The first few weeks of pregnancy are critical to fetal development, so early prenatal care is important for a healthy birth weight and the baby’s survival. The sooner you know you’re pregnant, the sooner you can begin making healthy pregnancy choices for yourself and your baby that include: diet, nutrition and limiting your exposure to hazards. We know just how important it is to be able to trust the brands you are using for such a key moment in your life. For that reason, we thoroughly researched and vetted the brands and pregnancy tests included in this round up to ensure they were well-regarded by medical professionals, with many of these tests being recommended and rated by doctors and family planning clinics. In most cases, medics agree that whilst they may vary in sensitivity levels, home pregnancy tests are generally an accurate way to detect pregnancy, so long as they are used correctly.

Some drugs may have Authority Required (Streamlined) status which does not require an explicit approval from Medicare, instead the doctor can use the Authority code found in the published Schedule for a given drug/indication. If you can't spend the money on a home pregnancy test, there are also places to get free pregnancy tests. Be sure you know who is doing the test and their credentials and motives for testing. In laboratory testing, the FIRST RESPONSE Gold™ Digital Pregnancy Test detected the pregnancy hormone levels in 60% of pregnant women, 5 days before their expected period: in 86% of pregnant women, 4 days before their expected period; in 96% of pregnant women, 3 days before their expected period; in >99% of pregnant women, 2 days before their expected period; in >99% of pregnant women, 1 day before their expected period; and in >99% of pregnant women, on the day of their expected period. Fast, simple and reliable, the First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test (or 'FRER' as it's more commonly known on Mumsnet) is one brand of pregnancy test which has been highly recommended by Mumsnet users for years for providing the most accurate results.

What do I do if the result is positive (pregnant)?

All pregnancy tests are not the same. With its sensitive technology, First Response™ Early Result In-Stream Pregnancy Test can detect very low levels of the pregnancy hormone¹ 6 days before the day of your missed period (5 days before expected period)¹. EARLY RESULTS test 6 DAYS before your missed period (5 days before day of expected period). It is recommended you take a pregnancy test on the first day after your period would have been due. If you have irregular periods, you may prefer to instead test around three weeks after you had unprotected sex.

It’s not fun to play the guessing game at what is likely already an emotional time. That’s why the Clearblue Digital pregnancy test can be super helpful. It has a flashing countdown timer so that you know exactly when it’s ready to read, and it spells your results out in words rather than lines. Generally speaking, as the levels of the pregnancy hCG hormone rise every two or three days during pregnancy, a pregnancy test will be more accurate the later you leave it after having unprotected sex. Can the marketing be trusted? A much-cited 2014 analysis of pregnancy test claims and results Opens a new window noted that claims made for home pregnancy tests are "inconsistent." So take them with a grain of salt. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting the hCG hormone in your urine, however, in some circumstances, such as when you are having fertility treatment or have medical conditions, you may be asked to head for a blood test with your doctor.After taking a look at the conversation, we understood that the best pregnancy tests are easy to use, offer clear results, and are a good value for the money. We found the tests that met this standard, and compared them against criteria from expert organizations like The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as recommendations from experts like Dr. Tarun Jain.

Pregnancy tests detect the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) through your urine (or blood if you visit the doctor’s office). “Pregnancy tests are approximately 99 percent accurate [and] best utilized after a missed period,” says Kecia Gaither, MD, an OB/GYN, maternal-fetal medicine specialist, and director of Perinatal Services and Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health and Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx. “False positives are rare but can occur." There’s nothing quite as anxiety inducing as that three- to five-minute wait while taking a pregnancy test. Regardless if it’s positive or negative (and whichever one you're hoping for), one thing remains the same: You want to trust the results you see. Cost: Home pregnancy tests can range in price, but you'll likely pay more for a digital test or one that claims to be more sensitive. Roeland says this is important to consider if you have unpredictable periods, as you may require multiple tests to get a more accurate result. With something as vital as your family planning at stake, we know that recommending the best and easiest to use pregnancy tests is important. So we started our search on BabyCenter's Community, where expecting, trying to conceive (a.k.a. "TTC"), and new moms and dads trade recommendations on the pregnancy tests that worked for them, as well as those that fell short. Pregnancy test results are much more accurate if taken once you've missed your period, with most brands estimating about 99 percent accuracy. If you take a test before then, the range might only be around 70 to 75 percent, or even lower in some cases. False positives are rare, but according to Dr. Roelands, some factors that may cause one include testing too early, fertility mediciations that contain hCG or miscarriage. It's also important to note that a chemical pregnancy (which is when an egg implants in the uterine wall but isn't able to develop) or an ectopic pregnancy (when the egg develops outside the uterus) may also lead to positive tests, even if the pregnancy isn't viable.Again, false positives are unusual, but to be absolutely certain, you should schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN following a positive at-home pregnancy test for confirmation. What to look for when choosing a pregnancy testIf you're buying a brand you're unsure of and want to make sure the FDA has approved it, you can use the FDA's search tool for over-the-counter tests. Opens a new window How we chose the best pregnancy tests First Response and Modern Fertility can both detect pregnancy up to 6 days before your missed period. However, it’s important to note that the accuracy isn’t as high. It’s still ideal to test after your missed period for the best results. Most at-home pregnancy tests can be up to 99 percent accurate on the day of a missed period. Which week in my cycle should I take a pregnancy test? The best time to take a pregnancy test is anytime your period is late or [you] have missed your period,” says Dr. Swarup. The ideal time of the day to take your pregnancy test is in the morning, when the pregnancy hormone, hCG, is at its highest concentration, and a test can detect it more easily.

If you are not sure whether you would like to continue with the pregnancy you can explore your options with your GP or NHS online and if you know you will be terminating the pregnancy you can self refer to The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Marie Stopes U.K. or a local GUM clinic.' How should you take a pregnancy test? How early can you use it? - The most sensitive pregnancy tests such as First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test can detect 10mIU/ml and some of these can be used before your period is due. It's worth noting, however, that the NHS recommends taking a pregnancy test from the first day of a missed period or at least 21 days after having unprotected sex. Whether you’re actively trying to conceive or wondering if your missed period could mean something more, waiting to find out if you’re pregnant can be a hopeful, anxious or exciting time — and maybe a combination of all three. That’s when you’ll want a reliable, easy-to-decipher pregnancy test. This test from First Response is our top choice because it delivers reliable, easy-to-read results up to six days before a missed period. In three minutes' time, you'll get the confirmed read you need, so you don’t have to sit around wondering. Data shows that the First Response Early Result manual test’s findings are especially accurate because it can detect all forms of the different types of hCG (the pregnancy hormone) found in urine. Studies show that First Response tests are able to detect hCG in 76 percent of users five cycle days before their expected period and detect 100 percent of the hormone on the day of the missed period. Prescriptions must be written on an Authority Prescription Form, and the approval number must be noted on the prescription. Pharmacists cannot dispense the item as a pharmaceutical benefit unless it has been approved by Medicare Australia (indicated by the presence of the approval number).During the first trimester, the pregnancy hormone increases from less than 5mIU/ml to over 100,000mIU/ml, and the further into your pregnancy you are, the more present this hormone will be in your urine. How accurate are home pregnancy tests? The accuracy of the test becomes 99 percent once you have passed the day of your missed period,” Dr. Roelands explains. While some tests say they can work as early as 10 days after unprotected sex, the results aren't very reliable and may not be accurate. "It is better to wait so you do not get discouraged about the results," says Dr. Roelands. The FDA regulates home pregnancy tests, and both expensive and cheaper tests must meet the same requirements. So you can draw your own conclusions on whether the more expensive tests are worth it when it comes to accuracy of test results. As the FDA puts it, "Most pregnancy tests have about the same ability to detect HCG, but their ability to show whether or not you are pregnant depends on how much HCG you are producing."