A home pregnancy test measures the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine. This hormone is produced when the fertilised egg implants in your uterus by the cells which go on to form the placenta. In the days after implantation occurs, your hCG levels rise rapidly. Most home-pregnancy tests would be able to pick up the hCG in your urine by the first day you miss your period, and give you an accurate positive result.
Not all pregnancy tests are equally sensitive. The more sensitive tests can detect a pregnancy even if you have only a small amount of hCG in your system. hCG levels are read in milliInternational Units (mIU) or amounts equal to 1/1000th of an IU per millilitre. (For example, a test with a sensitivity of 20 IU/L is more sensitive than one with 50 IU/L). You will normally be able to find this information on the pregnancy test box.
That said, all of these home pregnancy test kits have been proven to be fairly accurate, regardless of cost or fame. Here are some of the commonly used brands in Singapore:
Clear Blue Pregnancy Test
Advantages:
Easily available from most pharmacies and online
Accuracy of over 99% (when used correctly)
Short waiting time
Most credibility
Disadvantages:
Expensive – retail price about SGD 17
Positive line may be very faint and difficult to see, especially if early in the pregnancy
How to use:
A plus (pregnant) or minus (not pregnant) sign will appear in the results window within 3 minutes.
Clear Blue Digital Pregnancy Test
Advantages:
Easily available from most pharmacies and online
Accuracy of over 99% (when used correctly)
Short waiting time for word indicators (you will need to wait a little longer for the approximate no of weeks)
Tells you how many weeks along you are at time of test
Can be used up to four days before expected date of period
Disadvantages:
Most expensive – retail price about SGD 24
Not environmentally friendly as it is bulky and contains a battery, which should be disposed of separately.
How to use:
Word indicators (‘Pregnant’ or ‘Not pregnant’) inform your clearly on your status, and figure indicators (1-2, 2-3) let you know the approximate number of weeks since you conceived.
Guardian One-Step Pregnancy Test
Advantages:
Easily available from Guardian pharmacies
Affordable
Ergonomically designed for easy grip
Disadvantages:
Absorbency of pee tip could be improved
As pee tip is thinner and smaller, it can be challenging to aim urine at the tip while staying clean off the results windows
How to use:
One line on Window C indicates the kit is working properly. If pregnant, an additional line will appear in Window T.
Watsons One Step Pregnancy Test
Advantages:
Easily available from Watsons stores
Fast (Test results in one minute!)
Accuracy of over 99% (when used from the day you missed your period)
Affordable
Disadvantages:
Possibility of blur lines, compromising clarity of result
How to use:
One line indicates the kit if working properly. Two lines indicate you are pregnant.
By Dorothea Chow
