If you suspect you’re pregnant, you want a pregnancy test that will give you reliable results as early as possible. Depending on factors like age, digital pregnancy tests are not necessarily more accurate but can detect pregnancy earlier than analog (non-digital) tests.
How do pregnancy tests work?
Pregnancy tests work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a person’s urine or blood. The most common type is the at-home urine test, which has a reactive strip that indicates a positive result if hCG is present. These can be digital or traditional, which means they will simply show one line for a negative pregnancy test and two pink lines for a negative pregnancy test.
For a blood test, a person would need to visit a clinic.
Which Pregnancy Test Should I Use?
All pregnancy tests do the same thing: detect the presence of hCG, which indicates a pregnancy. The main difference between digital and traditional pregnancy tests is their detection sensitivity.
According to one study, digital tests, like ClearBlue, can detect lower hormone levels at ten mIU/ml. In contrast, traditional tests typically require a higher level of 25 mIU/ml.
When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test for the Most Accurate Results?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the best time for a pregnancy test is one day after your first missed period.
Suppose you wait a few more days before testing again. In that case, the results will be even more reliable because the pregnancy hormone hCG levels double every 2-3 days, making it more detectable in a later test.
What Should I Do Next?
Whether you were trying to get pregnant or if this is a complete surprise, the suspense of not knowing if you’re pregnant can be nerve-wracking. At the Pregnancy Center of West Houston, we help you with emotional support and practical resources, such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.
Contact us for no-cost, lab-quality pregnancy testing where you can get the certainty you need to move forward. Schedule an appointment today!