Digital pregnancy tests with weeks indicator: how to interpret the results?
For many years there have been digital tests on the market (the Clearblues to be clear), which in addition to letting us know if the pregnancy is underway also indicate the weeks from conception .
This type of test, like all home pregnancy tests , evaluates the presence of the beta HCG hormone in urine.
But how to interpret the results? How to behave after a negative or positive test? And finally, can this type of test be a reliable indicator of how the pregnancy is progressing? Let’s see it together.
Clearblue digital test result – what does it mean?
Not pregnant: the test is negative
In case of negativity , the following message will appear on the test: “Not pregnant” . This means that the pregnancy is not ongoing or that the test was performed too soon after conception and therefore is not yet able to identify beta hCG in urine.
1-2, 2-3 or 3+ pregnant: the test is positive
In case of positivity , the words “Pregnant 1-2”, “Pregnant 2-3” or “Pregnant 3+” will appear on the test . The result, therefore, will indicate the weeks to wait starting from conception (and not from the date of the last menstruation, as the gynecologist or midwife will instead calculate).
The results will then be interpreted according to the following table :
|
Clearblue test result |
What does it mean |
Pregnancy dating according to the gynecologist (based on the last menstruation) |
What week of pregnancy is it? |
|
Pregnant 1-2 |
Conception occurred about 1 or 2 weeks ago. |
You are about 3 to 4 weeks pregnant. |
You are in the 4th or 5th week of pregnancy. |
|
Pregnant 2-3 |
Conception occurred about 2 or 3 weeks ago. |
You are about 4 or 5 weeks pregnant. |
You are in the 5th or 6th week of pregnancy. |
|
Pregnant 3+ |
Conception occurred more than 3 weeks ago. |
You are more than 5 weeks pregnant. |
You have passed the 6th week of pregnancy. |
Negative digital pregnancy test: what to do?
A negative result indicates that conception did not occur. Therefore, menstruation should appear after a few days.
However, if the cycle does not occur within a week, the advice is to repeat the test.
In fact , beta hCG doubles every 2-3 days and, if pregnancy is ongoing, a second test 7 days later has a very high probability of detecting it.
If repeating the test, the result is still negative and menstruation does not occur , it is advisable to contact the doctor to identify the cause of the failure to start the period (amenorrhea).
If, on the other hand, the second test gives a positive result, contact your doctor to schedule the first exams and the first obstetric visit .
Positive digital pregnancy test: what to do?
If the test is positive , the next step is to call your doctor to take all the necessary steps to start a healthy pregnancy and monitor the development of the future baby.
Sometimes, however, it could happen that the cycle arrives despite the test having given a positive result . The most probable cause is the so-called biochemical pregnancy , i.e. a very early miscarriage. However, false positives are extremely rare .
In any case, we recommend that you contact your doctor to discuss with him the possible causes of this discrepancy and the measures to be taken.
Although it is a very difficult event to deal with, spontaneous abortion in the first weeks of pregnancy is unfortunately very frequent and occurs in a percentage ranging from 20 to 30% of pregnancies.
Biochemical pregnancy, however, in no way affects the chances of getting pregnant again.
Can I use digital tests to understand if the pregnancy is going well?
If you know for sure that you conceived more than 3 weeks ago and you don’t get a ‘Pregnant 3+’ but for example a ‘Pregnant 1-2’, it is best to report to your gynecologist.
In fact, the betas should double every 2-3 days and, if they do not follow this trend, they could signal some problems.
On the other hand, even pregnancy tests with week markers are not 100% reliable. Also, in some circumstances beta hCG may rise more slowly than normal.
As always, therefore, the doctor will determine if it is necessary to carry out any tests, such as a dosage of beta in the blood .
Monitor the progress of your pregnancy with a second test
We also know that some women, after a positive result, repeat the Clearblue test after about a week , to understand if the beta hCG levels are increasing and if the pregnancy is progressing as it should.
For example, if the first test indicates a “Pregnant 1-2” and after about ten days it indicates a “Pregnant 2-3” or even a “3+” it can be assumed that the beta HCG is increasing correctly. Otherwise, however, some suspicions may arise.
However, using digital home tests repetitively to understand if the pregnancy is progressing normally could give rise to unnecessary anxiety, because the second test is performed too soon or because you think you ovulated on a certain day and instead ovulated many days ago After.
Therefore, the advice is not to consider the weeks indicator as an absolute truth and not to use these tests to monitor the progress of the pregnancy .
In the presence of any doubts, the recommendation is to contact your trusted doctor to receive the necessary reassurances and, if necessary, carry out any further investigations.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.