When to take a home pregnancy test?

According to babycenter.com.ph, here are the top 10 signs of pregnancy:

Am I pregnant? I missed my period last month. It's been thirty days and I haven't got my monthly visit! Damn.

In this article, we are going to focus on the last two symptoms of pregnancy as specified by babycenter.com. Most of us, women, are not that aware whether we are pregnant or not. Missing our monthly period is just one way of determining if we are really carrying a baby.

A urine sample early in the morning is best to use when using a pregnancy test; but most of the questions I heard was "when am I going to do the test?".

The time when there is greatest chance of becoming pregnant is in the five days either side of your normal ovulation time. This is usually 14 days before the due date of your next menstrual period. About two weeks after her period starts, the woman ovulates, which means that she releases an egg. This egg travels down the fallopian tubes towards the uterus. If the egg does not  run into any sperm along the way and get fertilized, the egg leaves the woman's body and she has her next period like usual. Otherwise, there is a chance for you to get pregnant since a sperm can live inside a woman for up to five to seven days.

During the Cosmo Anniversary party treat in Trinoma not so long ago, there was a free OB-Gyne consultation in one of their booths. I asked the doctor if it is just okay that my menstrual period takes 32 days after the previous month. I asked this because normally, it will just take 28 days to have my period again. She then clarified that the cycle is different from one woman to another as a woman can ovulate at any time. A woman's cycle would also depend on different factors like your diet and environment. Stress is a big factor. One advise that I could not forget was when she told me that,

"If you have a normal menstrual cycle, and you still haven't had your period on the 36th day after the first day of your previous menstrual period, you need to see your OB."

I made a diagram to better understand what I am saying...

Here's how I calculate when I am going to have my next period. (February 1st = Day 1 of next menstrual cycle.)
Your 35th day will fall on the 8th.

Correction on number 3 >> That's FACTORS,  not factos, huh!
 and
that's NORMALLY on number 2.. OMG!
BLAME MY FAST HANDS!

Usually, I just deduct three days from my previous cycle if the current month consists of 31 days (and minus 2 days if there are 30 days). Let's say you had your period on the 4th.. that is 4 - 3 = 1. The next period will be on February 1st. In the calendar above, if you would not have your monthly period until the 8th of February, you may want to buy a home pregnancy kit from a local drugstore and test your urine the following day. I suggest that you buy two of them just to be sure. This computation is beneficial for those who have regular monthly period.

Please take note that this is only applicable to those who have a regular menstrual cycle. The situation may be different for those irregular ones. You may want to check other symptoms such as tender breasts, frequent urination, and morning sickness. 

So, for women who took the test, and have a positive result, consult your doctor immediately so you'll know...

1/. if you are carrying the mini you;

2/. what proper care and vitamins should your body require for your child to grow healthy inside your womb (Folic Acid is a must!); and

3/. the truth, and so you can say to yourself that you aren't dreaming - It's for real! You're a mom, and you should be proud of becoming one like me!

Congratulations, soon-to-be mommies!

Sources:

• http://www.positive.org - Could I be pregnant?
• http://www.babycenter.com.ph/ - Top 10 signs of pregnancy