Are Dollar Store Pregnancy Tests Legal?
Shopping at the dollar store is usually not the most durable or high quality. So it’s fair to wonder, when you see cheap pregnancy tests on their shelves, if you can take their results seriously at all. Surprise! It’s true.
The real question should be, why are pregnancy tests so expensive in pharmacies and grocery stores? They often charge $ 10 to $ 15 or more for a box containing one or two doughs. Aside from packaging, the only thing you really care about is some chemically treated paper, which will change color if you have human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine.
This paper is quite cheap to produce. If you really want the best price for pregnancy tests, search the internet. You can take the minimalist tests – they look like you put an index card through a shredder – almost free of charge. Here’s a 20-pack for under $ 4 .
Does it matter which test you buy?
Well, the FDA regulates pregnancy tests and requires their manufacturers to prove they are effective. So if it is sold legally in the US, it is legal.
Cheaper pregnancy tests can be more inconvenient to use. Some you need to dip in a cup of urine instead of urinating on a stick. And each test has its own instructions on how and when to read it. If the instructions are followed, a positive result is almost always a guarantee of pregnancy. A negative result may mean that you are not pregnant or that you were tested too early.
Some tests are more sensitive than others, but this is not price dependent. All tests detect hCG in urine, which increases sharply in early pregnancy. If you have a test that can detect 25 units of hCG, you may be able to get an early result around the time you miss your period, or even a day or two before. A test with a threshold of 50 or 100 units will not be registered until a few days later.
To see how sensitive a test is, look at the fine print on the test or on the manufacturer’s website to see what threshold they are using. ( Here’s a chart with some common brands , although it’s worth noting that it was compiled by a competitor. Verify with the brand you’re buying.) But if you’ve already skipped your period and just need a quick response, the test dollar store usually does a great job. its task.