Pregnancy test reliability - are brand name ones better?

[drtachyon]

DH & I had sex round about when I should have been ovulating (based on typical cycle length).

My period didn't turn up when expected, so I bought a cheap Tesco pregnancy test, used this next morning - negative result.

Period still hasn't turned up 2 days later, used the 2nd stick in the Tesco pack - still negative.

I'm wondering whether the Tesco ones are as sensitive as the more expensive Clearblue ones? Because normally when my cycle's erratic, my period arrives sooner rather than later, so I'm wondering where it is if I'm not pregnant!

Is it worth spending the extra cash for the Clearblue tests?

I don't think Tesco or Clearblue tests are particuarly sensitive (about 25mlu, I think). Asda/SureSign tests are not too expensive and are sensitive (15mlu), and Superdrug tests are 10mlu (but I've heard conflicting things about their quality).

In general, cheaper tests are more sensitive than brand names.

Hope you get the result you're looking for :)

Forgot to say, Superdrug tests are normally on offer - 2 individual test packs for £4.99 (I think) or 2 packs of 2 tests for £7.99

Thanks

I'll go buy some cheaper ones tomorrow

I have had good, early results (10 days DPO) with the cheap strips from the Internet. So no, I don't think branded ones are more reliable. However, the ones with pink dye rather than blue seem to give less ambiguous results. First response ones are good if you want one you can get from the supermarket or chemist.

Yep, I find First Response to be amongst the most sensitive and reliable for ones you can buy in the shops, including the store brands. I get the earliest lines on the high sensitivity internet cheapies (i.e. the strips from eBay/Amazon etc) but I always back up a line with a First Response Early Result and 24 hours later I usually get a positive on a digital.

Poundland ones aren't bad actually. Better than the store brands and as they're pink ones, less chance of a false positive than the Clearblue tests. I've really not got on with store brands at all -they show fainter lines and show up later than the internet cheapies. I'd heard good things about the Superdrug tests but they showed up nothing beyond a vague ambiguous shadow, when every other test I had clearly showed a line so I am not that convinced unfortunately.

Yes, I am a bit of a testing addict when TTC