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Taking a pregnancy test can be one of the most nerve-racking but potentially exciting, life-changing moments there is. From the second you think maybe, just maybe you could be pregnant, you’ll want to run out to the drug store and buy an early detection pregnancy test. But it’s wise to wait, according to doctors, or else the result could be inaccurate. Dr. Christine Greves, an OBGYN at Orlando Health, offers these guidelines for the best time to take a pregnancy test: “If your cycle is regular, you can perform the test the first day that you notice you missed your period.” If it’s negative, try retesting between three days and a week after your missed period. “If your cycle is NOT regular, then wait to perform the test until at least 14 days after you had intercourse,” Greves advises.
Best Overall Kit: First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test
Best Early Detection Kit: Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test
Best Fastest Kit: First Response Rapid Result Pregnancy Test
Best Cheap Kit: New Choice Pregnancy Test
Best Digital Kit: Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown
Best Strips Kit: ClinicalGaurd HCG Pregnancy Test Strips
Best Ovulation And Pregnancy Kit: Easy@Home Ovulation And Pregnancy Test Strips
How Pregnancy Test Kits Work
All pregnancy test kits work the same way. As Mercy OBGYN Dr. Yves-Richard Dole explains, “The tests works by detecting the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in urine. The newly formed embryo actually produces this hormone initially, and so a positive test acts as a marker for its presence.”
Some pregnancy tests are easier to read than others.
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- A digital pregnancy test, which you can either pee on directly or dip in a clean container of urine, will clearly tell you your result on a digital readout screen.
- A stick test, used in the same way as a digital test, typically displays one line in a small window if you aren’t pregnant, and two if you are.
- A strip pregnancy test is dipped in your urine, and changes color or displays lines with your results.
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Dole says over-the-counter pregnancy tests can be extremely accurate. Still, it’s worth noting that although manufacturers state that their pregnancy tests are 99 percent accurate, there are some variables that can impact your result, according to Greves. “If you are drinking a lot of liquids before testing, that could dilute your urine and make the hCG concentration more dilute, resulting in it seeming too low to measure.” She adds, “Also, make sure you test the urine less than 30 minutes after urinating to prevent a false negative result.” Testing too early can also result in a false negative.
When Is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
Dole recommends testing first thing in the morning when urine has the highest concentration of the pregnancy hormone. He adds, “Some fertility drugs can produce false positive results, so consult with your doctor.” And if you get a negative result, but still continue to experience pregnancy symptoms, see your doctor, because in rare cases, this can indicate an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life threatening.
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Image Credits: Target
Best Overall Kit
First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test
You can test up to 6 days sooner than your missed period with this test, although it may still be advisable to wait until your missed period for the most accurate result. Women are loving this test not only because it may offer earlier detection but also because of its curved design, which, well, makes it easier to pee on! To use it, you’ll place the tip of the stick in your urine stream fo 5 seconds. Wait 3 full minutes (no peeking!). Two pink lines means you are pregnant, even if one of the lines is faint.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
It’s very accurate and you can read the results within three minutes. If you get two lines you will be pregnant and just one line means that you are not pregnant. When you are trying to conceive you really want a test you can trust and which has easy to read results.
When my husband and I started trying to get pregnant, I purchased 5 different pregnancy tests. The grocery store brand did not become positive until almost 2 weeks after my First Response positive. I was so glad I had spent a little more on that test and that it had performed as promised.
Image Credits: Walmart
Best Early Detection Kit
Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test
One of the hardest things about testing for pregnancy is waiting, both to take the test and for the result, even if it’s just a few minutes. With this test, which some users say is the best early pregnancy test before a missed period you can buy, you can test up to 5 days early (which is what we would all do!), but again, waiting until the day you expected your period is optimal. Women are also raving about the color-changing tip on this test, which offers reassurance that no, you didn’t pee on the stick too much (there’s also a floodguard to protect against this!), and yes, it’s working! You’ll collect your sample, wait 3 minutes, then read a + or - test result. Honorable mention goes to the First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test, which says you can test up to 6 days sooner.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This is a really good test and it's so easy to take it's ridiculous. I like the way the handle is designed and the strip actually changes color.
This pregnancy test is easy to use and read. The wider color changing tip makes ensuring you did it right easy. I would definitely recommend this test to others and plan to buy it for myself in the future!
Image Credits: Amazon
Fastest Kit
First Response Rapid Result Pregnancy Test
This test promises results in just 1 minute! There’s no early testing claim here, which may be why. But other tests instruct you to wait between 3 and 5 minutes after you dip your urine to read the result, so if you are like, um, every other hopeful mom-to-be, you may want to try this test first. Two pink lines indicate pregnancy. Incidentally, it’s worth noting that any First Response or Clearblue pregnancy test is probably going to be sensitive enough to quickly detect a pregnancy.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This is a convenient pregnancy test that quickly puts an end to the uncertainty and anxiety when the doctor's office is slow with the results. It's easy to use but works pretty much the same as other do it yourself kits.
We have been trying to conceive for a while and every month we are so anxious to find out if we are pregnant. My wife was 2 days late, and she tried another pregnancy test that was inconclusive. First response showed a positive result in under a minute. It was easy to use and read. I will definitely be using this brand again in the future.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Cheap Kit
New Choice Pregnancy Test
If you want an inexpensive pregnancy test, but you hate using potentially messy pregnancy test strips, this is a top-selling option to consider. Despite the low price, this test is still accurate, but lacks the bells and whistles of a name-brand test. You use it the same way as a pricier option by testing your urine. The result is displayed as two pink lines if you are pregnant and one line if you are not. P.S. You can also score dollar store pregnancy tests at, you guessed it, a dollar store.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I took these 5 days before my period was due with my daughter. Told me right away and since they were cheap I felt confident to buy the more expensive brands to confirm.
They do what they are supposed to so. You do not have to pay an arm and a leg for a pregnancy test. Sometimes simple is just better.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Digital Kit
Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test with Smart Countdown
If you’d prefer a digital test over a regular stick test, this Clearblue test is a solid option. It’s winning rave reviews because women say the simple “pregnant” or “not pregnant” result is the easiest to read. The Smart Countdown feature confirms the test is working with a charging bar that appears on the digital reader. The results appear 1 to 3 minutes after you test, which you can do up to 5 days before your missed period, but waiting until the day you miss your period will yield the most accurate result.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I loved how clear it was to read this test, but I would caution to read the label and keep in mind that the box fully admits that it really isn't that accurate until after a missed period.
No lines and trying to figure out if you see one or not. The results are fast and it’s clear, either you are pregnant or not.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Strips
ClinicalGuard HCG Pregnancy Test Strips
If you are trying to get pregnant, you may end up testing a lot. That’s why inexpensive pregnancy test strips can be your BFF until you get a BFP (big fat positive). This method of testing is not as easy to use as stick kits, but you can’t beat the price. You’ll collect urine in a clean cup, then dip in one individually sealed stick. Two lines means you are pregnant.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Recommend these to every impatient mommy that wants to test but doesn't wanna spend a lot of money!
As someone who has struggled with infertility for ten years, these were extremely nice to find. Not only for the clear results but also the ability to test often at very little cost.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Ovulation and Pregnancy Kit
Easy@Home Ovulation and Pregnancy Test Strips
Getting pregnant can be all about timing, and for couples who want to be sure to have intercourse during a woman’s most fertile days, ovulation test strips may help. This top-selling product includes strips for detecting the LH (luteinizing hormone) surge that indicates ovulation, and for testing for a pregnancy, in one convenient box. The Premom app helps you track your ovulation results to detect patterns in your ovulation, which you will test throughout the month. Just a word of caution: it can be hard to determine exactly when you’re ovulating, so be sure to read the package instructions and app usage directions very carefully. At the end of your cycle, use the pregnancy test strip dipped in a clean cup of urine to see if you are pregnant.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
These tests are super easy to use and worth the money. I would recommend anyone who is trying to conceive to give these a shot.
To all trying to conceive women who want to do it the right way, Easy@Home is the kit and you should buy it ASAP.
