Freaking out over Clear Blue Week Indicators

[MissEmily5]

TW- POSITIVE TEST.

Struggling with anxiety quite bad so please bear with me-
IVF pregnancy (2nd round)- 5 day transfer on the 2nd July 2025 of a 5AA embryo.

Tested positive on 16th July (14dp5dt) on 4 tests… in disbelief. One of them tests was a clear blue digital and said 2-3 weeks. Nice strong lines and unfortunately my anxiety/OCD has lead to me testing multiple more times since I first tested, but all lovely strong lines.

My clinic doesn’t do blood tests and my viability scan isn’t till 7th August (11 sickening long days away). So all I have to go on is these tests.

Fast forward to today- I’m 6 weeks 2 days pregnant. Thought for ‘peace of mind’ (this backfired) that I would test using some clear blue week indicators tests and I would get 3+ on them.
Wrong- I got 2-3 weeks again.
Sheer panic- I’m convinced that it’s all going to go wrong and that I’m going to miscarry.

My husband says this makes sense as technically as it was a 5 day transfer and it’s only been 25 days since our embryo transfer and HCG isn’t produced until implantation that this works out.. but I don’t see it, but then again I’m in a panic now.

I think this is right….
my egg retrieval was on the 27th June and ICSI was performed on the same day. On 2nd July our 5 day embryo was transferred… this would make the embryo technically 4 weeks 1 day old… but with standard pregnancy dating I’m 6 weeks 2 days along…

I know Clear Blue aren’t exactly accurate and logically I know that digital or standard pregnancy tests aren’t going to be able to tell me if my pregnancy is progressing the way it should.

Its just been such a long time and journey to get to this point and I really wanted to enjoy it but I just can’t stop worrying/crying.

Any words of advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.
thanks x

@MissEmily5this was me a few weeks ago and I posted as well. Thankfully people told me their stories that CB D week indicators are not accurate. I’m currently 11 weeks today and on my last scan on Friday baby had a healthy heart beat and was measuring a few days ahead. Clear Blue Digital is evil and puts so much fear in you. Don’t have a viability scan soon? X

Ps if you use Flo or what to expect, they have an IVF due date calculator x

@confused2025 thank you so much for your reply.
firstly, huge congratulations on your pregnancy and I’m happy to hear that it all worked out so far for you. All the luck in the world going forward!

I’ve used a couple of different ivf due calculators and they’re all coming back with 20th March 2026. Making me six weeks 2 days pregnant.
I’m hoping and praying that it’s just a faulty box of digital week tests (I took 2 this morning- when the first came back 2-3 I had to double check).

My viability scan isn’t until the 7th August so 11 days to wait.

Awwh thank you but I think with this whole ivf journey, you do be on edge during the whole process. I did eventually get a 3 weeks + and in a moment of madness I took the 2-3 weeks and 3 weeks + tests apart and honestly the lines were very dark and similar. If it made you feel better, you could do a private scan when you hit 7 weeks?

im also on the long haul flight towards parenthood (including ivf and 2 losses) so I get the anxiety. In a previous pregnancy, I took two digitals in the same morning, one was 2-3, one was 3+, proving that variables in concentration affect outcome. I also read another woman’s post detailing research on cb digital, showing that some women never passed the 2-3 threshold despite having healthy pregnancies. The fault is with the test. It may have had something to do with their hcg being so high that it sullied the results but that’s hazily recalled. It sounds like everything’s going smoothly other than this test… if you’re unable to wait for your scan due to anxiety maybe it’s worth paying for repeat bloods so you can take a breather?

CB digital weeks is unreliable, caused myself and husband unnecessary panic. It’s banned in the States and I wish they do the same here in the UK. Hcg blood tests are more reliable or even better try to wait for an early scan around 7 weeks. Best of luck.

I could have written this post myself and have just written something similar over in ‘IVF babies 2026’. I am PETRIFIED now because of the stupid test!!

@confused2025 my OH has banned me from testing now and probably for the best. I’ve spent hours now scouring the internet and it really is a mixed bag out there. Might look into an early scan although not sure if it might be better to get HCG bloods done… not sure!!

@Nosejug sorry you’re going through all this crap too! It’s so intense and definitely takes over your life. That’s so crazy that the tests can fluctuate like that- I took my two with the same sample of FMU and both came back 2-3 weeks. Everything else has been fine so far, minus my anxiety I.e why I took the test today! 🙈 haven’t had any bloods taken, don’t think it’s that common in where I live. I’ll call the clinic tomorrow and see what they say. Might be too early for a scan but maybe they’ll humour me with some bloods.

@Ivf4203 thank you for your reply. I’m really hoping this is the case for us too. I’ve made myself so sick over this. Can I ask what your situation was?
I’ll be 7 weeks on the 1st August and then my scan is 6 days later… I’m not sure if I can wait out or not!

@PlanBFertility so sorry you’re going through this too! It’s so horrendous and in my opinion way worst than the TWW. I just need to know something concrete now. 😔

@MissEmily5 I’m in the early second trimester and very anxious but trying to take it one day at a time. I got 2-3 weeks on CB four days after an hcg of 1315 (it was doubling every 50 hrs for me) which was taken when I was exactly 5 weeks. I was expecting a 3+ by that day so I cried my heart out and disrupted my husband at work when I called as I was really upset. Fortunatey I also wrote here on mumsnet where I was rightfully advised to stay away from these tests and wait for the scan which I did. I had my scan at 7 weeks in my IVF clinic where a heartbeat was seen. I found other things to worry about since but all are going well so far. It’s so difficult not to worry but I try to remind myself even getting a positive was a miracle already in itself as I never saw a positive before. My therapist also reminded me that worrying for a potential bad outcome won’t make a difference to that outcome if it is to happen. I can choose to grieve if it happens or I can choose to be miserable all the time even when everything is going well.

I hope it all turns out well for us both xx

@Ivf4203 I’m sure the worry never really goes away but just adjusts to the next thing! I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly.
its certainly been a day of it- my husband is beside himself with not being able to comfort me- lots of tears have been shed and it doesn’t matter how many thanks positive outcomes I read, I always find a negative and latch onto that- the joy of OCD and infertility.
I’m pretty gutted that my clinic does no blood tests and I’m umming and ahhing over paying for either blood tests or a very early scan, but I have the fear that just like this test this morning, I won’t get reassurance just more to worry about considering I’m so early at 6+2. I’m hoping I can calm down or at least exhaust myself enough not worry so actively and make it to my clinic appointment on the 7th.
Your therapist is definitely right- it’ll be shit if I do miscarry regardless if I stress now or not. I always wished I’d enjoy this time if I ever got to- it’s also my first ever positive test pregnancy so like you I feel it’s a miracle in itself.
sending good thoughts to us both in our pregnancies x

I’ve had two HCGs at my clinic which were reassuring - for the day! Last one was a week ago and desperate to know everything is ok with little bean. Ordered at home one, going to send it off tomorrow. No idea what I’ll do if comes back lower than I’d expect 🤦🏼‍♀️

Call your clinic and see if it’s at all possible to get an earlier scan. That seems like such a long wait. I’ve never had to wait more than 7+1, other times it’s been 7 exactly. It’s a really anxious time and can understand why you’re spiralling even though everything might be completely fine. If they can’t do one I’d book for an early one privately. The bloods can be somewhat reassuring but don’t do the same as a scan. I’ve had doubling numbers with a non-viable pregnancy that was only discovered on a scan. (I‘m not sure if that’s unusual or not but it’s made me less confident in bloods).

I’ve used the clear blue tests in the past but haven’t bothered this time as I have read so much online that they’re notoriously unreliable. Hope you can get some clarity soon. IVF pregnancies can be hard and anxious, always waiting for the next milestone but it gets better as time goes on. Best of luck 🤞

I'm also panicking, not helped by the fact I've had light bleeding and spotting (seems to have subsided now I've stopped the clexane). I had a beta with my clinic on Friday and it was 1900 which I was over the moon about (15dpt). If things are rising as they should then I should be 4000+ now but I am still showing as 2-3 weeks and the leaflet says the threshold for 3 weeks is 2753+. Now just feel like the HCG stopped rising some time after Friday. Have an appointment at the EPU today for the bleeding although not sure at this stage it will be able to say/confirm much (5w2d).

@FancyGoose this might be a hematoma and everything will hopefully be ok. Clear blue digital is not accurate and a lot of us have had a challenge to get to 3 weeks +

Just to update this and for anyone who may find this is future. I still do not have the elusive 3+ (which is meant to be present at HCG of over 2000). My bloods show my HCG is over 9000, so a load of rubbish and very inaccurate!

@PlanBFertility apparently it’s banned in the US. It brings so much unnecessary fear

@PlanBFertility thank you so much for the update- that is so reassuring. And congrats on the excellent hcg results!

Hey friends so I had FET 29/8 I took a postive digital test yesterday and today I took a normal test and now negative..

Oh no that’s confusing. Perhaps one of the tests was faulty? Hopefully the negative one. I’d take another test and contact your clinic for advice. Maybe they could give you a blood test? Keep taking any medication as normal until you’ve got advice from your clinic.

Were the tests in date? Did you use first wee of the day? Had you drank a lot of water that might have diluted it? Did you have any kind of hcg injection in your protocol?

How was the scan? Fingers crossed everything is going well for you xx

@VanessaShanessaJenkins99 hi! My scan went great- again lots of tears but this time in relief. I’m currently 15+5 pregnant and god what a rollercoaster. The anxiety and OCD has been something else! It’s safe to say I’m wishing this time away until baby is here safe and sound 🤞
All I would say, if you’re in a similar situation- is don’t use the weeks indicators after a certain point! Yeah they’re fine initially when you’ve just missed your period or if like me your official test day from the clinic- but the higher your HCG levels the more inaccurate they become and it’s really not worth the stress.

Congrats @MissEmily5, lovely news. I also wanted to update the thread - the clearblue weeks indicator (and bleeding) were not indicators of anything going wrong and I am currently 14w4d 🙏 hopefully this offers some reassurance to other people getting freaked out by these CB tests!!

Can definitely share the feelings of anxiety - I have done nothing but worry and too scared to really tell anyone or talk/think about bringing a baby home. Not helped by the fact that at our first scan at 6w5d (IVF) we were told the heartbeat was abnormally low and to prepare for another miscarriage. Had 3 scans since then and everything has looked okay since but can't help but panic it's going to 'catch up' with us later on and all come crashing down.

@MissEmily5 @FancyGoose that’s great news. Also another CB victim here that is doing well - currently 20 weeks 3 days. Time is kinda flying by. Hope everyone is doing well x