Not All Pregnancy Tests Are Created Equal
A Pregnancy Test By Any Other Name...
Many women (and men) think that taking a home pregnancy test is as easy as going to the store, grabbing one off the shelf and hitting the bathroom once you get home. However, pregnancy tests aren't all the same and when one says you're not pregnant, another one might tell you that you are. If you're going to be using home pregnancy tests at any time in the future, there are some things you need to know.
The hCG Factor
When a women becomes pregnant, the body creates a hormone called hCG. Very early in the pregnancy, the hCG amounts are minimal and some pregnancy tests aren't made to detect very low levels of the pregnancy hormone. If you take the test too early, the results will come back negative, even if you're pregnant.
Which Ones Detect Less?
What is the difference between one pregnancy test and the next? Some pregnancy tests can detect hCG levels as low as 20 mIU while others require there to be at least 100 mIU in the urine for a positive result. Some of the pregnancy tests that detect 20 to 25 mIU include AccuHome, Baby Test, Clear Blue Easy, EPT and First Response Early Result (not to be confused with the regular First Response home pregnancy tests).
False Positives?
Many people who take home pregnancy tests feel that a positive result may not be accurate because the tests do have a small (very small) chance of being incorrect. While it is true that pregnancy tests are not 100-percent accurate, almost every single false result to come out of home pregnancy tests are false negatives resulting from taking the tests too early.
If you take a home pregnancy test and the result is positive, assume that you're pregnant. While there are rare instances of false positives, it's better to be safe than sorry and if you are pregnant, you need to get to a doctor for a wellness checkup right away.