Some intended parents prefer that the surrogate not take a home pregnancy test and wait for the blood tests which is usually administered 10-14 days after a transfer. However, for those who just can’t wait until the blood tests, here’s the scoop on home pregnancy tests. How accurate are they? Which ones are the best?
Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of a pregnancy hormone that is produced by the placenta called hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Even though many tests claim to be “greater than 99 percent accurate”, a study published in 2011 in the journal Clinical Chemistry and laboratory medicine showed that this is misleading. Although the tests may be able to detect the hormone in your urine and give you a positive result, most aren’t sensitive enough to guarantee you an accurate result.
Test sensitivity is the lowest reported concentration of hCG that the test can detect. For example, a pregnancy test that claims to be able to detect hCG at 20 mIU/ml should theoretically be more sensitive than one that claims to detect it at 50 mIU/ml. The following tests are the best on the market.
- First Response Early Result (Est. $16) – It is actually the most sensitive on the market. This test is able to detect hCG in the urine BEFORE a missed period, which is almost unheard of for a home pregnancy test.
- The First Response Gold (Est. $20) – It gives you results up to five days before you miss your period. This test also offers an easy to read display. The “test is working” display feature shows women that they are using the test properly, and lets you know that the test is in good working order.
- ClearBlue Easy (Est. $14) – While this test from ClearBlue Easy is not as sensitive as the First Response Early Result test, its digital results make it easy to read and it turns pink when it is being used correctly.
Some surrogates start testing as early as five days post transfer but beware that the line may not show up that early or it may be extremely faint!
Whether you decide to wait for the blood test or whether you try one of these home pregnancy tests, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for you and hoping for a safe and happy surrogacy journey!
Prices provided by walgreens.com.