In principle, all pregnancy tests work the same; the test measures the amount of hCG in your urine and you can see on the display whether you are pregnant.
The main differences between the different pregnancy tests are in the way the test comes into contact with urine, the sensitivity of the test and how the result is read.
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Early pregnancy tests
The difference between an early pregnancy test and a normal test is that it is more sensitive to the hCG hormone. Because the test can measure a smaller amount of hCG, you can already perform it if you are just pregnant.
A disadvantage of this is that during this early phase of your pregnancy something regularly goes wrong with the baby and the pregnancy is terminated. Without an early test, you would probably not even notice that you are pregnant and you can avoid the disappointment about the loss. This may be a reason not to perform early testing.
Midstream pregnancy test
A midstream pregnancy test is the most popular test. This is very easy to use and the easiest to read. How does a midstream test work?
- Remove the protective cap from the end of the test and keep it handy.
- Hold the released end in your urine stream for a few seconds (see instructions for use). Make sure that the display window remains dry. Of course, you can also first pee in a clean container and hold the test here.
- Replace the protective cap over the end, place the test on a flat surface and wait for a few (see instructions for use) minutes.
- A checkmark always appears at the 'C'. This indicates that the test works and is not defective. Does the 'T' also show a line? Then you are pregnant.
Digital pregnancy test
A variant of the midstream test is the digital pregnancy test. The advantage of this test is that reading is very easy. No dashes appear, but the display shows text. This can be 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant'. Also, the test can indicate how long you are pregnant. With other tests it is sometimes unclear whether a vague line appears or not, this test clearly shows whether you are pregnant.
This makes the result much clearer. The reliability of the digital test differs per function. To determine whether you are pregnant, it is just as reliable as other tests. To determine how long you have been pregnant, the accuracy is much lower.
Also, note that the test indicates how much time has elapsed since fertilization. Your midwife or the pregnancy calendar will indicate that you are pregnant for two weeks. They start to count on the first day of your last period. If you want to know exactly what that is, read more about the pregnancy mystery.
A disadvantage of the digital test is that it is more expensive. You perform a digital test in the same way as a normal midstream test.
Pregnancy test with a strip
A pregnancy test with a strip, also called a dipstick, is the simplest test. The test is less popular than a midstream test because urine collection can be complicated and the test results are not always clear. This is how a pregnancy test works with a strip;
- Collect some urine in a clean container.
- Hold the bottom of the strip here for a few seconds (see instructions for use). Make sure that you do not submerge the strip further than the line at 'MAX'.
- Place the strip on a dry, flat surface and wait a few minutes (see instructions for use).
- A checkmark always appears at the 'C'. This indicates that the test works and is not defective. Does the 'T' also show a line? Then you are pregnant.
Pregnancy test with cassette
A pregnancy test with a cassette is not popular, because here too urine must first be collected in a container. Also, this test fails regularly because the checkmark does not appear. This is how a pregnancy test works with a cassette;
- Collect some urine in a clean container.
- Place the cassette on a flat table.
- Use the supplied pipette to drip some (see instructions for quantity) urine into the cassette.
- Wait a few minutes (see instructions for use).
- A checkmark always appears at the 'C'. This indicates that the test works and is not defective. Does the 'T' also show a line? Then you are pregnant.