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The "official" sensitivity is the manufacturer's guaranteed minimum detection level.

Often, however, tests are more sensitive than advertised. The "anecdotal" sensitivities come from women who tested positive and followed up with a blood test to determine the exact amount of hCG in their systems. These numbers should be treated as anecdotal! Even 2 tests in the same box may not have the exact same sensitivity threshold. If you have an anecdotal number lower than what I have listed, please let me know!

Can you replace a ? with info? Tell me!

Remember to visit Current Issues & Alerts for the latest buzz on certain brands!
Note: Some tests are sold under many different brand names. I have included as many as possible. If you find the same test under a new name, let me know! Please note: most generic store brands are distributed by Inverness. All generic store brand digital tests are Inverness, which is the parent company of Clearblue, and therefore identical to the Clearblue Easy Digital Test.

Tell me about the various Internet tests you've used!

This chart applies only to brands sold in the United States. May differ abroad.
This information is, to the best of my knowledge/research, accurate and current as of September 2006.

Remember, all tests have the potential for evaporation lines.
False positives are very rare, but can happen.
My recommendations are based on overall reputation, reader input, and my own experiences/experiments; even good tests have the odd complaint.

Click on a brand name for brand-specific pics (positives, evaporation lines, defective tests), test instructions, and recommendations/comments.

See the HPT Showdown for a side-by-side comparison of 15 brands!

Brand
Sensitivity
official vs. anecdotal
Overall
Recommendation
Order

Accu-Clear
see Inverness
see Inverness
AccuHome
25
?
?
AimStep
20
?
?
AimMidstream OTC
20
?
?
AimStick PBD
20
?
?
Aimstick OTC/AccuDip
20
?
?
100
no longer available
25
<10
-
"disappearing positives" are negative results
At-Home-Pregnancy-Tests.com
20
?
?
B-Sure RECALL ALERT
RECALL ALERT: see Current Issues & Alerts
Baby Test
see New Choice
see New Choice
25-50*
<10
-
some false positives
Clearblue Easy
aka ClearPlan Easy
50
?
?
25
<10
-
complaints of false positives
25
?
-
Confirm Clearly RECALL ALERT
RECALL ALERT: see Current Issues & Alerts
CVS (cassette)
50
?
?
CVS (midstream)
25
?
+
dBest One Step
20
?
?
Drug Emporium One Step
50
?
?
Early Pregnancy Test
50
?
?
Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com
20
?
-
Eckerd Digital
generic, Clearblue Easy Digital "Easy Read"
see Clearblue Easy Digital "Easy Read"
Eckerd One Step
50
?
?
e.p.t. (with | | results window)
50
?
+
once -
e.p.t. (with + or - results window)
see also "The +/- Tests"
25
21
-
complaints of false positives
 
50
41
-
some false positives
Equate (Wal-Mart) (with | | results window)
25**
<5
+
once -
Equate (Wal-Mart) (with + or - results window)
25**
?
+
Fact Plus Pro (cassette)
100
?
+
Fact Plus (cassette)
25
?
+
Fact Plus 1-Step (midstream)
25
?
+
First Response Early Result (older, rectangular-window version)

12.5***
<5
-
"disappearing positives" are negative results
First Response Early Result (newer, oval-window version)

25
?
+
new test design appears more reliable than old
First Response One Step
100
?
?
First Response Rapid Result
?
?
?
Health Check
25
?
?
Health Mark
25
?
?
Insta Test
25
?
?
Inverness | |
Accu-Clear
Target (with | | results window)
Rite-Aid (with | | results window)
Walgreens (with | | results window)
50
<10
+

Inverness +/-

Target (with +/- results window)
Rite-Aid (with +/- results window)
Walgreens (with +/- results window)
see also "The +/- Tests"

25
?
-
Jackie
20
?
-
KwickTest
?
?
?
LifeSign One-Step
25
?
?
LifeSign 1 Midstream
25
?
?
New Choice (Dollar Tree)
25
7
+
SaveOnTests.com
20
?
+
Simplicity
20
?
+
Smart Strip hCG
Fertilinet
25
?
+
TestsForLess.com
20
?
+

Tell me about the various Internet tests you've used!

*Clearblue Easy Digital publishes a sensitivity level of 50 mIU/mL but some telephone reps report a sensitivity of 25 mIU/mL.

**Widespread misinformation on the web that Equate measures 100 mIU is untrue. I have confirmed with them it is 25 and has been for at least 2+ years. They are "aware of the misinformation on the Web." I have also confirmed that the new, redesigned version of Equate with the +/- results window is also sensitive to 25 mIU.

***First Response Early Result recently began citing their official sensitivity as 25 mIU, but one clinical trial found it to detect 12.5 mIU/mL consistently.

PeeOnAStick.com © 2004-2006 Megan A. Clarke.
Portions of this table reproduced, with permission, from FertilityPlus.org