How Accurate Are Home Pregnancy Tests?

Hi D.,
According to my father-in-law, a biochemist who developed some of these home tests, they are extremely accurate. However, back in 1972, my mom was pregnant but the pregnancy tests (not sure if they were home ones or what) said she was not. However, she did give birth to my brother! My understanding is that these tests are highly accurate, especially these days, but no test is 100% accurate. You might want to get a blood test. It is possible that you didn't ovulate this month (due to stress, extreme levels of exercise, or other factors), which can make you get your period much later or even skip a month. You might want to get the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility," which will help you determine if your cycles are simply irregular or if you are having months where you are not ovulating. Then, you can take that info to your OB. I wish you the best!
K.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi D.,
I think that they are pretty accurate, but if your cycle is longer than you expected, then you probably ovulated later than you expected, too. So it is possible you are testing early. I also recommend getting Taking Charge of Your Fertility. This book will help you to determine when you are about to ovulate, which is especially helpful if you have shorter or longer than a 28 day cycle. It will also tell you by an upward temperature shift that you are pregnant and a downward temperature shift that you are about to get your period. I found it to be much less of an emotional roller coaster while trying to get pregnant because I always knew what was going on, including when I was about to ovulate, whether or not I did ovulate and whether or not I was pregnant or about to get my period.
Best of luck to you!
C.

Can definitely be inaccurate. I got a false negative too. Good luck!

Best wishes to you, D.. Dont "Just relax". this is a truly exciting time and should be fully enjoyed for how thrilling it will be when there is a positive test. Until then, dont get discouraged if it hasn't happened yet. Best of luck.

Hi D.,

I don't remember the timing exactly (i.e. how long it had been since I missed my period), but I definitely had a negative pregnancy test when I was actually pregnant with my son. It turns out it was too early for the test to have been accurate.

Good luck,

K.

Pretty darn accurate. It's hard to be patient, but save yourself the money.

Same thing happened here (and I was using hospital grade tests I got from work) 4 days after my first negative test I got a positive. Hang in there and good luck.

I had a negative on the day before my period was due (Early Response supposed to work 5 days before missed period). 5 days later I had a positive test. That was my daughter. I would wait until closer to the date for your longer cycle...So wait and test again.

As far as I know, home tests are fairly accurate unless you use them too early. In addition, I would recommend using an ovulation tests to help predict when you ovulate to optimize the chances of pregnancy. I used the Longs brand three times with success. The ovulation test tells you when the hormones that cause ovulation surge but cannot tell you exactly when you ovulate. I found that having sex for AT LEAST 4 DAYS after you have a positive test is best. 1-2 days may not cut it since you do not know exactly when the ovulation will occurr. GOOD LUCK!

I hate to say it, but given your age, it could be the start of menopause or perimenopause. But trying for "only" 4 months isn't really very long. Most doctors say not to worry, or seek treatment, until you've been trying for a year. Stay positive!!!

Hi D.,

I found out I was pregnant 6 days before i missed my period.(I have a super sensitive body) i took a super sensitive test from the doctors. I hope that you are-- wait a few days because the HCG levels double every few days for a normal pregnancy and so you have a better shot of it being more accurate. Also, use your first morning urine- it usually has the most HCG since you don't drink as much water at night. Take care and let us know!

M.
M.

Hi D.,

I had two negative results and am now pregnant. 1 at 5 weeks and another at 9 weeks pregnant. The doctor said they may have been expired or maybe my pee was watered down etc. I had recently bought the tests and didn't think to look at the expiration date. With my first child, the test was very accurrate and I was only 5 weeks along. Good luck! I hope good news for you.

Hi D.,

You could very well be pregnant. I took 2 tests, both negative, went to the doctor, he did a test which was negative, but I was so sure that I asked him to send it in to the lab to be rescreened and THAT came back negative. The doctor tried to convince me that maybe it was a 'phantom' pregnancy and sometimes when we want it so much we think we are pregnant, but we're not. What an idiot. 4 or 5 days later I did another home pregnancy test, it came back positive and I now have a gorgeous 18 month old boy.

I know this may sound silly, but do you feel pregnant? There are other symptoms that may show themselves before the test tells you it's positive. Sore breats, fatigue, and nausea all made me feel pregnant before the test did.

My other suggestion is to go and get a digital test. They are no nonsense. It's not a matter of, is there a line there? Well, if I look at it in this light I see something... It either says 'Pregnant' or 'Not Pregnant'. They cost a little more, but the peace of mind is worth it.

Good luck. Take care. D..x

I've used First Response and other well-known name brand home pregnancy tests. It works fine. My 1st pregnancy was first identified using First Response before I went to see my doctor to be sure.

I've done home pregnancy tests more than five times and each time it was accurate. (Positive for actual pregnancies and negative for false alarms.)

I had a urine pregnancy test on a Friday at Kaiser before getting an X-ray that was negative. A home test on Monday (1 day after I was supposed to get my period) was positive, and Yes, Virginia - I am knocked up - nausea and all.
Kaiser told me when I asked for a pregnancy blood test that it wasn't necessary to confirm the pregnancy because the home tests are so accurate.
Wait a week - in the interim take prenatal vitamins, cut out all caffeine and alchohol, soft cheeses and raw fish. If your breasts start to feel heavy and or tender, your hands get puffy, and you have really vivid - crazy dreams - you are preggers.

If you have Kaiser, just go to the lab and request a pregnancy test and they'll have the results in 24 hrs... usually quicker... done the real way. They've never charged me for this lab... And you'd have peace of mind. They actually measure the HGH levels in the urine. Should be accurate 2-3 days after missing a period, I think. Good luck!!!

LOL I'm due to have my son on the Thursday the 18th and I used the same pregnancy test and did not get a positive result until mid to late January! So I'm hoping the best for you. I don't think they always work early in the pregnancy for what ever reason. I hope you get the surprise that you've been waiting for! If not relax and stop trying and it should happen! Good luck and I hope you have a beautiful baby!
M. S.

My suggestion is to wait six weeks and test again. I'm like a clock when it comes to periods and when we were trying with my second I was generally a 31 days cycle, but once I was 38 days - I thought for sure I was pregnant and I was not. This happened a few more times: 36 days, 33 days, etc. Instead of making myself crazy, I just decided that six weeks was a good benchmark to test.

When I tested at the sixth week after my last period both times was pregnant. At six weeks, I had very subtle symptoms as well - tender breasts, fatigue, etc. It's not scientific by any means, but it worked for me and kept me from going nuts. Good luck.

We tested and it came back negative. Waited a few days without my period and tested again with a ten minute wait for a faint positive. Went into our doctor who after a urine test said not pregnant and I asked for a blood test to confirm.... while getting my blood drawn they came back in and said the urine test was then showing a faint positive. I say, if you are late go to the dr for a blood test. It will help your peice of mind.

Yes, that happened to me. Wait a few days and try again!
Good luck!

It took 1 month and 7 pregnancy tests to find out I was pregnant with my first child. However, I was not trying at the time. With my second I had to wait 10 days to get the accurate result. Some women dont get accurate readings from home tests. If you are over 2weeks late you should talk to your doctor to see if he/she thinks a blood test or ultra sound is necessary. I have a friend whos hormone level only shows up in her blood.

I was 25 and trying to get pregnant. It took 7 months. Dont loose heart.

You may not be concerned with the sex of your child but there is a book called "How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby" that you may find interesting. It gives helpful hints in just getting pregnant in general.

Yes I had a similar experience. I actually weas a few months pregnant and three home tests did not detect the pregnancy. The hormone was not strong enough in my urine, and I had to get a blood test from my doctor. The home tests are usually very reliable, but they are not 100%. If you are in doubt get a blood test at your doctor's office.

Request a blood test from your OB. The only way to know for sure.

Unfortunately the home pregnancy tests can vary for each woman. When my friend was pregnant with her 4th child, home pregnancy tests told her she was not pregnant for two months. She took a blood test at the doctor twice and they said she wasn't pregnant. They were starting to attribute it to early menopause (she's 36). Finally after a few months the doctor just decided to do an ultraound. And there was her little angel, 4 months along. She then had a beautiful, healthy little girl!

You could be pregnant, or not...but I know the waiting can be hard when you're actively trying!

Consumer reports actually tested all of them, and First Response is the best. It detected my 3rd child at an HCG of 11 if you can believe that. My doctors office couldn't believe I knew I was pregnant.
But it depends. Some women can have a delay until implantation. you never know when you ovulated, and if you have been active the whole time, then it is anyones guess. It generally takes at least 10 days from conception to detect a pregnancy with First Response.

It is best to get a fertility specialist without delay, because they can help to make sure it happens. I had a friend who didn't , and waited til 40 after they tried for a year, and the dr. said that she should not have waited to come to him. Egg quality goes down every month, so it is best to get expert advice so they can help make sure it happens. I was sad for my friend, and don't want to see that happen to others. So don't delay. My other friend took this advice and is having her baby tomorrow and she is now 41.
best of luck,
J.

This happened to me. I took it again 1-2 weeks later and it was positive. It is obviously not the same for everyone, but there is a possibility. Good luck and keep trying.

Hi, D..
You've received so much good advice it's hard to add to it. but here are my thoughts.

1. Wait a few days and test again.
2. If no period contact your doctor.
3. If you do start your period, you should still contact your doctor. Only trying 4 months is not that long but at your age, every month counts. You also must be persistant with your doctor, or he may just tell you to be patient and keep trying.

My husband and I had tried to get pregnant for a year. Then I went to my doctor. She had me using the tempature thing to see when it was best to concieve. I did this for almost a year and went back to her. She finally had tests run on me and my husband (there were no problems). When they did the dye test on my tubes I met another OB/GYN and we started talking. She asked if I was happy with my current doctor and I told her no not really, so I changed to her. She put me on a low dose of clomid and I became pregnant the first month I took it. I was only 32 yrs old at the time but felt we had wasted 2 1/2 years with the wrong doctor. Now I have a beautiful 10 yr old daughter. Best wishes to you!!!

D.,
I've heard after using a method of birth control, your cycle can be messed up. Even missing the period. Your body has been immuned to the iud, that it might take a month or two to get back to your menstrual schedule. My sister has been on so many methods that her body is messed up.
You can ask a doctor how long will it take also. Good luck on making the baby. Most home pregnancy tests are better taken in the morning. Some can be taken later in the day. G.

There's so many factors here to consider. Some tests are more sensitive and have earlier detection than others. So depending upon when you actually ovulated, if there was fertilization and implantation, and how quickly the HCG levels are rising (or not) it may take longer than you would expect for the positive to show. Nevermind that it sounds like your body may be readjusting after having the IUD taken out.

Do your best to be patient and I'll send baby dust your way!

Hi D.,
I too took First Response and this is my experience. I am queen of taking the test as soon as I miss. When we were trying for number 2, I had many negative tests. I found that when I finally got pregnant and took the test too early, there was still a faint line, which got stronger in the days that followed. If it's not this month, keep trying. It took us about 6 months for number 2!

HI D.,
I don't know about home preg kits, but I know about HypnoFertility. I think you could really benefit from a session or two of HypnoFertility which is hypnosis for fertility. Don't know where you are located, but you can look HypnoFertility up on the net and you can find a therapist by going to HypnoBirthing.com
Best to you, S. in Bakersfield

The ones you buy at the store are very accurate. I tried three different brands a couple of days before my period was supposed to start and all said pregnant. I ended up going to my doctor a couple days after my period was going to start and there pregnancy test said negative. I ended up getting a blood test and I was definitely pregnant, and I think I had drank too much water before the test and it dilluted the HCG hormone.

Hi D.,
I completely understand your frustration as I'm also trying to conceive and in my mid-30s. It is possible that you won't register the hormones on a pregnancy test until later. I have a girlfriend that didn't get a positive test on a home pregnancy test until she went in and did a blood test with the doctor. Then she found out she was 7 weeks pregnant! If you are really questioning things, you can always request your doctor do a blood test to measure your hcg levels. But, I will also say that it's extremely rare that this happens. Usually by a week after your predicted period your hormones are high enough to register on a home pregnancy test. Another explanation for your delayed period is that you may have ovulated at a different time than you think. If you are not already doing so, you may want to start tracking your basal body temperature to confirm if and when you ovulate during your cycle. This will take some of the mystery out of your cycle. If you don't know how to do this, I highly recommend the book Taking Charge of your Fertility, which gives you the details plus everything else you need to know about getting pregnant. Good luck and feel free to email if you want to comiserate on this frustrating process.
P.

Hi D.,

I would just wait. I'm too old for home pregnancy tests, but I remember my first pregnancy--I went for a test after my period was two weeks late, and it didn't show anything, but the week after, I had another test and I was pregnant. So be patient, and try to eat really well... If you are pregnant, the embryo will be forming the early cells for the backbone, etc.

E.

Dear D.,
Home pregnancy tests are actually fairly accurate these days. Unfortunately, there is the possibility of false negative results if your pregnancy hormone levels are not high enough.
I was told I could never have children, which I managed to do twice, 10 years apart if you can believe it, and I must have spent a million dollars on home tests which were always negative. But, I'm telling you, the two times I was, it showed up clearly.
See your doctor for confirmation if you are having all the other symptoms. My daughter, who had always been told mommy could never give her a baby is the one who said, "Mom, you are pregnant. Your boobs are HUGE!"
She was right.....

I wish you the best of luck in your baby endeavors. Don't give up.
Let us know how you are doing.

Hi D., I had the same issue but my was do to drinking too much water. keep taking them once a week or request a blood test at a local planned parenthood. they usualy about 20 dollars. good luck!!if y need more help iam here... A.

D.,

Here's what happened to me: I drank a lot of water before I took my pregnancy test at the doctor. It came out negative. I was still early and I think I watered down my pee a lot. But It turns out i WAS pregnant.

They have been very accurate and have predicted all 4 pregnancies within 5-6 weeks of suspecting I was pregnant.

However stress will get in the way of your regular menstrual cycle. My periods have been very late at times due to stress. I feel pregnancy is easier when your not stressing and thinking about it all the time.

They are pretty accurate, but not perfect. I was one day late and when I tested the morning after I was supposed to get my period, it came out pregnant (we were also trying for 2 months). Now, I know someone who tested twice and came back negative and she was pregnant. The surest way to know is to have a blood test. The more anxious you are in thinking you may be pregnant, the more likely you are to be late. Good luck and I wish you the best!

Hi D.-
My first pregnancy the home pregnancy test was positive after my period was a day late. The second pregnancy wasn't positive until I was two weeks late. The third with twins was positive at two days late, (my HCG was high due to the twin pregnancy). With our daughter I didn't show a positive pee test until three weeks late. My mom had to have blood tests to confirm her pregnancy's because her HCG level was two low in her urine. If you drink tons of water like I do it can dilute it enough to have a false negative. I still had nausea and all the preg symptoms and my HCG levels were normal with blood work. You might try a test early in the morning with your first morning pee or in the middle of the night after you have held your urine for a while. Trying is so hard and then your hopes get high when you are late. I hope you get the results you are looking for. Good Luck!!

D.,
I need to state for the record that has not happened to me, BUT a good friend of mine has had it happen to her. All three of her pregnancies were the same as what you are describing. She had to take four home prego tests and even blood tests at Kaiser came up negative. It had to do with her chemical/hormone levels; they were too low for tests to detect. She was between six and eight weeks pregnant before any test would say positive. She has two healthy beautiful girls and is currently expecting what we hope is a boy. Hope this helps. Sometimes waiting is hard but worth it. Good Luck!

One last bit of encouragement: I had a false negative, and a period in the first month that I was pregnant. My "pregnant" period was a bit lighter than normal, but I didn't think anything of it until the morning sickness hit three weeks later. My doctor said that there was nothing abnormal, and that it wasn't uncommon to have a light period in the first couple weeks of pregnancy.

Good luck!

Those tests are pretty darned accurate. The changing cycles are typical as we get "older," and, unfortunately, a sign of decreasing fertility. Best thing to do is start tracking your fertile period and ovulation...then you'll know exactly when you're really "late" and not, and you'll be able to more effectively time the "trying." Toni Weschler's "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" is an excellent book on the subject. Good luck...I just had my first (and probably only) at 40.

I haven't had the experience of a false negative. I would think that would be the case if you were testing too early and are in fact pregnant. However, the 24 day cycles may be a fluke, and given that your other two cycles have been 30 and 31 days, you could very well be back on that cycle length. Based on that, I would wait to test again until you are late for a 30-31 day cycle (unless you have a large supply of cheap tests on hand or something). Also, if you aren't pregnant this month, you may want to track your cycle. This will give you an idea of when you are ovulating (and you will then know about when to expect your period). Two ideas for how to do this are 1) take your temp each a.m. before getting out of bed using a special Basal thermometer. There is a dip during ovulation and then your temp rises - until it falls when your period is due. Generally the time between ovulation and the temp falling again when your period will start is 14 days. A second way to monitor your cycle is to check your cervical fluid. It will get very clear and stretchy during your fertile time... and again, about 2 weeks later (typically) you will start your period. Tracking would give you a better idea of your length of cycle, so you aren't testing too early and driving yourself crazy waiting too soon. Good luck - hopefully my suggestions for next month aren't necessary :)

The pregnancy tests are accurate. But if you are experiencing any anxiety about it just go to your OB and have them order a blood test. It is really fast and simple.