Pregnancy Tests
How Can Women's Health Specialists Help Me If I Think I'm Pregnant?
We provide pregnancy tests, review pregnancy symptoms and check for signs, and discuss all available options, including resources for physicians and birth, abortion pill, abortion and adoption. Call 1.800.714.8151 to make an appointment at any clinic.
Does Everyone Have Signs Of Pregnancy?
No. In fact, many women only have a few signs of pregnancy. For example, some women may have spotting around the time of a missed period, frequent urination, or a change in appetite. Women can have many pregnancy signs, very few of these signs, or all of the below signs of early pregnancy.
Common Signs Of Pregnancy
Common signs of pregnancy that women may experience are:
- Missed period
- Spotting, or a period with a lighter flow or shorter duration than usual (a small percentage women have periods while pregnant)
- Frequent urination
- Tiredness
- Breast tenderness
- Nausea
- Weight gain
- Change in appetite, or craving certain foods
- Uterine cramping
- Uterine enlargement
- Feeling bloated
- Changes in digestion (constipation, heartburn, etc.)
- Abdominal enlargement
- Clothes feel tighter
- Mood changes
Your Appointment
Women's Health Specialists will not only perform a urine pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy, but will review the woman’s signs of pregnancy, a woman's menstrual history, and if needed, a clinician will perform a uterine size check (pelvic exam) to check for uterine enlargement.
In some cases, it is a best not to solely rely on a pregnancy test, since it is not a 100% accurate test. If a woman keeps getting negative tests and believes she is pregnant, it is a good idea to be seen at WHS for a more complete evaluation. Sometimes a blood test or a sonogram of the woman’s uterus can be used to help to determine pregnancy.
Women’s Health Specialists can assist women by discussingavailable options, such as: Early medical abortion(also called the "abortion pill”, or RU 486), early aspiration abortion, or later abortion; adoption services through our adoption program; or referral to local midwifes and/or physicians for prenatal care and birth. Follow this link to read an online copy of Woman-Centered Pregnancy and Birth.
Avoiding Crisis Pregnancy Centers
The article, Exposing the Truth about Fake Clinics, describes the deception, humiliation, and harassment faced by a woman seeking a pregnancy test at a "fake” clinic. The National Abortion Federation has an article describing "Crisis Pregnancy Centers”, and how to identify and avoid them. If you are in a situation where you have to go to one of these clinics (e.g., lack of access to a women’s choice clinic), read about them and take a friend or family member with you.
This VICE video offers an overview of crisis pregnancy clinics.
When Should You Take A Pregnancy Test?
The most commonly used pregnancy urine test is accurate about 8-14 days after conception, or around the time of a missed period. Pregnancy tests are usually 97-99% accurate.
Where Can You Get A Pregnancy Test?
Women’s Health Specialists provides free pregnancy testing for women who meet the criteria for low cost/free services. We have several clinic locations in Northern California. Women can call our phone counselors for making appointments, or obtaining information about our services. Our appointment line numbers are available on our contact us page. Trained, sympathetic phone counselors are available to discuss appointments and share information with women about their health concerns. In addition, all information that we discuss with a woman on the phone or in our clinics, is strictly confidential.
Our phone counselors reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. In our various clinic locations and in our phone counseling center, we speak: English, Spanish, Hmong, Mien, Thai, Russian, Hebrew, and Punjabi.
A pregnancy test can be purchased at a grocery store, drug store or pharmacy (over-the-counter). The test is a take home urine test. It is a good idea to perform two tests a few days apart to make sure the results are correct. Pregnancy tests check for the presence of pregnancy hormones in the urine, andit takes8-14 days after sex for the pregnancy hormone to result in a positive test after sex (or after ovulation). To ensure that the pregnancy test is accurate, check the expiration date to make sure that the test in not too old.
What Are Crisis Pregnancy Centers?
Fake clinics, often named Crisis Pregnancy Clinics, Hope Clinic, Women's Resource Clinics, are funded by right wing and Christian organizations in order to deceive women into coming into their doors. They promote themselves as medical facilities, but their sole purpose is to talk women out of having abortions. These "clinics” are not staffed by medical personnel, and do not follow commonly accepted health procedures, counseling, or informed consent. Women must be very cautious about what clinics they go to, and what their purpose is.
In California, Crisis Pregnancy Centers must inform patients via a posted sign that California has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services, prenatal care, and abortion, for eligible women.
The bill would also require facilities without medical licenses that advertise and provide pregnancy tests and related pregnancy services to post a notice saying they that they do not have a license nor licensed providers on staff. Many CPCs in California are unlicensed.