Digital Pregnancy Tests

Some find digital pregnancy tests easier to read

Standard pregnancy tests display results as lines of dye, indicating the presence of hCG. All tests have a control line to indicate the test is working properly. Most use a second line, either in a separate window or in a plus-sign shape, to indicate a positive result. But according to reviews and to those who've used pregnancy tests, deciding whether or not you see that second line can be open to some interpretation, and if you wait more than ten minutes to read the result, a urine evaporation line could look an awful lot like a positive pregnancy indicator line.

The one-piece, blue-capped Clearblue Easy Digital Pregnancy Test (*Est. $19 for two-test kit), with a sensitivity of 25 mIU, attempts to make reading between the lines easier, letting women know their results with words instead of hard-to-interpret lines. The test does the interpretation for you, displaying the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant" in a little window. Practically speaking, the Clearblue digital pregnancy test works like any other test -- you place the absorbent strip under your urine stream for five seconds. A flashing hourglass symbol appears to let you know the test is working properly. Within three minutes, the results are spelled out with either a "pregnant" or "not pregnant" reading. The test results remain on display in the window for up to 24 hours - at which time the device shuts off. Clearblue Easy Digital Pregnancy Test is also available with three tests (*Est. $20).

We found some complaints about the Clearblue digital pregnancy tests. Some women get a test malfunction reading which is an image of a book, and we read reports of incorrect assembly or a dead battery - in which cases the test cannot be used. Altogether, reviews say there's little advantage to digital pregnancy tests, and interpreting their results can be almost as frustrating as with regular tests. Digital tests are also more expensive than regular tests.

The e.p.t Certainty 1-Step Digital Home Pregnancy Test (*est. $17 for two tests) is another one-piece digital test available on the market, also detecting 25 mIU of hCG. There is potential for errors with e.p.t as well. The price of e.p.t Certainty is an issue with reviewers.

The same technology used in name-brand digital pregnancy tests is now also available in generic brands at pharmacies, such as CVS Digital Pregnancy Test (*est. $14) and Walgreens (*est. $13). Both of these come with two test strips.

First Response recently introduced an early-result digital pregnancy test to the market. Beginning in April 2008, First Response Gold (*Est. $20 for 2-strip kit) hit the shelves. The digital display reads "yes" or "no" as opposed to Clearblue and e.p.t's "pregnant" or "not pregnant." The company claims that, unlike other digital tests, First Response Gold "uses a proprietary gold technology that is so sensitive it actually detects two different forms of hCG" with a sensitivity of 18 mIU. While it is more expensive than other digital tests on the market, it can detect pregnancy as many as five days before a missed period. There are not many reviews out for this product yet, but the expense of First Response Gold seems to be the biggest concern for reviewers.