Once you think there is a chance you are pregnant, you typically want to know right away.
The challenge is store-bought pregnancy tests, while less expensive than a doctor’s appointment, can still cost a little more than what you have in your wallet.
Luckily, a free pregnancy test is not difficult in many cities. There are a few ways/places to snag a free (or almost free!) test to help determine if you are pregnant.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?
Pregnancy tests measure the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level in your urine. Two lines may show up on your test. The first is the control line, which will always darken so far the test isn’t flawed. The second line will only appear if you are pregnant.
This line measures human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); you only make this hormone if you are pregnant.
Therefore, even the faintest line signifies pregnancy (positive result). No line at all could be a negative, or you could be positive, but you’re testing too early. Wait for someday, maybe a day or two and if your period doesn’t start, then repeat the test.
Can I Get A Free Pregnancy Test? 9 Places To Get A Free Test
Here are a few places where you can get a free (or almost free) pregnancy test:
1. Local Health Department
Numerous cities or county health departments offer family planning services. This ordinarily incorporates a free pregnancy test for women who cannot afford to pay. Some may offer it on a sliding scale if you do have some money-related assets.
2. Religious Organizations
Many church-affiliated organizations will offer you free pregnancy tests, guidance, and support.
These groups are formed to help young women who don’t have enough money to get prenatal care and the help they need to raise a child or give a child up for adoption.
3. Faith-Based Crisis Pregnancy Center
These faith-based services, generally run by churches, offer free pregnancy tests. Their main objective is to prevent abortion and help people find alternatives such as medical care, housing, and information on adoption.
You can look up a faith-based crisis pregnancy center. (Know that these locations have often been found to give incorrect information, so be forewarned when getting medical advice.)
4. Health Plan
Some health plans will cover pregnancy tests. However, many won’t. Often plans for low-income individuals will give free pregnancy tests, and at times, they offer this service and more to anyone in need, no questions asked.
Regardless of whether the health plan doesn’t help the individual who might be pregnant, they are likely to have in-house social workers who can assist you get a free pregnancy test and the prenatal care they may need, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call them.
5. Your FSA Account
Pregnancy tests will be covered if your boss gives you a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Likewise, you can also buy prenatal vitamins using your Flexible Spending Account.
6. Planned Parenthood
These clinics are medical offices that offer free pregnancy tests (or for a fee on a sliding scale).
They also offer birth control and other reproductive services, including gynecologic tests, ultrasounds, adoption referrals, and abortion counseling, based on the center. You can find a center online.
7. OB-GYN Welcome Gift
Some obstetrics centers offer a welcome gift when you sign up with one of their providers, and a pregnancy test is usually included.
But do not sign up with any random provider for a free test. The nine months you’re going to spend in their care is important, so do your research and choose a doctor who is a good fit.
8. Bridal Shower
If you’re engaged, ask your maid of honor to plan a gift basket from your friends that include a pregnancy test or even an entire pack.
It could be done as a bridal shower party or maybe at your bachelorette party in a basket with lingerie and similar items. You could add a pack of pregnancy tests to your gift registry if you feel comfortable!
9. Almost-Free Pregnancy Tests
Usually, you can get pregnancy tests for a cheap amount if you know where to look. You can purchase them in bulk at Costco or Amazon or even snag one for a dollar at Dollar Tree.
The drawback of getting a cheap pregnancy test instead of a pricier brand and make is accuracy.
Cheaper brands of pregnancy tests won’t give you a positive as more sensitive tests, which cost more.
That being said, all pregnancy tests will give a precise result by a certain point (usually a few days after you miss your period), so if you don’t feel like you should know immediately or you don’t mind testing several days in a row, cheap tests could be fine.
Read Also: How To Make a Pregnancy Test Positive with Soda
Thoughts
Just because something says “free” doesn’t mean it is genuinely free. There may be some strings attached to the test you get.
This may be a trap to get you to receive your prenatal care with the location you had your test or an opportunity to give you information about pregnancy that may or may not be accurate. (Do a background check to know if the person caring for you is a volunteer or a paid medical professional like a doctor or a nurse with training in pregnancy from a certified university or school.)
Do I Need A Blood Pregnancy Test?
Sometimes, a blood pregnancy test is needed. Typically, this is in situations with few complications or questions yet to be answered.
For instance, if your practitioner thinks that you’re having a miscarriage or might have an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, you may have to get a blood test.
Normally, a single blood test doesn’t provide as much information as your doctor or midwife will need. This implies that you may have to come back in a few days to have the blood test repeated.
In this case, your healthcare providers are monitoring your body’s level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, known as the pregnancy hormone). When a situation like this occurs, you need to visit a medical provider, and not a crisis pregnancy center, for such tests.
How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Pregnancy Test
If you can’t find a free pregnancy test in your location, you can get a pregnancy test for as little as $1 at a dollar store.
If you are of childbearing age and sexually active, keeping some of these inexpensive pregnancy tests in your medication cabinet is best advised.
At this point, you have one handy when you feel you need one, without having to go purchase if you’re low on cash or you can’t get to the store.
While these tests do expire, it takes years before the expiration date. Regular pharmacy tests run around $12 to $15 for a single test and just a couple of dollars more for a two-pack, but the dollar-store kinds are no less accurate or effective.
Related Posts:
- How To Discreetly Buy A Pregnancy Test
- How To Hide A Pregnancy For 9 Months: 12 Practical Tips
- 15 Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
- 8 Signs She is Trying to Trap You with Pregnancy
We hope this article has given an in-depth discussion to answer the question, Can I Get A Free Pregnancy Test? No matter your condition, if you want to buy and take a pregnancy test, I believe these few places mentioned above would greatly help you.
However, if you have a friend or sister that have been thinking of how or where to get a free pregnancy test? You should share this article with her. I’m confident it would make you feel satisfied knowing you were helping someone.
If you know any other place where one can get a free pregnancy test, kindly share it with us. We would love to hear it by dropping your comment below.
