In a perfect world, we’d all own our own homes and be making at least $60,000 a year before we became pregnant. Unfortunately, this world we live in isn’t perfect, and pregnancies (or potential pregnancies) don’t always wait for the opportune moment to arrive.
If you’re struggling financially, you may be wondering if there are ways to get a pregnancy test for free.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a free pregnancy test from your local community health center or Planned Parenthood branch. Additionally, check with your doctor – sometimes, insurance will completely cover the cost of a pregnancy test. Local pregnancy centers are another option.
Not all locations will have these same options, and the cost – or non-cost – of pregnancy tests may vary from one community health center, Planned Parenthood office, or pregnancy center to the next. Keep reading to find out more information about where to find free and low-cost pregnancy tests.
Where Can I Get a Free Pregnancy Test Near Me?
The best option for free pregnancy tests in most places is a community health center. Some Planned Parenthood branches offer free or sliding scale pregnancy tests, as do many health clinics and departments. If there’s a local crisis pregnancy center near you, you can probably get one from them.
However, there is no single answer to this question from one city to the next.
One option is to visit a community health center or sliding scale clinic.
For example, some community health centers, such as Community Care Health in Washington, provide free pregnancy tests to women who think they may be pregnant. They have offices in Tacoma, Lakewood, Parkland, and a few other places.
However, the community health center in King County, Washington, only offers free pregnancy tests to women who fall within a specific income range (sources: Community Care Health & King County Public Health).
The good news is that if you do fall below a certain income threshold, there are plenty of places to find free pregnancy tests. Visit NeedyMeds.org and enter your address to find a free or low-cost clinic near you.
ClinicDirectory.org is another good option, particularly if you don’t feel comfortable entering your address online. (It provides a search by state database.)
Another option is to visit a crisis pregnancy center.
Crisis pregnancy centers (those who usually use ads like “Pregnant? Alone? We can help!”) also offer free pregnancy tests. However, these centers are typically faith-based and have strong stances on abortion, so be aware of that before you head into one of them (source: Very Well Health).
Depending on your situation, domestic abuse organizations can also be a great help.
Domestic abuse shelters and organizations, such as Crisis Services of North Alabama, may offer free pregnancy testing, counseling, and other valuable services to women in dangerous or unhealthy situations.
This may not apply to you, but if it does, please look for the equivalent organization in your area and take advantage of all their valuable assistance (source: Crisis Services of North Alabama).
The simplest option, however, is visiting your doctor’s office.
Call your doctor or insurance provider and see if pregnancy testing is a service covered under your plan. Sometimes it is, and you’ll be able to get a free pregnancy test in the comfort of your familiar doctor’s office.
There is one other slightly unconventional option, and although you may not be able to find much about it online, I can promise you that it’s real.
Check with your local adult toy stores.
There was precisely one adult toy and pornographic video store in my hometown, which was somewhat small. The proprietors knew that they had a bad reputation for being “the sex shop,” one of the kindest names with which some people used to refer to it.
In an effort to prove that their store was more than just a shop for “deviants” (which it certainly wasn’t) and to combat teen pregnancy, the shop established a drive-thru condom window where people could drive up and get free condoms without even providing their name.
Additionally, women could come into the shop and privately request a free pregnancy test. The shop would provide those, as well.
While I can’t promise that every adult toy store does the same thing, you might want to give them a call if you have one near you.
If none of these options works for you in your area, then do a simple Google search for “free pregnancy tests near me.”
You’ll be surprised at the number of results that pop up. Just be sure the center offering the free pregnancy test is legitimate and above-board.
Call or visit them, and make sure you get all the hard facts upfront. Don’t let them give you the run-around when you ask about prices, and don’t give them your bank, credit card, or insurance information until you’ve 100% verified their legitimacy and whether or not their tests are actually free.
Can I Get a Free Pregnancy Test at Planned Parenthood?
Some Planned Parenthood facilities offer free pregnancy tests that are paid for by donations from outside sources. Others charge a set rate for pregnancy tests or charge you based on a sliding scale dependent upon your income.
For example, getting a pregnancy test at Planned Parenthood is free in Southwestern Oregon but costs $25 in Denver, Colorado.
The Planned Parenthood of New York website doesn’t mention specific prices, but it encourages women to call first to determine how much those services cost (sources: Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, Planned Parenthood of Denver, CO, & Planned Parenthood of New York).
Fortunately, you can go to the Planned Parenthood website and search for Planned Parenthood locations near you by entering your city, state, or zip code.
Additionally, you can select which specific service you’re looking for (Pregnancy Testing & Services for pregnancy tests) to narrow the search to only locations that offer that service (source: Planned Parenthood).
Once you find a suitable location near you, start by checking out their website. It should answer a lot of your questions. Some sites even tell you how much – if anything – it will cost to get a pregnancy test at that location.
If you can’t find out what you need to know from the website, follow up by calling the number listed on the Contact Us page. If all else fails, you can always visit the location in person.
Where Can I Get a Walk-In Free Pregnancy Test?
The best places to get free walk-in pregnancy tests are community health clinics that accept walk-in appointments for any sickness or illness. Again, not all of these places offer free pregnancy tests. Plus, the Planned Parenthood locations that offer them require an appointment for all services.
Unless there is an extenuating circumstance or other reason you can’t make an appointment beforehand, it’s always best to do so. Making an appointment not only ensures you’ll be seen but also that you’ll be seen in a timely manner, which is always important.
Additionally, making an appointment over the phone or in-person gives you the chance to speak with the people at the clinic/doctor’s office/etc., and ask any questions you might have about the test, how much it costs, etc.
However, there are certain circumstances in which you might need to keep your pregnancy private or be seen quickly and discreetly. In those instances, go in-person to a clinic or doctor’s office that accepts walk-ins and explain your situation privately to the doctor.
Where To Get a Free Blood Pregnancy Test
It’s unlikely that you’ll find anywhere willing to provide free blood pregnancy tests, as those are much more expensive than those that test using urine. However, speak to your insurance provider and see if this is a service covered in your plan.
Planned Parenthood will do blood pregnancy tests, but only if they deem it medically necessary. Again, if they are conducted, they will probably not be free of charge (source: Planned Parenthood of Plano, TX).
Your private doctor’s office will likely give you a blood pregnancy test by request, but unless your insurance covers it, you’ll probably have to pay for that, as well. To the best of my knowledge, there is nowhere that offers free blood pregnancy tests unless it’s at a sliding scale medical clinic and deemed medically necessary.
Can I Get a Free Pregnancy Test Online or by Mail?
To the best of my knowledge, you can’t receive free pregnancy tests by mail. However, there are free pregnancy test quizzes that you can take online that will help you decide if you have enough pregnancy symptoms to merit taking an actual test. ClearBlue provides one of the best.
Here is a list of five of the most accurate and reputable “Am I Pregnant?” quizzes online:
- ClearBlue Am I Pregnant? Quiz
- Memorial Birthing Center Am I Pregnant? Quiz Yourself!
- Planned Parenthood Am I Pregnant?
- Pampers Am I Pregnant?
- BabyMed Online Pregnancy Test
While Healthline’s “Pregnancy Quiz” isn’t an actual quiz that’ll give you results, it does outline many of the questions you should be asking yourself to determine whether or not you might be pregnant (source: Healthline).
Final Thoughts
If you think you might be pregnant, there are plenty of options out there for confirming your pregnancy.
If you can’t find anywhere near you offering free pregnancy tests, pick one up at the Dollar Tree – they’re only a dollar, and thanks to FDA regulations, they’re just as accurate as any other test (source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
