Should I Take a Pregnancy Test Every Month?

Not trying. Just checking.

For a lot of women, taking a pregnancy test every month has nothing to do with hoping for a positive. It is the opposite: a quick check each month, usually hoping for a negative, so they can get on with life knowing where they stand. If that sounds like you, you are in good company, and there is some interesting research behind the habit.

So should you take a pregnancy test every month? Here is an honest look at why so many women do, what the studies found, and how to make sure the result you get is one you can trust.

Why so many women test every month

The classic sign of pregnancy is a missed period. But for millions of women that signal simply is not there:

• Birth control changes or stops periods. The pill, the coil (IUD), the implant, and the injection can all make periods lighter, irregular, or stop them altogether, so there is no missed period to notice. If you are on birth control and wondering what the real odds are, we have written about the chances of getting pregnant on birth control separately.
• Peace of mind. In a Reddit thread asking “Does anyone else take monthly pregnancy tests?”, most replies said yes. The reasons: anxiety relief, reassurance while on the pill or IUD, and catching a pregnancy early. For some, a monthly negative is simply how they switch the worry off.
• Irregular cycles. Conditions like PCOS, perimenopause, or coming off hormonal contraception can make cycles unpredictable, so “my period is late” stops being a useful alarm.
• Wanting to know early. If a pregnancy would change your plans, finding out at four weeks rather than twelve gives you more time and more options, whichever path you choose.

Planned Parenthood’s advice for people whose birth control changes their period is reassuring: used correctly, birth control makes pregnancy very unlikely, but if you want to be totally sure, take a test. It usually takes at least 2 to 3 weeks after sex for a pregnancy to show up on a test.

What the research found

Researchers have started looking at routine monthly self-testing, mostly as a way to help people spot pregnancies earlier. Two small studies are worth knowing about:

• A feasibility study in South Africa (BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health) gave 76 young women free pregnancy tests and texted them a reminder to test on the first day of each month for three months. Almost everyone found self-testing easy, 93% of those followed up completed all three monthly tests, and 99% said they would recommend monthly testing to others.
• A US pilot study (Women’s Health Issues, 2023) recruited 61 people with irregular periods or a recent abortion, posted them free tests, and sent monthly reminders. 85% tested in all three months, 95% found the tests easy to use, and everyone interviewed said they planned to keep testing after the study ended. Convenience and cost were the main reasons they preferred testing at home.

A couple of honest caveats. These were small studies in specific groups of women, and they measured whether monthly testing is acceptable and doable, not whether everyone should do it. These studies do not establish that everyone needs monthly testing. What the research does show is that women who want to test regularly find it easy, private, and reassuring, and many keep the habit going once they start. One US brand, Winx Health, actively suggests monthly testing for women with an IUD, whose periods often stop entirely.

When regular testing is part of medical care

For most women monthly testing is a personal choice, but there are situations where regular testing is written into medical guidance:

• Isotretinoin (Roaccutane). Because this acne medicine can harm a pregnancy, the UK’s pregnancy prevention programme requires a pregnancy test every 30 days for the group considered highest risk, and another group may choose to test monthly at home, under the British Association of Dermatologists’ programme. Home tests do not replace the clinic supervision the programme requires.
• GLP-1 medicines like Mounjaro and Ozempic. The UK medicines regulator warned in June 2025 that GLP-1 medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, and that Mounjaro specifically may reduce how well the contraceptive pill works in people who are overweight. If that is you, the advice is to also use a non-oral method such as condoms, especially for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase. The regulator does not advise routine monthly testing, but if you are on a GLP-1 and relying on the pill, it is a sensible conversation to have with your GP or pharmacist.

When a test will actually give you a reliable answer

If you test every month, timing still matters more than frequency. The NHS guidance is clear:

• Most pregnancy tests are reliable from the first day of a missed period.
• If you do not know when your period is due (common on the pill, coil or implant), test at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex.
• A positive result is almost certainly correct. A negative is less reliable, especially if you tested too early. If you get a negative and still think you might be pregnant, wait a few days and test again, and speak to your GP if you get another negative and your period has not arrived.

One thing a monthly check cannot do is catch a very recent pregnancy, so follow the timing guidance above rather than the calendar: test from the first day of a missed period, or at least 21 days after unprotected sex if you do not know when your period is due. And do not wait for your next monthly date if your period is late, your contraception has failed, or something feels wrong. Speak to your GP, pharmacist or a sexual health service promptly if contraception has failed or you are worried. It also helps to understand how accurate pregnancy tests are and what affects the result.

Making a monthly habit affordable

Testing every month means at least 12 tests a year, and big-brand tests add up quickly. Cheaper strip tests and multipacks bring the cost per test down, and subscriptions exist precisely for this habit. Our own monthly test subscription sends two tests a month for £8.99 with free shipping, and you can cancel any time. However you do it, the per-test price matters more than the box price when testing is a routine rather than a one-off.

The bottom line

Should you take a pregnancy test every month? It is a personal choice, not a medical rule. If your birth control has taken away your monthly signal, if your cycles are unpredictable, or if a clear negative is simply how you stop the background worry, testing monthly is a reasonable habit to choose, and the research suggests it is an easy one to keep up. Test at the right time, read the instructions, and remember that a negative today is not a guarantee for next week.

And if you find the worry is constant or heavy rather than a quick monthly check, that is worth mentioning to your GP too. You deserve support with the anxiety, not just the answer.