What Pregnancy Test Should I Buy

Clearblue: Pregnancy Test: Combo Pack

Best Digital Pregnancy Test

This combo pack from Clearblue contains two rapid tests and two digital tests. Although only two tests in the kit are digital, Clearblue is the winner in this category because their digital test is the best, and this combo pack offers excellent value for money.

The packaging states they recommend testing on the day of your missed period. They also say you can use the test up to four days earlier. However, that would mean a reduction in accuracy.

Pros

• Wide testing tip for easy aim.
• Anti-flooding design prevents too much urine from entering the test.

Cons

• Only 51% of pregnancies give a positive four days before your missed period.

Product Specs

How Does The Clear & Simple Pregnancy Test Work

In a woman who is not pregnant the hormone hCG is normally present in urine at very low levels . When you are pregnant the body produces much more of this hormone. At the time of the first missed period the level of hormone is detectable by this test. Our test detects hCG in urine at a level of 20mIU/ml.

Blood Test Result Timetable

Blood tests are able to detect a smaller amount of hCG and they can detect it slightly earlier than standard at-home pregnancy tests, usually nine to 12 days after conception. Blood test results are usually available the same day or within a day.

Blood tests aren’t often done to detect pregnancy because they are expensive and at-home urine tests are quite accurate and sensitive. However, people who are undergoing fertility treatments may have blood tests as part of their care.

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Your Hcg Doubling Time

The final variable is hCG doubling time. While hCG levels double on average every 48 hours, this figure can vary from woman to woman. If your hCG doubling time is on the slower side, it will take a little longer until you have enough hCG in your body to get a positive pregnancy test.

Based on all three of these variables, you can see that its highly unlikely to get a positive pregnancy test before 9 10 DPO , and most women probably wont test positive until 11 12 days after ovulation.

How It Is Done

Carefully read the instructions that come with the home kit. Instructions vary from kit to kit. Be sure to read the result at the appropriate time indicated in the instructions for accurate results.

If you have a kit that asks for a morning urine sample, test urine that has been in the bladder for at least 4 hours. Test the urine within 15 minutes of collecting the sample.

If you are using a midstream kit, urinate a small amount first and then hold the dipstick in your urine stream as you finish urinating.

Test the urine sample according to the directions included in the test kit package.

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Which Pregnancy Test Provides The Earliest Results

First Response and Modern Fertility can both detect pregnancy up to 6 days before your missed period. However, its important to note that the accuracy isnt as high. Its still ideal to test after your missed period for the best results. Most at-home pregnancy tests can be up to 99 percent accurate on the day of a missed period.

Where Can I Get A Pregnancy Test

You can buy a pregnancy test at your local pharmacy, drugstore, grocery store, and some convenience or dollar stores. Pregnancy tests are usually inexpensive they can cost as little as a dollar. Sometimes you can get a free pregnancy test at certain health centers.

You can also get a pregnancy test from your nurse or doctor, community clinic, or local Planned Parenthood Health Center. Most health centers use the same urine pregnancy tests that you can buy in stores. Sometimes they use a blood test to test for pregnancy, but thats usually only under special circumstances.

But be careful when looking for a reliable health center, because there are fake clinics out there called Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Crisis Pregnancy Centers give free pregnancy tests and claim to offer information and help. But theyre run by people who may not be medical professionals, and dont believe in giving you honest facts about pregnancy and all of your options. Crisis pregnancy centers are often located very close to Planned Parenthood health centers or other real medical centers, and have similar names they do this to confuse people and trick them into visiting their center instead.

Your nearest Planned Parenthood health center can help you find a safe place to get a pregnancy test in your area.

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Types Of Pregnancy Tests

Although home pregnancy tests work the same way, their features can differ. The main types of pregnancy tests include:

• Early pregnancy tests: These pregnancy tests can pick up lower levels of hCG and, in turn, may be able to tell you if youre pregnant up to five or six days before your missed period. Keep in mind, though, that the closer you are to the date of your expected period, the more accurate a home pregnancy test will be.
• Non-digital pregnancy tests: These pregnancy tests show your results in the form of blue or pink lines. Although they tend to be more affordable, they can also be more difficult to decipher if one of the lines is faint. If thats the case, wait a day or two to take the test again.
• Digital pregnancy tests: These tests tend to be the easiest to to use and read, since they clearly display your results in words , leaving little room for error. The downside? Digital tests tend to be more expensive.

Some pregnancy tests are packaged as a stick that you pee on directly, saving you the effort of peeing into a cup, dipping the test into that cup and then cleaning it . These can be digital or non-digital. Pregnancy strips, on the other hand, usually need to be dipped into a cup of urine. A third, less common type involves using an eyedropper to take urine from a cup and then drop it into the tests reservoir.

How To Use A Pregnancy Test

Almost three-quarters of women prefer the ease of testing directly in their urine stream5. For your convenience, all Clearblue® tests can be used either in-stream simply by holding the tip directly in the urine stream for 5 seconds or by dipping the test into a collected urine sample for between 5 – 20 seconds, depending on the product used. Keep in mind you should always read the instruction leaflet before testing..

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The Best Time Of Day To Take A Pregnancy Test

The time of day you take a pregnancy test does matter to a certain extent. Youre more likely to get an accurate result if you take the test in the morning. This is especially true if your period is not yet late, or if your period is only a couple days late.

At-home pregnancy tests work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Unless you get up in the night to pee often , your urine is more concentrated when you first wake up. This usually means that the amount of hCG is a bit higher, and youre more likely to get a positive result if youre pregnant.

However, you can still take a pregnancy test in the middle of the day, or even at night. Youre just more likely to get a false negative, especially if your period isnt that late, and especially if youve been drinking a lot of water and your urine is diluted.

How To Tell If A Test Is Not Needed

Some people experience menstrual irregularities, breast changes, and other pregnancy-type symptoms without being pregnant. These can happen for a variety of reasons.

Possible biological factors include hormonal changes due to another health condition. Psychological and social factors can sometimes play a role.

In rare cases, a person can have pseudocyesis, sometimes called false pregnancy, where they firmly believe themselves to be pregnant and have signs of pregnancy without being pregnant. This condition is not well understood and can happen for various reasons.

Anyone who has signs of pregnancy but is unlikely to be pregnant, for example, because of menopause, should seek medical advice. They may have a health condition that needs medical treatment.

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How Long Does It Take For Hcg To Show Up In Urine

Levels of hCG will show up in urine between 11 to 14 days after conception. However, hCG levels vary from person to person and from pregnancy to pregnancy so there are no hard and fast rules about the exact amount of hCG in the urine at a specific point in pregnancy.

• A slight increase in vaginal discharge without burning, itching, or discomfort.
• Acne or worsening of existing acne.

Different Types Of Pregnancy Tests

There are several types of at-home urine pregnancy tests that offer varying features and results displays.

Fundamentally they are all doing the same thing, says Nicole Calloway Rankins M.D., an OB-GYN, host of the All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast and member of the Lansinoh Clinical Advisory Network. Look for what you think will be easiest for you to understand.

There are two types of pregnancy tests: urine and blood.

Urine pregnancy tests are what you find at the store, but you can also take a urine test at a medical office. These are designed to detect hCG in urine to indicate whether you are pregnant.

Blood pregnancy tests are administered at a medical office. These test the exact hCG levels in your blood.

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Clearblue: Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown

Best User-Friendly Pregnancy Test

My favorite feature on this test is the smart countdown. It consists of four blocks on the digital screen, the first of which starts flashing to let you know the test is working. The other blocks light up as the test progresses until your result is ready and displayed on the screen.

The digital display says either Pregnant or Not Pregnant, meaning you dont have to spend time squinting at a window trying to work out whether there is a faint line or not.

Pros

• Fast, get result in 1-3 mins.
• Clear digital display.
• Smart countdown timer reassures users that the test is working.

Cons

• Not sensitive enough for early use.

Product Specs

What Are The Different Types Of Pregnancy Tests

There are two main types of pregnancy tests: urine and blood tests.

Urine tests are typically done at home though you can have a urine test done at your healthcare providers office while your provider performs a blood test.

At-home pregnancy test

An at-home test uses your pee to look for HCG. They contain special strips that detect HCG. Most at-home pregnancy tests are about 99% effective when used correctly. Thats about the same accuracy rate as pregnancy tests done in your healthcare providers office. These tests are available in most drug or grocery stores. Theyre easy to use and inexpensive. Its important to read the instructions on these tests before taking them.

There are three ways to take an at-home pregnancy test:

• Pee in a clean cup. Then, place one to several drops of your pee on a chemical strip.
• Place the pregnancy test strip in your urine stream while you pee.
• Pee in a clean cup and then dip the test strip in the pee while its still in the cup.

For many of these tests, HCG can be detected in your urine about 10 days after conception. However, taking it after you miss your period reduces the chance of getting a false-negative result. A missed period typically happens around 14 days after conception.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you take a home pregnancy test, including:

Blood test

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Fast Facts On Pregnancy Tests

• Pregnancy tests work by detecting human chorionic gonadotropin .
• Some conditions and some medications can produce false or inaccurate readings in pregnancy tests.
• Each brand of pregnancy test works slightly differently, so it is important to read the instructions before use.
• Used properly, pregnancy tests can be 99 percent accurate.

A pregnancy test works by measuring the amount of HCG hormone. HCG levels increase during pregnancy.

HCG is known as the pregnancy hormone, because it is produced by the cells that form the placenta and provide nourishment to the growing embryo.

It is released when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus.

HCG can be present in the blood and urine around 10 to 14 days after conception. It peaks between 8 and 11 weeks of gestation.

• A negative HCG result is a level less than 5 mIU/ml .
• A positive HCG for pregnancy is greater than or equal to 25 mIU/ml.

Pregnancy tests involve testing urine or blood. A urine test can be self-administered at home, but a medical professional must perform a blood test.

Accumed: Pregnancy Test Strips

Best Cheap Pregnancy Test

This multi-pack from AccuMed contains 25 individually wrapped test strips.

To use, you have to pee in a shallow cup or bowl and dunk the strip in the urine for a full three seconds. Then, lay the strip on a flat, dry surface for five minutes before reading the results. One line shows the test has worked but is negative, two lines are positive.

Pros

• Easy to use just dunk and wait.
• Can be used up to five days before period.

Cons

• Positive line may be too faint.

Product Specs

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Find Out With Our Pregnancy Quiz

Are those symptomsyou are experiencing a sign of pregnancy or something else?

Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, a missed orlate period, tender breasts, and frequent trips to the bathroom can often be earlysymptoms of pregnancy. But they can also be related to PMS, stress, and a wholelot of other situations. Before you start spinning out of control , take this short online pregnancy quiz to help you decide ifyou might be pregnant and need to take a pregnancy test.The official American Pregnancy Association pregnancyquiz is free, confidential, and just takes a few minutes to complete. After you complete the quiz, we’ll provide recommendationson the next steps based on your unique results. And were always here tosupport you with tons of online tools, educational articles, and expert tips.

Want to talk tosomeone now? Were here for you- give us a call at 1-800-672-2296 and our pregnancyexperts can provide the guidance needed in this emotional situation. Or you caneven chat with us by clicking the pink Chat Now button in the bottom right ofyour screen.

Ready to get started? Lets do this together.

First Response Triple Check Pregnancy Test

You want peace of mind when finding out if you’re expecting. That’s why First Response Triple Check includes three separate tests in one box. The Early Result Pregnancy Test can detect pregnancy up to six days before your missed period, with varying levels of accuracy. The Digital Pregnancy Test is easy to read, and the Rapid Result Pregnancy Test shows results in one minute. Each has its advantages, and when paired together in this variety pack, they give you more reassurance.

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Clearblue: Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test

Fastest Pregnancy Test

Okay, the Rapid Detection labelling on this from Clearblue is a little deceptive. You can use this no earlier than other tests and you have to wait 3 minutes for the result, which is the same amount of time as the Clearblue digital test.

So, if youre buying this for speed, theres no advantage over the digital, but if youre buying it as a fast, accurate, non-digital pregnancy test, this is the one for you.

Pros

• Color-changing tip to confirm you have enough pee.
• Only takes three minutes to show results.

Cons

• No faster than many other tests.

Product Specs

After How Many Days Pregnancy Can Be Confirmed By Urine Test

Taking a home pregnancy test can be a minefield of anxiety no matter what result youre hoping to get, you want to know for sure whether youre pregnant or not. You dont need to take six pregnancy tests to get answers. We asked the experts to break down exactly when to take a pregnancy test, how accurate they are, and how the dang things work.

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