Women have been able to use home pregnancy tests for more than three decades to see if they are expecting. Now, a new test has been developed that lets them see just how pregnant they are.
The Clearblue Advanced Pregnancy Test with Weeks Estimator contains not one but two strips that measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone women produce when they are pregnant. One strip reads hCG levels to answer the question, “am I pregnant?” The other another uses the hormone levels to estimate how many weeks it has been since ovulation.
So, if the test turns up positive, it will say “pregnant” along with 1-2, 2-3, or 3+ for the number of weeks.
Traditionally, doctors gage how far along a woman is in her pregnancy based on her last period and an ultrasound reading. However, Clearblue said an estimated 70% of women don’t know the dates of their last menstrual cycle, and Time pointed out that an ultrasound may not be useful until some eight weeks into the pregnancy.
The test is already available in Europe and women in the U.S. can buy the kit in stores and online starting Sept. 1.
According to its website, the Clearblue test estimates the weeks since ovulation with 93% accuracy and 99% accurate for determining pregnancy. And, while it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for seeing a doctor, the test can give a woman an answer before she goes to see her physician.
[NYDailyNews]