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How to choose a pregnancy test at the store and why digital tests aren't necessarily better
Whether you're hoping to get pregnant or not, the first thing you're probably going to do if you think you might be pregnant is spring for a pregnancy test – but with so many options, how do you know which is the most accurate? All legitimate pregnancy tests work in the same way: by detecting the pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). There are two main ways you can take pregnancy tests:
DIY methods like mixing urine with bleach are not recommended by doctors and should be avoided. How to choose a store-bought pregnancy testSince a doctor's visit is often less convenient and more expensive, most people will opt for the store-bought test you can take at home. But it's not as simple as it sounds because there are a lot of options. For example, there are digital and non-digital tests. Digital tests are the ones that read "pregnant" or "not pregnant" and the non-digital ones usually have lines that you must interpret. Even a faint line might still denote a positive result. So, digital tests take the guesswork out of analyzing a pregnancy test, but they are not necessarily more accurate. Ross personally recommends non-digital tests. Moreover, there's the cost to consider. Even the most expensive tests have the potential to be inaccurate if they're taken too soon. You should also always check the expiration date, according to Ross, especially if the product is on sale at the store. Some popular brands include:
Don't buy a test based on how early it can detect pregnancyThese and many other pregnancy tests will say that they can detect pregnancy days before your first period. For example, First Response's Early Result Pregnancy Test states it can tell if you're pregnant up to 6 days before a missed period. However, doctors agree that if you're looking for the most accurate result, it's best to wait for the hCG levels to be detectable in the urine. "Waiting for a missed period and [testing your urine] first thing in the morning is going to probably be the most accurate way, other than going to your doctor's office," Ross says. "If you're checking a few days before your period, whether it's digital or non-digital, it's not going to be as accurate as if you're testing a day after your period was expected to come." What matters more than the test you chooseWhen it comes to different brands, cheap versus expensive, or digital versus non-digital, there are two other factors that are actually more important for accuracy: how concentrated the urine is and how far out you are from conception. If pregnant, your urine will be most concentrated with hCG during your first pee of the day, and each day of pregnancy that goes by in the first 11 weeks of pregnancy, hCG levels increase. This is why the tests are more reliable with the more time that passes after a missed period. "In any of these home tests, there's going to be pros and cons for all of them," says Ross. "I would say the number one thing is you want to make sure you want to really know your dates. [Ask yourself] 'When could I have gotten pregnant? When am I missing a period?'" Once you have these benchmarks, you can figure out when your period is late and when you should start testing to have more reliable results. Related stories about pregnancy and pregnancy tests:
Ashley Laderer is a freelance writer from New York who specializes in health and wellness. Follow her on Twitter @ashladerer Read more Read less More... How far along do you have to be to test positive on a digital?Digital tests, however, are sensitive enough to pick up as low as 15 mIU/mL of hCG and detect conception 10 days after ovulation.
Do digital pregnancy tests require more hCG?Generally, most dye tests detect hCG in urine at levels between 25 mIU/mL and 50 mIU/mL. Digital tests, on the other hand, are less sensitive and may require more hCG — which is why you should wait until you've actually missed your period to try this type of test.
Can a digital test detect pregnancy at 1 week?With FIRST RESPONSE™ Gold Digital Pregnancy Test, you can now whether you are pregnant even earlier. Featuring First to Detect™ Technology, this at-home urine pregnancy test is sensitive enough to capture early levels of pregnancy hormones and give you results up to 6 days sooner than your missed period.
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