To start, I’ll list the pregnancy tests I have personally used and recommend, because these truly never failed and were the most accurate in their results. There are many types of tests available, but these are just the ones I’ve tried and can approve as a user.
Pregnancy Test Prices
- Clearblue Digital
- Famivita (highly recommend for price and quality)
- Clearblue Easy
- Confirme strips (highly recommend)
- Confirme Pen
- Baby sure
- Unitest Plus (highly recommend)
- Confira (highly recommend)
- Preg test (highly recommend, and it comes with two strips in one box)
I’ve lost count of how many pregnancy tests I’ve taken! LOL Seriously, as my husband says, I could have bought a brand-new car! Of course, that’s an exaggeration, but women are curious by nature. I was always so anxious when I was hoping to get pregnant, and who hasn’t been anxious when their period didn’t come on time?
The video below is actually my second test after the first came up positive the day before, and this was during my youngest daughter’s pregnancy. It’s from the Preg Test brand, which comes with two strips. Over time, I became something of an expert on brands, prices, and the effectiveness of pregnancy tests, especially pharmacy tests. I know by heart which are good and whether it’s worth spending on certain brands, or if they’ll only make your anxiety and curiosity worse.
I have a photo of practically every test I’ve taken that I thought could be a possible positive. I always took them hoping to see a positive, and I confess I was frustrated many, many times by that terrible negative result.
Seeing that lonely line felt like the collapse of my dreams, and sadly, it repeated itself every month. Anyone trying to conceive knows exactly what I’m talking about, but in the end, ladies, I think the best thing to do is just let go, and when you least expect it, the positive appears!
Basic Tips About Pregnancy Tests
Here are some basic tips for anyone lost among the thousands of pharmacy pregnancy test brands and unsure if they’re any good, if they really work, or for anyone who has never taken one or has been trying for years.
If you’ve never taken a test like this and don’t even know how much a pregnancy test costs, it’s very simple: just collect urine in a cup. It can be a disposable party cup or a clean coffee cup, and dip the strip in it and count to ten1. Some tests ask you to leave the strip in the container, but personally, I never did that. Another precaution to take is the level of urine on the strip, as you should never go past the limit mark—that could ruin your test.
Sensitivity of the Tests
Another point that always caught my attention when buying a test was sensitivity: the higher the sensitivity2, the earlier it can detect pregnancy. Remember, it’s the HCG hormone that causes the second line to appear. The test I used the most was the Confirme strip, which costs around R$ 5 to 6 and is very worthwhile.
There used to be issues with it producing false positives, with faint lines that misled women, but that was a long time ago, and its accuracy has greatly improved since then.
Another test I used a lot was Gravitest, and honestly, it’s not great. More than once, I was briefly fooled into thinking I had a positive, but it was actually a defect in the test. I never got a true positive with it, and after being disappointed so many times, I stopped using it. Check out the false positives I got from this brand, and both the strip and pen versions.
The most famous and reliable is Clear Blue, but pay close attention when buying: there are two versions, the compact and the Easy. The compact is more prone to errors, and the Easy is 100% reliable when used correctly—it has a sensitivity of 10mui. There are also less-well-known brands like Bioeasy, Preg Test, and some imported ones like Wondfo and One Step that have the same sensitivity as Clear Blue Easy and cost a lot less. So, be mindful when shopping, since you can spend less on an equally effective test. If you’d like to take an Online Pregnancy Test before buying a physical one, it might help clear up some doubts and rule out the possibility before you spend money and end up disappointed, or even just to be sure of when you should take the test.
Readers’ Questions:
How does a pregnancy test work?
The pregnancy test acts as a detector of the presence or absence of a hormone called beta HCG. This hormone is found during pregnancy and its levels rise gradually day after day as the pregnancy progresses3. Its function is activated when the test comes into contact with the urine sample.
How do you use a pregnancy test?
It’s recommended to use a pregnancy test after you confirm a missed period to get a clear and reliable result. Some models come with a small collection cup, while with other models you’ll need to get a disposable cup separately. You should urinate in a thoroughly clean, unused cup, insert the tip of the test up to the marked line in the urine, and wait for the manufacturer’s recommended time to read the result. One line means negative and two lines mean positive. See also: How to Use a Pregnancy Test?
