Forget the two lines on the test, get it in black and white (Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test with Conception Indicator)

Member Name: KLockwood75

Product:	Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test with Conception Indicator
Date:	17/08/09 (157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: High level of accuracy, easy to interpret results

Disadvantages: Test goes blank after 24 hours

Back when we were trying to conceive our first child, I had a bit of an addiction to pregnancy tests. As I neared the end of every cycle, I'd rush to the nearest branch of Boots, buy a test (usually one of the cheaper ones), wait until the next morning and then do the test. Then I'd sit on the toilet for three minutes and stare at it, hoping that the line would come up. And, when I wasn't pregnant, it would all start over again until I thought I needed another test - good thing it only took us a few months otherwise I'd have been broke!

Now, older and wiser, I changed my approach. This time I told myself there would be no testing until my period was late. We have a much tighter budget these days and, for the sake of waiting a couple of days, I thought the pregnancy tests weren't worth the money. After all, my period arrived every month like clockwork so what was the point? Until one Monday afternoon, while out shopping with my toddler, I realised that it hadn't arrived and I needed to do a test. I rushed into the nearest Boots, grabbed a two pack of own brand tests and went home. My toddler had fallen asleep in his pram so I decided to test immediately. After a while, a very faint line appeared. Unsure whether I wanted to believe it or not, I waited until the next morning and used the other test from the pack - again, the line was very faint but my husband persuaded me it was definitely there.

In my own head, I needed 'proper' confirmation - there was only one thing that was going to convince me that I was actually pregnant, and that was a Clear Blue Digital test. For those who aren't experts in the pregnancy test market, this is the only test on the market where the words 'pregnant' or 'non pregnant' appear - no need to interpret lines, just the simple facts there in black and white. When I first got a positive test, back in early 2006, that was all that came up on the test but now they have added a new feature - the conception indicator. Now, not only can this stick tell you if you're pregnant or not, it can also tell you how pregnant you are. Amazing!

The next morning it was time to use the test. Pregnancy tests are most accurate if you use them with your first wee of the day as the levels of the HCG pregnancy hormone in your urine are more concentrated. I headed for the bathroom with a small plastic cup, did a wee, dipped the tip of the stick into it for the required 20 seconds and waited. It was literally less than a minute before the word 'Pregnant' appeared on the screen - at last I had the confirmation I needed! It took a bit longer for the conception indicator to appear but eventually 1-2 weeks appeared beneath the 'Pregnant' message. You can also do the test by holding it in your stream of urine for 5-10 seconds, but I find that I then worry about whether I've held it in the right place or it's actually been in the urine for long enough. You then replace the cap on the test and lay it on a flat surface to wait for the result.

So, what makes the Clear Blue Digital better than other pregnancy tests? For me, it is the clarity it provides. Sometimes, with a cheaper test, you can almost make yourself believe that there is a line, even when there isn't one. It also removes the element of doubt. I've done tests where an evaporation line has appeared after the time limit (and yes, I have fished it out of the bathroom bin to check) and I've wanted to believe that line is a real line, even though deep down I know it isn't. It works up to four days before your period is due, although there is a chance you won't get an accurate result that early. From the day before your period is due, it claims to be 99% accurate.

I also think the conception indicator is a fantastic feature. I was fairly confident of my dates (although my 12 week scan revealed I wasn't quite as far on as I thought) but for people with irregular cycles it must be really helpful. I think there is a risk that the conception indicator won't be fully accurate though - it is based on levels of the HCG hormone which are different in each individual and at different times of day so it is best not to take the test result as a guarantee of how far along you are.

In my opinion, there is only one negative thing about this pregnancy test and that is that the result disappears after 24 hours. I went back to mine the next day just to look at it again (as you do) and the screen was blank. If you take the test apart, it still has two lines like a traditional test but if you want to take a photo of it for a pregnancy diary or anything like that, then make sure you do it quickly. The test is expensive at approximately £10 for one test or £14 for two, but I honestly believe it is worth it for the reassurance that it provides.

Overall, this is definitely the best pregnancy test on the market. Seeing your result in black and white makes you feel so much more confident than trying to interpret lines and the conception indicator is an extra bonus. By all means test with a cheap test first but if there is any doubt in your mind about the results of that cheap test, then I would highly recommend getting a Clearblue Digital to give you that definitive result.

Summary: The definitive way to tell that you are pregnant