What Are Pregnancy Test Strips?

When we think of pregnancy tests, often images of peeing on sticks coming to mind…

But did you know there are other types of tests which avoid potential peeing-on-hands scenarios? 💧

Enter, pregnancy test strips. 👏

So, how do pregnancy strips work?

And why would you choose to use these over more traditional sticks, or even digital tests?

Let’s get right into it! 👇

In this article: 📝

How do pregnancy test strips work?

Pregnancy strips work in the exact same way sticks do.

There’s just the subtle difference of peeing into a cup, rather than peeing straight onto the stick.

All pregnancy tests look for a hormone in your urine called hCG. 🔍

This crafty little hormone rises in your urine levels when you’re pregnant.

Once your urine reacts with the test strip, it’ll tell you how much hCG you have in your pee.

Basically, whether you’re pregnant or not.

How to use pregnancy test strips at home

Using pregnancy strips is a similar process to sticks.

But, the main difference is that you dip the test into a cup of urine, rather than peeing directly on the stick. 💧

How long you need to dip it into the urine for differs by brand — but most need around 10-20 seconds.

The wait-time will also be laid out in the instructions, so be sure to read them carefully before you take your test.

It’s important to make sure you’re reading your result in the correct time window (more on why later! 👇).

When is the best time to use a pregnancy test strip?

As is the case with all types of pregnancy tests, the best time to test is when you have your morning pee.

This is when hCG is most likely to make an appearance, as if you test late at night or during the day, you’ll likely have drunk more water.

This can dilute your urine, which then makes it harder to pick up hCG.

So, as soon as you hop out of bed, grab your test strip and your cup to collect your urine, and you’re good to go! 🛌

How accurate are pregnancy test strips?

Many home pregnancy tests, including both strips and sticks, claim to be more than 99% accurate].

But, they’re only that accurate if you’ve used them correctly (e.g., reading all the instructions carefully), and not tested too early…

Otherwise, you may end up seeing false-negative results.

This happens if you’re not testing at the best time of day, or if you’re testing before your missed period (more on this later 👇).

You could also get false-positive results, too.

This can happen when you’ve waited too long to read your test. ⏲️

After a certain period of time, the test should be thrown in the trash and not read — as you may mistakenly think you’ve got a positive line, but it’s actually an evaporation line.

This happens when the urine has dried on the test, and creates a faint line that looks like a positive, but is actually just evaporation.

So, in short, pregnancy strips are accurate — as long as you test at the right times, and follow all the instructions carefully.

🙅‍♀️ Get clued up: What Not To Do Before Taking a Pregnancy Test

When should you use pregnancy strips over digital tests or sticks?

Calling all TTC women out there — this is your moment! 👏

Pregnancy test strips are great for if you’re trying to conceive, as you’ll often buy a strips kit that comes with multiple strips to use over the coming months.

Although digital tests may be easier to read, and pregnancy sticks are generally more familiar, buying strips in bulk is a much more affordable way of checking whether you’re pregnant or not.

So, save that dollar and convert to strips for when you’re trying for a baby! 💰

What does a positive pregnancy strip look like?

Looking for pictures of positive pregnancy strips?

You’ve come to the right place: 👇

A positive strip test will show in the form of two lines — one is the control line, to show you the test has worked, and if you see another, that’s a positive result.

How early can a pregnancy strip detect pregnancy?

Most guidelines for all kinds of pregnancy tests say it’s best to test from the first day of your missed period.

Some tests can pick up positive results earlier than that.

But you won’t really be sure until you’ve missed your period — so, if it’s negative, you’ll likely need to test again. 🤷‍♀️

Some brands say whether or not you could test earlier than your missed period.

For example, Natalist’s pregnancy strips say you can test three days before the start of your next period.

So, it’s good to also read the packaging to find out when you should take your pregnancy test strip.

Can a week pregnancy show on a test strip?

No, it's not possible for a pregnancy to show on any test at 1 week — at 1 week pregnant, you might not have even 'done the deed' yet!

That's because pregnancy weeks are calculated from the first day of your last period, not the day of conception.

You can have a positive result from as early as 10 days after conception.

But, not everyone experiences this.

For the most accurate result, we’d say it’s probably best to wait until around your missed period, and also first thing in the morning when your alarm goes off. ⏰

Struggling to interpret your pregnancy test strip results?

The line eyes can be real. 😵‍💫

(This is when you’ve been staring at test results for so long, they don’t even look like lines anymore!)

That’s where our Community can really help.

You’re always welcome to join us on Peanut — meeting like-minded women in the same boat as you has never been easier.

Join in the conversation today. 🥜