First Response Pregnancy Test: A Firsthand Review

Planning a family is an exciting period in a woman's life. The sooner that she finds a reliable pregnancy test that will produce faster, accurate results, the sooner she can enjoy the perks of being an expectant mother and lifestyle changes. For some women, planning a family can be a tedious process, therefore testing and finding out your results shouldn't be.

One of the first steps in the pregnancy process after conception stage is the development of Human Chronic Gonadotrophin (HCG), which is known as the "pregnancy hormone." This particular hormone develops in a woman's body around 6 to 10 days after conception. During this time the fertilized egg has settled itself in the uterine wall. As learned on www.ladytimer.com, each day that progresses after conception, the hCG levels rapidly increase at a steady pace. In a 36 to 48 hour period of time the hCG levels double, which allows the hormone to reach a high level in a short amount of time.

Normally, that would mean that the higher the hCG levels, the more accurate your response will be. First Response Pregnancy Tests have been developed with increased sensitivity which allows a lower level of the hormone to be required for a fast accurate response. The Web site www.peeonastick.com rates the sensitivity of various pregnancy tests. On their list of tests, First Response has a sensitivity level of 25 when detecting the hCG hormone. This is one of the better sensitivity levels among the 50 brands that are listed.

Most pregnancy test brands take a little longer to detect the presence of hCG in a woman's urine and that's simply because they have lower sensitivity levels. Most do not actually detect hCG levels until after your period has been missed. But, with a First Response pregnancy tests, hCG levels, whether high or low, can be detected before your missed period has occurred.

I purchased my First Response pregnancy test at CVS, where paid about $13 for a box that included 2 testing sticks. When I started the testing process it was quite simple. I began by urinating on the test stick that was provided. Immediately after taking the test, I laid it on a flat surface with the results window facing upward. This gives the test the time it needs to process. The directions say that you will see results after about 3 minutes. But I actually watched the test work its magic, as color began to appear across results window sooner than 3 minutes. Normally, the results will reveal two lines signifying positive for pregnancy, or one line signifying negative of pregnancy. In my case, the results revealed a positive response with two dark lines. The lines are clearly defined once the results come in, although they may appear light depending on the timing of your test. The earlier that the test is taken the lighter the result lines may appear, because the test detects the lowest level of hCG during the time immediately after conception.

First Response pregnancy tests have proven to be 99% accurate, and have been preferred by many consumers. It is an inexpensive pregnancy test that ranges from $12-$18 depending on the type of test that you purchase under the First Response brand. You definitely get your money's worth with First Response pregnancy tests and kits because for most test types you get 2-3 testing sticks for the price that you would pay for only one test stick from other brands. I have not yet come across any disadvantages for the First Response pregnancy test and I would recommend it to others without hesitation. Most consumer ratings that I have come across have rated First Response pregnancy tests at a steady 4/5 star rating. These ratings can be found at www.epinions.com.