To you think 'early' pregnancy tests cause more harm than good??

[MiggleMoo]

I have recently been speaking too so many women, and been there myself (so not criticising others at all - I have almost remortgaged us in early pregnancy tests I swear!!!), where women do an early test before AF, get positive and so often it results in a chemical pregnancy (I recently read 70% of conceptions end this way).

TTC is such a emotional rollercoaster and when I was reading the promotional material in the early tests it seems to play so much on women's emotions to buy really expensive tests, when it would just be so much better all round if women waited till after AF, when the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy increases dramatically.

Just my musings really, and i really hardly one to talk as I am one of the worst offenders using one of those tests this morning, 4 days before AF due!! And once again I start the rollercoaster of very faint line and off we go again (been here 5 times either ends in chemical or miscarriage!). I was just reading the website though and it started to make me feel a bit angry and playing on the emotions of couples trying to concieve, and though the technology may be there to test early not sure we should be using it or if it helpful that it is available....

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

I've had several mc over the years, and on at least two occasions, I was only sure I was pregnant because of a positive test result. If I hadn't tested, I would probably have just thought I was late and/or having a very heavy period and it would have spared us much heartache. That's just my personal experience though.

[MiggleMoo]

Thats was what I was trying to say PomBear just in a very convuluted manner!! It would have saved a lot of heartache! Though saying that I keep telling myself to wait till I test and obviously failed big style today!!

[lookitmyshoes]

It was only when I started being sick that my husband joked "I think somebody's a little bit pregnant!"
Then to his surprise I actually was -ha!
So yes, it wasn't planned exactly, but sometimes these things just happen if you're blissfully ignorant and don't worry about them. You'll only wind yourself up about it otherwise.

[TraineeBabyCatcher]

You're right, theyre far more hassle than theyre gain.

I was actually thinking about this yesterday when i heard a radio advert that said something along the lines of 'pregnancy is one of those things you need to find out as soon as possible, so here at /insertbrand/ we can offer a test that shows up 4 days before your missed period- thats 1 day before any other brand'. I was thinking, do we really need to know that soon? What is 4 days in the grand scheme of pregnancy. If people would just wait those four days there would be less 'misscarriages', and therefore much less heartache.

[HazleNutt]

Well, if someone is not actively TTC, finds out early that she's pregnant, stops drinking/smoking, takes some vitamins etc, then the earlier one finds out the better.

But in most cases I agree, had a chemical last month myself and was quite upset. If I didn't test, would have thought I was a bit late.

Saying that, of course I'll test as early as possible this month as well. The tests are avialable, I don't have enough patience.

[MULLYPEEP]

Totally agree with you op. It's the kind of thing you have to go through yourself though to realise you would have spared yourself a lot of heartache if you had just waited a week or so.

[MiggleMoo]

Me too hazlenut, i know I will. I already have a DS and I didn't find out with him until 8 weeks and was blissfully unaware, had a good pregnancy and a really easy ride. Almost and obsessive, compulsive POAS hoard now, maybe we should start a new group!!??

[thecatsminion]

Not always. I've had a history of previous ectopic pregnancies and early pregnancy is a risky time if you've got ropey tubes - bleeding can be AF or could be an ectopic. So it's good to know early,or at least gives you abit of peace of mind.

[Fakebook]

Yes, they're more trouble than they're worth.

The digital clearblue ones with conception indicator, are just a mind fuck.

I've had 4 miscarriages, and the fourth time I was hooked on the clearblue ones. I must have bought about 3 double packets and then predicted the miscarriage.

[DowagersHump]

Absolutely agree with you OP.

LunaticFringe - if you had multiple chemical pregnancies, that would not make you a candidate for investigation. It's only if you have miscarriages once a pregnancy is confirmed properly (ie when you have completely missed a period).

I managed to resist testing until my period was 4 days late in my last pregnancy because I didn't want the heartache and disappointment if it all went wrong before it had even really started.

[HaveALittleFaith]

YANBU. We TTC'd for 2 years 8 months. I went mental with testing at times. I bought the early tests off amazon. I had to give myself a mental slap when I realised I'd done 15 tests in 2 cycles! I actually stopped testing after a while. My cycles got more predictable and it was easier just to get my period than stand there squinting and going mad at fake lines. I'd had a chemical pregnancy, evap lines, the lot over the months. The month I was pregnant I hadn't even really thought about it. I knew we'd has sex around the right time but wasn't even really thinking about when my period was due. It was only when my heightened sense of smell caused me to throw up two days before my period was expected that I tested using a cheapy test. It was so faint and fuzzy I could barely see it! same with the second Couldn't fault the FRER though - that line came up immediately. Very reassuring! :)

[Bosgrove]

I am have very irregular periods, I am also on medication with causes abnormalities in a baby if you don't get off them before you are about 6 weeks pregnant. In my situation I have to test most months just to make sure we haven't had a accident.

I wish I could have not tested until I had missed a couple of periods but in my case it is just not possible.

As it was I got the medication changed over from warfarin (tablets) to clexane (injections) at about 5 weeks on all three pregnancies.

[trio38]

I completely agree. They are obviously very helpful for a small number of women, but for those without underlying medical reasons I'm sure they've caused more heartache than good.

I wonder of the manufacturors should be forced to point out that a positive may only show a chemical pregnancy?

[Bluegingham]

DowagersHump I'm afraid I have to strongly disagree. You're a candidate for investigation if you've had repeat positive pregnancy tests, as that means you've ovulated, it's fertilised and attempted to implant (hence testing for HCG) but something has gone wrong. Any medic who says any different is misinformed. Repeat miscarriage isn't just about later losses, it's losses right at the start too.
And by investigating this early you can put things in place before conception to aid implantation and progress the pregnancy, such as progesterone supplements, various blood thinners and drugs to affect the immune system, which may also be playing a part.
So OP in general terms YANBU but in specific cases it's important to know exactly what's going on. Some fertility clinics do alternate day betaHCG to establish how pregnant you are and if things are progressing well.

[honeytea]

It took us nearly 2 years to get our BFP, I found the early tests handy when I wanted to drink after ovulation, I didn't want to put my life on hold for months and months and face the are you pregnant question if I said no to a glass of wine with my friends. I would test a couple of days before my period if I was going on a night out, after month after month of negative tests I just assumed each month the test would be negative. I actually found out I was pregnant with a test in my hand and in my other hand a bottle of white wine. That test was around the time my period was due and in hindsight I wouldn't have wanted to find out earlier the first few weeks of pregnancy are so worrying I wouldn't want to have more time to worry.

[lovebunny]

they make pregnancy very, very long.

[MiggleMoo]

There are obviously times when it is medically helpful for a women to know, and with our current situation I suppose I am now one of those women as I have my hormone levels tracked and if pregnant again will be given progesterone etc.

However my main thing with this is in normal, healthy situations it seems to cause more upset than good and I feel angered by the companies which seem to market and play on the vulnerabilities and emotions of women TTC.

Interesting topic of conversation though - and actually makes me feel more sane that I am not the only women out there who does this even against my better judgement!!

[MiggleMoo]

Very true lovebunny

[valiumredhead]

I agree OP.

[CakeMeIAmYours]

A very good friend of mine was TTC for ages, and suffered a series of very early MCs (chemical pregnancies) which were only detected because she was testing very early.

When she went for investigations, she was armed with the facts, namely that she was ovulating, both her tubes were clear, and that her DP's sperm count was ok. This cut out a whole range of tests and she was able to proceed directly to IVF.

Had she not tested early, she would never have known this and would probably have wasted more time having these tests and waiting for the results which would no doubt have caused a lot of distress and heartache.

I do see the argument that it better not to know etc, I guess I just dislike this idea that women are such delicate little flowers that they should be protected from the facts relating to the biology of their bodies.

Knowledge is power, and in particular, knowledge relating to our health - even though sometimes it can be distressing.

[DowagersHump]

I don't really understand how that works if 70% of conceptions are chemical pregnancies and it was my understanding from the EPU that they could only treat when later (although it was some time since I was there).

I can understand if you've been trying for ages and it's not happening but for most women I think early tests are largely money spinners for the manufacturers