Pregnancy Tests: Reviews

Updated May 2011

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Best home pregnancy test

First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test

*Est. $13 for two-test kit Compare Prices

According to scientific studies and reviews, First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test is the most sensitive and reliable home pregnancy test on the market. In product testing, it consistently detects at least 12.5… expandmIU/ml of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), an early pregnancy hormone, and in some studies, it was able to detect concentrations of hCG as low as 6.3 mIU/ml. This high sensitivity allows First Response to detect as many as 95 percent of pregnancies on the first day of the missed period. Though advertised to be able to detect a pregnancy as early as six days before a missed period, various factors such as conception and when hCG is produced translate into decreased accuracy when used this early. As a result, experts suggest most women test twice, waiting a week before taking the second test. First Response is available in two- and three-test kits. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association: This clinical study takes previous testing of home pregnancy tests (HPTs) a step further by using urine samples with a mixture of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) designed to mimic that seen in the early weeks of pregnancy.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology: This clinical study first evaluates the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine of 25 women achieving pregnancy at the time of their missed periods.

Clinical Chemistry: This clinical study evaluates 592 urine samples from women at various stages in their pregnancies to determine what form of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is prevalent at what time.

Current Medical Research and Opinion: This clinical study funded by the manufacturer of the Clearblue Easy Digital Pregnancy Test compares that test with five other over-the-counter, nondigital pregnancy tests, including the First Response Early Result.

The Early Show: This article details the results of a major consumer group's testing of 18 home pregnancy tests (HPTs) done in 2003.

Shape: Shape includes a short, lay-person-friendly summary of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology study results, noting that First Response is the most sensitive home pregnancy test, detecting 95 percent of pregnancies on the first day of a missed period.

Parents.com: Parents.com offers detailed descriptions of 10 home pregnancy tests, including how they work, when and how to use them, and their cost.

About.com: Robin Elise Weiss, About.com's guide to pregnancy and birth, tests six home pregnancy tests (HPTs) with a woman who is five weeks pregnant.

About.com: About.com offers information on home pregnancy tests (HPTs) under their Contraception guide.

ParentingWeekly.com: An offshoot of ParentingWeekly.com, PreconceptionWeekly.com offers tips and guides for women planning to conceive.

Fertility Plus: This review includes quantitative sensitivity information reported by manufacturers for a large number of home pregnancy tests.

Viewpoints.com: This site offers not only consumer reviews but also summaries of those reviews and composite pros and cons lists for each home pregnancy test (HPT). First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test earns 4.35 stars out of a possible 5 with more than 70 reviewers.

Epinions.com: Epinions.com lists dozens of pregnancy tests, but only about 18 receive owner-written ratings.

Drugstore.com: Drugstore.com, an online retailer, lists nearly a dozen home pregnancy tests (HPTs) on its website.

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Best digital home pregnancy test

First Response Gold Digital Pregnancy Test

*Est. $16 for two-test kit Compare Prices

Digital pregnancy tests aim to eliminate some of the guesswork of interpreting a home pregnancy test's results. Instead of reading lines of dye, which indicate a positive result in regular tests, First Response Gold… expandDigital Pregnancy Test displays the word yes or the word no in a small window. First Response is able to detect down to 18 mIU/ml of hCG, which translates into catching 80 percent of pregnancies on the first day of a missed period. You'll pay more for ease of interpretation with First Response Gold, as with all digital pregnancy tests, but the increased cost does not mean increased sensitivity or accuracy over nondigital pregnancy tests. First Response Gold Digital is available in kits with two to three tests. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology: Though this study does not include the First Response Gold Digital pregnancy test in its sensitivity testing, the data collected on the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine of 25 pregnant women at the time of their first missed period allows sensitivity data from other studies to be translated into clinical accuracy.

About.com: This About.com review reports that First Response Gold Digital pregnancy test is sensitive to 18 mIU/ml of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Easy to read results and great instructions are listed as key advantages of the test, while cost is named as the main con.

Parents.com: Parents.com gives details on 10 home pregnancy tests.

Viewpoints.com: Viewpoints.com posts user reviews and ratings and compiles a list of pros and cons for each product.

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for $17.24

Clearblue Easy +/- Pregnancy Test $10.50 for two-test kit

7 picks including: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drugstore.com…

Clearblue Easy Digital Pregnancy Test *Est. $18 for three-test kit

3 picks including: Viewpoints.com…