Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Why Trust Us?
Whether you're taking a pregnancy test hoping for a positive or negative result, it can be a stressful experience. The last thing you need to worry about is how reliable the result is.
The good news is at-home pregnancy tests are pretty accurate—99 percent to be exact, says Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Every test is slightly different, but they all look for a certain level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone secreted by the placenta after an embryo implants in your uterus, she explains.
The urine test that your ob-gyn does pretty much the same thing, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, an ob-gyn in Texas. The only difference is that the one provided by your ob-gyn’s office is probably subject to better quality control than what you can buy at your local drugstore, notes Dr. Greves. That means it's less likely that they've been in a hot environment or is expired (yep, they have an expiration date). But FYI: That doesn’t happen a whole lot.
The best time to take the test is the first day of your missed period. “That way, your pregnancy hormone level should be high enough that it can be detected by a test,” Dr. Greves explains. It's also a good idea to do it in the morning when your urine is more concentrated, according to Dr. Shepherd. But you can really take a pregnancy test at whatever time of the day, she adds.
If you have all the classic symptoms of pregnancy, but the test comes up negative, try waiting a week, then testing again. But know that even the best at-home pregnancy tests are not 100 percent accurate, and the timing of the pregnancy matters. “The earlier in the pregnancy, the harder it will be to interpret these tests. In addition, any medical test carries a risk of false-positive and false-negative results,” says Betsy A.B. Greenleaf, DO, an ob-gyn and the advisor of ph-D Feminine Health. If you are experiencing pain and suspect you're pregnant, call your doctor and they can perform a blood test.
Odds are fairly high that you will receive accurate results the first time with a blood test, but if you want to be certain, Dr. Shepherd recommends buying a test that displays the results in a way that you know you will be able to understand.
Not sure where to start with your at-home pregnancy test shopping? Try one of these 10 options recommended by ob-gyns.
Meet the experts: Christine Greves, MD, is a fellow of the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She serves as an obstetrical and gynecological surgeon at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.Jessica Shepherd, MD, is a gynecologist and the director of minimally invasive gynecology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is the founder of Her Viewpoint, an online women's health platform that addresses sensitive topics. She also serves as the chief medical officer for Verywell Health.
Betsy A.B. Greenleaf, DO, is the advisor of ph-D Feminine Health. She is a board examiner for the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and serves as a spokesperson for the American Osteopathic Association. She is also the host of the "Some Of Your Parts" podcast, which is dedicated to women’s wellness.
Pros
- Wide tip for easy sampling
- Can test before first missed period
- Affordable
- Fast result
Cons
- Possible false-positives and -negatives
Clearblue promises that it’s more than 99 percent accurate from the day of your missed period. It's also easy to read, with “+” or “-“ results. To use it, simply hold the test stick in your pee stream for five seconds and then wait three minutes. This test is best for early detection, says Dr. Greenleaf.
Pros
- Detect all forms of pregnancy hormone
- Can confirm result with an app
- Quick result
Cons
- Digital test may not be as accurate
Sometimes you need extra confirmation that you are or aren’t pregnant. That’s where this one comes in: First Response gives you two “regular” tests (two lines mean you’re pregnant; one means you’re not) and one digital test (that specifically says whether you’re pregnant or not).
The other cool part about this test set: It can tell whether you’re pregnant up to six days before your missed period.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Easy to use
Cons
- Can only test one day before expected period
- Not as accurate as other tests
This is a more basic version of more expensive tests, but it gets the job done. You either pee on the stick for 10 seconds or dip it into a cup of pee, wait three minutes, and get your results (two lines means you’re pregnant; one line means you’re not).
The strips are small and individually wrapped, so they can discreetly be taken anywhere and disposed of.
This test also comes with a free Premom Ovulation Predictor App in case you're trying to get pregnant.
Pros
- Offers a 100-day refund policy
- Extendable test strip that's easy to test
- Affordable
- Comes in a small package you can hide easily
Cons
- Takes slightly longer to show result
- Lines could be hard to interpret
At-home pregnancy tests can be a little…messy. After all, trying to pee on a tiny stick isn’t exactly easy. The Provèn test has an extendable test strip so you have more of an area to pee on. Simply pee on the test, wait five minutes, and get your results.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- You get 25 test strips in one
- Can test before first missed period
Cons
- Not as accurate as other tests
- Result could be hard to interpret
For those times when you want to test a bunch, there’s the Pregmate kit. This comes with 25 tests (yup, 25).
They’re pretty basic: You take a test strip, dip it in your pee, and wait for your results (two lines you’re pregnant; one you’re not). The company also claims that these are more than 99.8 percent accurate.
Pros
- Clear result
- Accurate
- From a long-standing company
Cons
- No additional features
EPT made a name for itself being the pregnancy test that gives you early results, and they say you can test up to five days before your missed period. You also get results in just two minutes. These tests have a unique read: “+ |” means you’re pregnant; “- |” means you’re not.
ICYMI, this was the first pregnancy test to be approved by the FDA in 1977, so it's been around for a long time.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Quick result
- Easy to use
- Detects four forms of hCG
Cons
- Result may be hard to interpret
- Doesn't come with instructions in the package
Docalon is a pretty basic test, but it also has a great price. To use it, you’ll need to submerge the test strip in pee for up to 60 seconds (if you can pee that long on it, though, more power to you). The screen will look red and then you’ll get results in one to three minutes. Two pink lines mean you’re pregnant; one pink line means you’re not.
Pros
- Comes with free urine cups
- Individually wrapped strips
- Wider test strips
- Fast result
Cons
- Only comes in a large pack
- Result may not be as accurate as other tests
This is another super basic test that still gives you the info you need. This one comes with 20 tests and is pretty easy to use. Simply pee in a cup, dip your strip in the pee for five seconds, wait five minutes, and read your results. Two lines mean you’re pregnant; one line means you’re not.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Approved by ob-gyns
- Easy to use
- Designed by women
- Delivered in discreet packaging
Cons
- Pricier compared to some brands
This pregnancy test can detect pregnancy three days before your missed period. Although it may not give the earliest results, they are very easy to read. Two lines indicate pregnancy, while one line shows you are not pregnant.
If you decide to sign up for a subscription, you'll always have pregnancy tests on hand and get them at a small discount.
Pros
- Clear result
- Wide tip for easy testing
- Comes with a built-in timer
Cons
- More expensive than other tests
- Not as accurate as other tests
Taking a pregnancy test can be really stressful, and sometimes you want to just make the process as easy as possible on you. After you pee on the absorbent tip, Clearblue’s digital pregnancy test has a smart countdown (so you don’t have to watch the clock) and tells you in plain English whether you’re pregnant or not pregnant when the time is up. (It really doesn’t get any easier than that!)
Korin Miller
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
Ashley Martens
Journalist
Ashley Martens is a wellness writer based in Chicago. With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics. Ashley is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor.