Most Sensitive Pregnancy Tests: Brands For Early, Reliable Testing & The Drawbacks Of Some Brands

 

 Most Sensitive Pregnancy Tests: Brands For Early, Reliable Testing & The Drawbacks Of Some Brands

 8-7-2012

My 2 then bold lines are now 30 months & 5 days old.

 

 

Most grown women have been in a place a time or two (or twenty) where they find themselves needing to take a pregnancy test, whether due to a delayed menstrual period (such as me right now), pregnancy-like symptoms, or because they are trying to conceive a baby and have developed a well-known-to-me syndrome I call ‘ POAS syndrome’ (Pee on a stick.) If you ever really wanted a bundle of love you are well aware of this terminology.

 

So when faced with the perplexing question of which HPT (home pregnancy test) to buy, which are most sensitive? Which ones can you really trust? Remember…sensitivity means the earliest a test can pick up the HCG pregnancy hormone and yield a positive result after a successful conception.

 

Be forewarned ladies. This new technology that enables us to test earlier and earlier comes with its price. It can pick up very early miscarriages known as chemical pregnancies that you may not have even been aware of with a less sensitive brand. I had one of those.

 

 A chemical pregnancy is where a period might be slightly delayed or may even not be late at all yet. You take a test, get a true positive result, and then the test soon turns negative and you start your menses. This is the price we pay when testing early and with such sensitive brands. Most women have had these, and many will never know.

 

 

So which tests top the list for early and reliable pregnancy testing? Come along with me and find out.

 

1) First Response Early Result

This test has been known to yield a positive result for some up to 6 full days before a missed period (WOW!) The sensitivity is incredible. It definitely tops out our list. HCG pregnancy hormone levels have been detected as low as 6.5 mIU/ml which surpasses any other test..hands down. These I have found, along with the Answer brand, are extremely reliable, and fair the best as far as confusing evaporation lines are concerned. False positives are very rare. It’s a solid test best bought at Walmart for savings. (When they are in stock.)

 

 

2) AimStep, AimStick, and Aim Midstream

Aim pregnancy tests rank at #2 because they detect HCG concentrations of 20 mIU/ml. These come in cassette form, dipsticks, and midstream test forms, but I have only found them sold online. My HPT days go back awhile, so I don’t know if they have hit the mainstream market since I have last been in it. But if you are trying to conceive, stocking up with these fairly inexpensive tests is not a bad idea at all.

 

These are more reliable and easier to read than other thin, Internet cheapies. If you do want to ‘go there’ and buy the real cheapies in bulk, the best strips I’ve found.. (and I have used many), is the Wondfo brand. Others I tried were pretty bad with evap lines and weren’t as sensitive, it seemed. (That’s my own opinion.)

 

 At this link, you can get Wondfo Pregnancy Test Strips ..25 of them, for only $8.15. Pee all you want to!

 (They have cheap ovulation strips as well. I used them myself. Always accurate.)

 

 

3) Dollar store tests: New Choice brand, Baby Test.

These can also detect levels as low as 20 mIU/ml. Some websites claim 25, but they have been proven to be lower now. At $1 a pop you really can’t go wrong as long as you don’t put a whole lot of stock in a ‘questionable’ result.

 

(See photos below)

 

 

Brighter

So far..proven untrue. It has happened before, years back.

 

During my TTC (Trying to conceive) journey, I have had many ‘evaporation’ (seemingly false positives), and was found out by blood to have NOT been pregnant at all. Many of these tests were the New Choice brand. Make sure to read these tests (all tests but especially this one) within the testing time limit, and resist the urge to pull it out of the trash, break it apart, and hunt for a line. I always saw something when I did that. That being said, I took many more of these tests and Internet cheapies at the rate I was testing, than any other brand. I was bound for some issues with the more frequent tests used.

 

As of yet, I am not declared pregnant at all. I will update here if that were to change. Nevertheless, for a casual person who knows this, and also a POAS-A-HOLIC, stocking up on cheapies is not a bad idea at all. A definite positive is a definite positive. Questionable results requires a re-test with a better brand.

 

My test with the twins

(photo)

 

 

A no doubt about it positive with obvious progression

 These are sensitive tests with plenty of dye. Most women love them. At only a buck who wouldn’t try them?

 

 

4) Answer Early Result

There are quite a few tests in this 25 mIU/ml category, but this one by far has the best track record for yielding truthful and easy to read results. After using these more times than I can count, as I did most every pregnancy test brand, this one never gave me any false positives/ evaporation lines. It’s extremely reliable and raved about in the TTC community. They are fairly inexpensive (again, especially at Walmart), and are great for testing up to 5 days before your missed period.

 

 

 5) EPT and Clear Blue Easy (+ or – tests)

 I’m not a big fan of the +/ – types of tests. I personally prefer looking for one line only. They do make a 2 line one of the Clearblue at least, but these are more sensitive it seems. You can also test up to 5 days sooner. Both of the above EPT and Clearblue brands have a sensitivity of 25 mIU/ml. That being said, these are sensitive, name brand tests that work well for most. However, they have yielded their fair share of false positive / evap line results. There were enough complaints for me (among my TTC friends) to have avoided buying these since I was pregnant with my 1st and knew nothing about pregnancy tests.

 

The rate of false positives, (evaporation lines), vs. real true positives, of course leans in favor of the brand(s). They’ve been around forever, and though a bit pricey in my book, they do do the job if you do happen to pick one up.  They are said to work up to 5 days before a missed period as well. These make the list because they do rank high on the most reliable test brands, here on the internet.

 

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**FYI- Again, I am not a huge fan of the +/- tests because they can cause confusion unless they are super obvious, and also the positive result tends to fade away. (Another downer.) I just like looking for one line. Not seeing two, not attempting to see two. This even more so creates lino-vision in my book. (The Equates +/- though.. I think are perhaps a bit more reliable, and definitely less expensive.)

 

In the most horrendous pregnancy test category, AccuClear from Target takes the cake. I warn you HEAVILLY about these tests. There was never a one that didn’t give me an obvious, colored line that broke my heart each and every time. It did the same for many I knew while TTC, so steer clear from these IF they are still around. That’s my advice anyway.**

 

Evaporation/ false + line on an AccuClear example:

Believe me.. I’ve had darker lines than this one. Then other brands were clearly negative  .

 

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Also 25 mIU/ml & a bit cheaper to buy:

 

CVS Early Result

 

CVS cartridge or stick

 

Rite Aid +/-

 

Walgreens +/-

 

Target +/-

(The nasty AccuClear test is also sold there. Stay away PLEASE! It’s made by Inverness. The other Target test is much better than that one.)

 

 

Digital pregnancy testing

 

Women who want to be pregnant are DYING to see the word pregnant on a digital test. It’s an amazing sight to behold, but too bad the result only lasts for 24 hours..(dang). Maybe one day they will find a way to preserve these readings for life. Anyway, there are a few brands of digital tests. They are, of course, more expensive than your average pregnancy tests are, and rarely yield a false positive result. I don’t think I have ever heard of one during my years of TTC without at least a chemical pregnancy being evident.

 

I personally recommend getting lines on another brand or brands before taking a digital, as false negatives have been reported and can be disheartening. That being said, their sensitivity levels range from test to test. I just don’t find them AS sensitive as some of the traditional brands..though some may disagree. Like I said..it does vary. I say use this when you really have some evidence of a BFP first (Big fat positive.) With the twins at 9 days post IUI I got my positive, ‘regular’ test. At 11 days…my bold ‘pregnant’. Clearblue digital tests are very reliable in my experience. I haven’t used any of the others.

 

 

Here’s just a little, Friday funny for ya.

 

 

Good luck testing!

 I’m right there with you, however, for the first time in many years I am praying for the opposite result. (GULP )