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The best pregnancy tests 2023

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Pregnancy tests can be expensive, and if you're trying to conceive the cost can really start to add up.

Some women can tell as soon as they fall pregnant – whether it's down to a mystical sixth sense or just morning sickness kicking in early.

You can buy pregnancy tests which tell you how many weeks you are, ideal for women who have sporadic periods and may not be able to pinpoint when they conceived.

We've selected some great tests to suit everyone, whether you're a bulk-buyer or prefer to make one more expensive investment.

How much does a pregnancy test cost?

Pregnancy tests range in price from next to nothing to £15 or thereabouts.

The cheapest ones, unsurprisingly, are low on features but are just as accurate as the more expensive branded ones.

Believe it or not, you’ll even find these on the shelves of your local pound shop.

Spending a little more will get you a supermarket pregnancy test kit that tells you if you’re pregnant by means of coloured lines or spots, which appear if they detect pregnancy hormones in your urine.

The more expensive tests have additional features that make them easier to read, such as a definitive ‘yes or no’ reading rather than a combination of lines.

Max the budget, and you’ll be able to buy a pregnancy test that will tell you how many weeks pregnant you are.

What to look for


All pregnancy tests work in the same way – by detecting levels of pregnancy hormone in your urine.

That means you’ll need to pee on the test stick, or collect some urine in a clean container and dip the stick into it.

After a few minutes, the test will reveal whether or not you’re pregnant.

The cheapest pregnancy tests are simple, flimsy dipsticks similar to the type your doctor would use to check your urine for infection.

They’re very basic, and you’ll need to dip-test your urine rather than weeing on the stick, but because they’re so inexpensive, they’re good if you’re a serial pregnancy tester.

If you’re less used to doing pregnancy tests, a kit that spells out more clearly whether you’re pregnant or not – and how far along you are – takes the guesswork out of testing.

These are more expensive but less hassle as you just pee on the stick rather than having to collect a sample.

Most pregnancy tests are about 99 per cent accurate if you test on or after the day your period was due.

False positives are extremely rare, but negative results are more likely to be incorrect, for example if you test too early.

You can buy ‘early response’ tests that aim to tell you whether you’re pregnant before your period is due.

These work by detecting smaller amounts of pregnancy hormone than standard tests, but the earlier you test, the less reliable the result will be.

Pregnancy tests are often sold in packs of two so if you’re not convinced by the result, you can try again a few days later – or if it’s a negative, save the spare test for your next cycle.

Need to know

If you get a negative result but are sure you’re pregnant – the best tactic is to wait a few days and then test again.

Because home pregnancy tests are so accurate, your doctor is likely to take your word for it if you tell him you’re pregnant – it’s rare that he’ll want to do another test to confirm your pregnancy.

Bear in mind that some medications can affect the result of your pregnancy test, including some fertility treatments.

You can check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine to see whether it’s likely to have an impact.

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