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When you suspect that you're pregnant, you may feel a range of emotions. Gathering as much information as possible about your pregnancy can help you decide on the next steps for your care. At New Baby Pregnancy Clinic, we offer free pregnancy testing to women throughout La Mesa, California.

Signs that you may be pregnant

The most obvious sign of pregnancy (other than a pregnancy test) is missing your period. However, if you're trying to conceive, or if your periods are irregular, you may be looking for other pregnancy signs.

Not everyone experiences the same pregnancy signs and that's okay. They include:

• Feeling nauseous or vomiting, which is due to changing hormones.

• Feeling more tired than usual, as your body is working hard.

• A strange taste in your mouth, which many women describe as metallic.

• Disliking certain smells or smelling things more pungently than normal.

• Experiencing common PMS symptoms, such as sore breasts and mood swings.

Of course, the best way to find out if you're pregnant is to take a test. With our free pregnancy testing service, you can find out for sure.

When to test for pregnancy

Pregnancy tests rely on measurable levels of HCG. HCG is the hormone that you produce when you're growing a baby. It starts rising from the point of implantation and will appear in higher levels as you progress through the earlier stages of your pregnancy.

If you're trying to conceive, you may find that some at-home pregnancy tests will detect your pregnancy as early as 7 days past ovulation. However, if you get a negative before you miss a period, this may be due to you not producing enough HCG, and could therefore be a false negative. We suggest that the best time to test is after you've missed your period.

Our free pregnancy testing service

If you'd rather take a pregnancy test in a medical setting, we offer a free pregnancy testing service. We'll confirm the results of your test on the same day and then we'll discuss what you can do from there.

In addition to carrying out free pregnancy testing, we offer ultrasound scans. Having an ultrasound at the earliest opportunity is a good way to make sure your pregnancy isn't ectopic, or growing outside the uterus. Additionally, you may be able to confirm the number of fetuses that are present. Depending on how early you are into your pregnancy, we may need to perform a transvaginal ultrasound, as pelvic ultrasounds don't always detect very early pregnancies.

Our skilled practitioners can use your ultrasound to provide you with an estimated due date. You can find out how far into your pregnancy you are and make decisions about your care.

What to do if your test is positive

If you have a positive pregnancy test, you need to decide on the next steps in your care plan. If you're choosing to continue with the pregnancy, you may be eligible for temporary MediCal to cover the costs of your care. You can choose to continue with your care with us, or you can transfer over to your obstetrician of choice.

When you choose to continue with the pregnancy, you'll need to begin planning your other routine tests and a prenatal care package. You may also want to start thinking about your birth plan.

In the event that you're unsure about what you want to do next, you can turn to us for counseling. We counsel using evidence-based science and we take a non-judgmental approach to all cases.

With a free pregnancy testing service, you can take the next important steps toward caring for yourself and your baby. At New Baby Pregnancy Clinic, we care for women throughout La Mesa, California. To receive a free test or discuss your pregnancy with us, call 619-303-1335.