728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Early Pregnancy › Am I or Not?

Am I or Not?

At-home Tests Are Easy
and Reliable

By Kelly Burgess

Pages:  1  2  3  

If there is a question as to the accuracy of the test, or in cases where there may have been infertility issues, the doctor can verify the home pregnancy test with one of two simple blood tests – a quantitative blood test or a qualitative blood test. These tests, like the urine tests, measure the amount of hCG in the blood. The difference is that a quantitative blood test measures the exact amount of hCG in the blood, even very small amounts, which makes it very accurate. A qualitative hCG blood test is more like the urine test in that it gives a simple "yes" or "no" answer to the question of whether or not you are pregnant.

The other big difference between blood tests and urine tests is that blood tests can pick up the presence of hCG much earlier in a pregnancy than urine tests can. Blood tests can tell if you are pregnant about six to eight days after you ovulate, whereas urine tests are most reliable about two weeks after ovulation. However, home pregnancy tests are becoming ever more sensitive, and some now claim to be able to tell if you are pregnant as early as six days after you conceive, perhaps even before you miss a menstrual period.

There are many types of pregnancy tests currently on the market, from less expensive store brands to those sold by well-known companies. The biggest difference between them is their sensitivity to detecting hCG, which translates into finding out as early as possible that a pregnancy has occurred. In general, if you are pregnant, hCG levels are between 5 to 50 mIU a week before your period is due. That number should double every two to three days. (See Pregnancy Test Sensitivity Chart.)

* Name changed to protect privacy.

Pregnancy Test Sensitivity Chart

The following chart lists what tests are available and the lowest level of hCG they can detect. Chart Courtesy of BabyHopes.com.

Pregnancy Test Brand Name Lowest Amount of hCG Detected
AimStick Pregnancy Test 20 mIU
AccuHome Midstream Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
Answer Early Result Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
Clearblue Easy Earliest Result Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
Confirm 1-Step Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
CVS Midstream Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
Equate Pregnancy Test (Wal-Mart) (purple cap) 25 mIU
First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
One Step Be Sure Pregnancy Test 25 mIU
e.p.t. Home Pregnancy Test 40 mIU
Fact Plus Pregnancy Test 40 mIU
Clearblue Easy Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
ClearPlan Easy Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
CVS Cartridge Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Dollar Store Brand Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Drug Emporium Brand Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Early Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
RiteAid Brand Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Target Brand Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Walgreens Brand Pregnancy Test 50 mIU
Answer Pregnancy Test 100 mIU
Conceive Pregnancy Test 100 mIU
Precise Pregnancy Test 100 mIU
Walgreens Pregnancy Test 100 mIU


Pages:  1  2  3  

Want to see more?

Comments

There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to add a comment.

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.