Best Pregnancy Tests: 5 Most Accurate Pregnancy Tests 2023
Updated on
- Written by Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD
Medically reviewed by
Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
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First Reponse Triple Check Pregnancy Test
- Three different tests included
- Over 99% accurate
- Scan and confirmed results with free app
- Early detection six days before a missed period
Premom Easy@Home Pregnancy Urine Test Strips
- Cost-effective
- 99% accuracy rate
- 100% customer satisfaction guarantee
- Scan and confirm results with free app
Stix Pregnancy Test
- 99% accuracy rate
- Discreetly delivered
- Multi-buy and subscription discounts
- Designed by women
When taking a pregnancy test, you want to be confident in its result. So whether you’re trying to conceive or wondering if your missed period might mean something more, home pregnancy tests can give you the answer you need without a visit to the doctor’s office. Some pregnancy test brands can detect a positive test result as soon as six days before your missed period.
At-home urine tests work by detecting the presence of pregnancy hormones in the body. However, not all at-home pregnancy tests are created equal. While urine tests seem to be the most common form of testing, there are other pregnancy tests you might consider.
This article will review some of the best pregnancy tests available today to help you decide what the best pregnancy test for you is.
5 Best Pregnancy Tests On The Market In (September. 2023)
- First Reponse Triple Check Pregnancy Test – Editor’s Choice
- Premom Easy@Home Pregnancy Urine Test Strips – Best Pregnancy Test Strips
- Stix Pregnancy Test – Best Pregnancy Test From Women-Founded Company
- Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test – Fastest Results
- Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown – Best Digital Pregnancy Test
How Do Home Pregnancy Tests Work?
At-home pregnancy tests carefully measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)[1], a pregnancy hormone that can be measured after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall. But how do pregnancy tests actually detect hCG levels? Every test is designed differently, but the mechanics are relatively the same.
Home pregnancy tests are equipped with a unique, absorbent paper that comes pre-loaded with the molecules necessary to detect hCG. A urine sample containing hCG is wicked into the paper, and it passes areas where those molecules have been placed. Dyed antibodies cling to hCG and create a visible test line. Any antibodies that haven’t attached to hCG will flow onto a control line to let the tester know they used enough urine. Two lines indicate a positive result.
It’s important to note that, while rare, other medical reasons[2] could cause detectable hCG levels and ultimately result in a false positive result.
When To Take A Pregnancy Test?
For the most accurate results, the opportune time to take a pregnancy test is one week after a missed period. While some tests may detect pregnancy 1-2 weeks after conception, hCG takes time to build within the body. Therefore, testing before a missed period may result in a false negative.
While the following reasons aren’t always indicative of pregnancy, you might decide to take a pregnancy test if:
- Contraception attempts fail
- You miss an expected period
- You experience cramps before a late period
- Your breasts hurt
- You’re experiencing nausea, fatigue, food aversions, or frequent urination
Top 5 Pregnancy Tests Reviews In 2023
First Response Triple Check Pregnancy Test
Since this First Response test can be taken six days before a missed period, it is a great early pregnancy test option for those in need. In addition, with three tests in the pack, First Response gives customers peace of mind that others don’t.
- Three different tests included
- Over 99% accurate
- Scan and confirm results with a free application (app)
- Early detection six days before a missed period
- Some digital tests malfunction
First Response offers some of the best pregnancy tests on the market, and they include three of them in their Triple Check Pregnancy Test kit. The three-pack consists of a First Response Early Result test, a First Response Digital test, and a First Response Rapid Result test. Three tests are better than one!
Between these three First Response tests, you can have extra assurance in the results even before a missed period. You can test as soon as six days before your missed period and scan and confirm your results in the EasyRead app.
You can find the First Response Triple Check kit over-the-counter in most drugstores or buy it online. You can make a one-time purchase or set up a subscription delivery for cost savings when buying online.
Premom Easy@Home Pregnancy Urine Test Strips
Premom’s Easy@Home Pregnancy Urine Test Strips are a cost-effective and trusted way to test for pregnancy. Plus, you can use Premom’s free app to scan and confirm your test results to take any guessing out of the equation.
- Cost-effective
- 99% accuracy rate
- 100% customer satisfaction guarantee
- Scan and confirm results with free app
- Pregnancy detectable one day before the expected period
Premom is a leader in the women’s reproductive health industry, providing customers with products and resources that support a woman’s fertility journey from ovulation to pregnancy. From thermometers to ovulation and pregnancy tests, customers can feel supported at every step when trying to conceive.
At less than $0.50 per test, the Easy@Home Pregnancy Test Strips are a cost-effective way to detect pregnancy from the comfort of your home. The user-friendly manual test requires you to dip the hCG test strips into a small collection of your urine. Then, allow 5-10 seconds for the dye to rise to the results window before checking for one or two lines. Two lines indicate a positive result, while one indicates a negative result.
According to Premom’s website, the Easy@Home tests can detect pregnancy as soon as one day before your expected period, requiring patience if you’re trying to conceive. However, Premom boasts that their tests are 99 percent accurate and pair them with a free app that can help customers read their results clearly. Simply scan your test strips into the app to confirm your results.
Stix Pregnancy Test
Along with a variety of women’s health products, Stix offers a pregnancy test kit designed by women and backed by science. With your discretion in mind, Stix products are only available on their website.
- 99% accuracy rate
- Discreetly delivered
- Multi-buy and subscription discounts
- Designed by women
- High cost per test
- Only available on their website
Stix co-founders Cynthia and Jamie saw a need in the women’s health market for access to both discreet health products and information about health management. An awkward encounter when buying a pregnancy test at a drugstore prompted a conversation between colleagues that ultimately blossomed into Stix’s prominent women’s health company.
Designed by women with support from expert doctors and scientific research, Stix offers a wide variety of products. It can be your one-stop shop, offering products including ovulation tests, urinary tract infection (UTI) kits, yeast infection kits, and pregnancy tests.
Stix pregnancy tests are made with early detection technology, meaning they can detect a pregnancy as soon as three days before a missed period. In addition, tests are said to be easy to read, with two lines indicating a positive pregnancy test.
Stix products are only sold on its website, which makes discreet delivery possible. Compared to other home pregnancy tests, the Stix tests are more expensive. However, there are multi-buy or subscription discounts available.
Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test
If you think you could be pregnant and want to know as soon as possible, Clearblue’s Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test might be just what you want. You can find your answer in as little as one minute and trust its 99% accuracy rate.
- 99% accuracy rate
- Can test five days before missed period
- Fast results in as soon as one minute
- Curved handle and wide tip
- Blue dye can be hard to read
Like most pregnancy tests, the Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test boasts a 99% accuracy rate. However, this test is unique because it can give you a positive result in as little as one short minute. In addition, this manual test comes with a broad tip and Floodguard technology that helps eliminate errors when urinating on absorbent paper.
Users can take the Clearblue Rapid Detection test as early as five days before their missed period. Still, with their relatively high cost per test, you might wait until closer to your expected period to ensure your body has enough time to accumulate hCG.
While these tests are considered 99 percent accurate, it’s important to note that blue dye tests can be challenging to read, leaving indent or evaporation lines. The dye can be responsible for dreaded false positives, so you might consider retesting with another at-home pregnancy test kit to confirm your results.
Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown Timer
30% Off Coupon: carrot30
Clearblue offers some of the best in the digital pregnancy test market. Their Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown Timer includes the trusted Clearblue technology with a countdown clock to help ease your mind while waiting for your results.
- User-friendly
- Easy-to-read results
- Shows countdown to result
- Early detection
- High cost per test
Digital tests are user-friendly and have easy-to-read results. The Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test With Smart Countdown Timer is no exception. Unlike other tests, this early result pregnancy test has a wide tip and Floodguard technology that make it easy to test correctly.
Once the urine hits the absorbent paper, a little onscreen countdown clock appears to let you know the test is working and to help ease your nerves as you wait. Then, approximately one to three minutes later, your result is ready.
Once the test is ready, the words “pregnant” or “not pregnant” appear on the screen, eliminating any uncertainty in the results. You can test as early as five days before your missed period (four days before an expected period) with over a 99% accuracy rate.
What You Should Search For In A Pregnancy Test
With so many options on the market today, choosing the best home pregnancy tests can feel overwhelming. Of course, the most important thing to look for when choosing an at-home pregnancy test kit is accuracy, but there are other factors to consider as well.
Display Method
Nothing is more frustrating than taking a pregnancy test and not knowing what the results tell you. For some, line tests can be hard to read. And sometimes, a line test can make you question your eyes. Is that a second line? If you’re concerned about your ability to read the test’s results, you might consider a digital test with a more straightforward display. Words like “pregnant vs. not pregnant” or “yes vs. no” can eliminate doubt.
Cost
With so many pregnancy tests available today, it’s no surprise to see a wide range of prices between tests. Pregnancy test strips tend to be the most cost-effective, while digital pregnancy tests tend to be the most expensive. So, how much are pregnancy tests? You can find pregnancy test strips that cost less than a dollar each when bought in bulk, while some digital tests can cost over $20 each. Still, it’s critical to remember that the best cheap pregnancy test may not be known for its accuracy, so be sure to read customer reviews.
Expiration Date
Of course, no matter the test type or brand of test you choose, check the expiration date on the product’s box. Using expired tests can cause an error in your results, even if they’re some of the top pregnancy tests on the market.
Other Types Of Pregnancy Tests
While at-home urine pregnancy tests are widely available and extremely common, there are other tests available that can provide trusted results. For example, you might decide to seek answers from your doctor in the form of a blood test or clinical urine test instead of using a home-based testing kit.
A blood pregnancy test from your healthcare provider can detect a pregnancy earlier than over-the-counter tests. A blood test may be the best early pregnancy test. Since blood pregnancy tests measure the amount of hCG in your system, they can detect a pregnancy as soon as six to eight days after conception. The serum test can also measure the early pregnancy factor (EPF)[3], a hormone that can be detected as soon as 48 hours after the egg is fertilized.
Clinical urine tests can also be administered in your doctor’s office. They aren’t necessarily more accurate than at-home urine tests for detecting pregnancy hormones, but your doctor can help reduce the risk of error that can affect the accuracy of the results.
Final Thought
Whether you’re trying to conceive or surprised by a potential pregnancy, you want your pregnancy test to be accurate and easy to understand. Unfortunately, with so many at-home pregnancy tests to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Start by choosing the type of test you feel most confident taking. Choose between pregnancy test strips, line tests, or digital tests. From there, select a brand you can put your trust in. Then, take your test and retest as needed!
This article does not take the place of medical advice. If you test positive after taking a pregnancy test, talk with your doctor or certified midwife, so they can help you plan for the best possible care going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most accurate pregnancy tests available today, including lines and digital tests, advertise an accuracy rate of over 99 percent. However, accurate results also rely on proper test taking, so be sure to read the product’s instructions and avoid taking the test too soon.
In general, you can trust the results of your chosen pregnancy test if you take the test as intended. Pregnancy tests can vary in technology, which determines how soon you can take the test after conception. Read the instructions on the product and avoid taking the test too soon. It takes time for enough hCG to accumulate in your system to cause a positive result.
Some tests can detect pregnancy earlier than others. If you’re eager to test early, be sure to read the product’s instructions to ensure you’re testing at an appropriate time. If taken too soon, your pregnancy test results can be inaccurate. However, First Response offers a test that boasts accuracy when taken six days before a missed period.
Yes, it’s possible to get a negative result when you are pregnant. False negatives usually occur when the test is taken too soon. It takes time for enough hCG to accumulate for a positive result. Some tests can be taken one day before a missed period, while others can be taken up to six days before. Be sure to follow the test’s instructions.
+ 3 sources
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- VAITUKAITIS, J.L. (2004). Development of the Home Pregnancy Test. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, [online] 1038(1), pp.220–222. doi:10.1196/annals.1315.030.
- Betz, D. and Fane, K. (2022). Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532950/
- Anderson, J. and Ghaffarian, K.R. (2022). Early Pregnancy Diagnosis. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556135/
Written by:
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
