Pregnancy Testing

Pregnancy testing is offered free of charge at Health Department Sexual Health Clinics to any client who:

Has missed a menstrual period by a minimum of 2 days
Has a history of unusual or abnormal menstrual bleeding (period)
Is unsure when her last period was
Has a history of failed contraception (birth control). For example - if you forget to take your birth control pills on a regular basis or if the condom you were using broke.
Has a history of unprotected sexual intercourse
Reports physical symptoms of pregnancy

Home pregnancy / Urine tests

Urine tests can be used after a missed period and can be completed at home.
The results of the urine test are available in approximately three minutes.
A urine test can be bought at most pharmacies in Ontario for approximately $15.
Urine tests can also be completed free of charge at doctors' offices, walk-in clinics or Sexual Health clinics .
If you have completed a home pregnancy test and tested positive, we encourage you to make an appointment with your doctor or with a public health nurse to talk about pregnancy options.

A Blood Test

A blood test can be completed to detect or confirm pregnancy.
Blood tests are more sensitive than urine tests and can detect pregnancies earlier than urine tests.
Blood tests need to be ordered by a doctor.
You will need to have blood drawn at your doctor’s office or a laboratory to be sent off for testing.
There is no cost for a pregnancy blood test for any woman who has a current Ontario Health card.
Most blood test results are available within 48 hours.

A positive pregnancy result may be wonderful news to a woman who has been planning to become pregnant. In addition to booking your first prenatal visit with your doctor or health care provider, you may also want to check out the prenatal classes offered by the Health Department and related information that will help you to have a healthy pregnancy.
For a woman who is not prepared to be pregnant or care for a child, a positive test result may not be welcome news.

There are a number of things to consider when making a decision about pregnancy , particularly if the pregnancy is unexpected.

Options include:

Halton Region