as accurate as lab tests. Urine pregnancy tests conducted in your health care provider's office are very similar to home pregnancy tests.
Pregnancy tests based on blood samples are more sensitive than urine tests.
They can detect pregnancy as early as one week after conception, and they can also detect the exact amount of the hormone hCG in the blood. Ultrasounds are sometimes used to confirm pregnancy and to estimate the length of pregnancy. Return to the Pregnancy and Related Care page.