Early pregnancy answers, near Cardiff

£100 all inclusive. That covers the blood draw, the quantitative beta hCG measurement, and a plain-English report emailed to you. A £50 deposit secures your appointment and comes off the total.

Beta hCG is the hormone your body produces shortly after conception. A quantitative test gives you a precise number, which can confirm pregnancy earlier than a home urine test. The result on its own does not tell you whether the pregnancy is developing normally or where it is located — for that, doctors usually use a repeat test 48 hours later or an early ultrasound scan.

Beta hCG can typically be picked up in blood from around 8 to 11 days after conception, which is often several days earlier than a home urine test. If you test too early you may get a low or negative result and a repeat may be needed. If you are unsure of your dates, mention it when you book and we can advise.

Not on its own. A single beta hCG level confirms that a pregnancy exists, but it does not confirm the pregnancy is developing normally (viability) or that it is in the right place (in the uterus rather than ectopic). Doctors usually assess this with two beta hCG readings taken 48 hours apart to see how the level is changing, or with an early ultrasound scan.

If you have any red-flag symptoms — vaginal bleeding, one-sided abdominal or pelvic pain, shoulder-tip pain, dizziness or feeling faint — please seek urgent medical review right away. Call 999, attend your nearest A&E, or call NHS 111. A blood test alone is not the right response to those symptoms. If you have no urgent symptoms but a history of ectopic pregnancy and want an early check, a quantitative beta hCG is a reasonable first step, and a follow-up scan or repeat test will usually be needed alongside it.

Mostly, but not only. Beta hCG is also used by clinicians as a tumour marker for certain conditions, including some germ cell tumours and gestational trophoblastic disease, and for monitoring after such treatment. If a clinician has asked you to have this test for a non-pregnancy reason, this is the same laboratory test and the result is reported in the same way.

No fasting is required and there is no cycle timing to worry about. For the earliest detection of pregnancy, the test is most reliable from around 8 to 11 days after conception. We will confirm anything specific to your appointment when you book.

No. This is a self-refer test. Book online or call 029 2199 9300.

Your report is emailed to you once the laboratory has processed the sample. Given the anxious context of this test, ask us when you book and we will give you a clear idea of timing.

At our Penarth clinic (13 Washington Buildings, CF64 2AD) or our Cowbridge clinic (10 High Street, CF71 7AG). Both are a short drive from Cardiff with easy parking.

Yes. Our consultant radiologists can take the sample under real-time ultrasound, the only such service in South Wales. Mention it when you book so we can allow time.

Yes. You can book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will go through your result and next steps, including whether a repeat test or scan would be helpful.