Home Pregnancy Tests: Finding Which One is Right for You

Am I? Could I be? Maybe I am. These are all thoughts that run through the minds of women that think they might possibly be pregnant. Finding out if you are pregnant can now be done in the comfort of your own home. A home pregnancy test may be just what is needed to answer that all-consuming question, "Am I Pregnant?" Which home pregnancy test is right for you?

First Response

First Response is a popular brand home pregnancy test that can be taken as early as the five days before a missed period. First Response Early Results Pregnancy Test and First Response ® Gold ™ Early Result Digital Pregnancy Test products can detect the hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) chemical in urine as early as five days before the missed period. The First Response ® home pregnancy test can detect hCG in urine as early as the day the period should have started with up to a 99% accuracy.

Most of the First Response products display results within a three minute time frame. The First Response ® Rapid Result Pregnancy Test displays results in less than one minute. The average price of a First Response Pregnancy Test is between $12 and $13 and often two tests are included.

E.P.T. Home Pregnancy Test

E.P.T. is a commonly used pregnancy test. E.P.T. also has a digital home pregnancy test as part of its product line. Accurate results can be seen as early as the first day of the missed period with 99% accuracy. A simple plus or minus sign displays the result of the test, plus equals you are pregnant and minus equals you are not pregnant. Results can be read after two minutes. A feature some women preferred of the E.P.T. test is that a positive result has no time restriction on reading the result. The average cost of an E.P.T. home pregnancy test is between $13 and $16 dollars.

Clear Blue Easy

The Clear Blue Easy pregnancy test can be used as early as five days before your missed period. So you know the test is functioning properly, the sure tip changes to a pink color. Results can be read no earlier than two minutes. A + sign means you are pregnant and a - sign means you are not pregnant. Clear Blue Easy has a digital version available as well. You can purchase a Clear Blue Easy home pregnancy test for between $13 and $20 dollars depending on the store and the type.

Baby Test (Dollar Store)

If you want to find out if you are pregnant or not but can not afford high dollar pregnancy tests, the Baby Test is available at most Dollar Stores. For the most part, these tests are very similar to the more expensive brands. Though they are not quite as easy to use, the results are the same. The Baby Test requires you to take a urine sample in a cup. The next step is to fill the small dropper with urine from the sample and to place three or four drops in the collection window. You then wait three minutes before reading the test results. I have personally used these tests and have had accurate results every time. The cost of each Baby Test is between $1 and $2 dollars.

Pregnancy Test Strips

Pregnancy Test Strips is another accurate method of knowing whether or not you are pregnant. Pregnancy Test Strips can be used as early as six to eight days after conception. This type of test can be done days before a missed period. In order to use pregnancy test strips, you use a collection cup to collect a urine sample. Hold a test strip in the urine sample at a vertical angle for only a few seconds. Results can be read in five minutes. Pregnancy Test Strips are similar to the tests performed at the doctor's office. Pregnancy Test Strips can be ordered online at Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com. The prices of these tests are between $0.92 and $0.50 per test depending on the amount you order.

Luna

Luna offers a HCG Pregnancy Test that can be used fourteen days after conception. The Luna pregnancy test requires you to collect a urine sample in a collection cup. The next step is to hold the pregnancy strip in the urine sample at a vertical angle for a few seconds. Results can be read after five minutes. Luna pregnancy tests can be purchased for about $3 dollars.

New Choice Early Pregnancy Home Test Kit

New Choice Early Pregnancy Home Test Kit is a home pregnancy test that is FDA cleared and also recommended by doctors. The test is simple to use and requires no collection cup. You hold the test in your urine stream for ten to fifteen seconds. Test results can be read in as early as one minute but may take as long as three minutes. New Choice can be used anytime of the day though the highest level of hCG will be in the first urination of the day. You can purchase of New Choice Early Pregnancy home test kit for between $2.50 and $4.00. Instructions inside the test kit are in English and Spanish.

Equate Pregnancy Test

The Wal-Mart brand of home pregnancy tests is Equate ® Pregnancy Test. This test kit is known for being affordable, accurate and simple to use. The Equate test can be used as early as the first day of the missed period. The home pregnancy test is used by holding the absorbent end in the urine stream for ten to fifteen seconds. Results can be read in as soon as one minute but may take up to three minutes. Instructions in each kit are in English as well as in Spanish. These tests can be purchased at Wal-Mart only for between $4 and $5 dollars.