"Digitals aren't as sensitive."

funkymonkeyohyeahhh · January 2011

I've seen this said several times in posts the past few days. If a digital test measures 25 mIU and a FRER measures 25 mIU... how is a digital less sensitive? I am just curious to know because I thought I had a line on an Answer brand test, but the digital the next morning said "Not Pregnant" and both tests measure at the same level.

I couldn't find a digital at the drugstore that measures at a higher level than 25, so I can't figure out how they're less sensitive.

JLG95 · January 2011

Don't know about that.

Twice now I've had to use digitals to confirm a pregnancy because the cheapy blue-line Target brand were too ambiguous.

funkymonkeyohyeahhh · January 2011

JLG95:
Don't know about that.
Twice now I've had to use digitals to confirm a pregnancy because the cheapy blue-line Target brand were too ambiguous.

With my first pregnancy, I got a "Pregnant" result on a digital right after a faint line on an Answer test. I never thought they were less sensitive, but so many people keep saying it on here. I'm guessing it's just a misconception and no one bothered to actually look at the level of measurement?

alison2379 · January 2011

Could the line you saw have been an evaporation line? How quickly did you view the test?

NDwife07 · January 2011

Some women say that the digital isn't as good at picking up the super slight HCG levels that would cause a very faint line.

In my experience this time, I got a super duper faint line and a the digital popped up positive right away...so yeah, I don't know.

Real helpful answer, huh?

Tomsbabyboo · January 2011

I don't really have an explanation for how they would be less sensitive and I thought the same things as you because it happened to me too. I got a faint positive on a FRER at 10DPO and used the same FMU with a digital and got a negative (it was so disheartening). I wanted to see it on digital so I waited until 14 DPO to use another digital and got the "YES+" that I was dying to see. In the meantime, I got clearer positives on non-digital tests from 11-13DPO.

Geekchick921 · January 2011

funkymonkeyohyeahhh:
JLG95:

Don't know about that.

Twice now I've had to use digitals to confirm a pregnancy because the cheapy blue-line Target brand were too ambiguous.

With my first pregnancy, I got a "Pregnant" result on a digital right after a faint line on an Answer test. I never thought they were less sensitive, but so many people keep saying it on here. I'm guessing it's just a misconception and no one bothered to actually look at the level of measurement?

That happened to me with this baby. The test line on the Answer test was SO faint. The digi I took later that day that was obviously much more decisive. While CBE digi's sensitivity is listed as 50 mIU online, quite a few of my e-friends have said they got positive results on those digis before the FRER digitals. I never tried any digi but the CBE, but I got a BFP at 10 DPO with one of them. Beats me.

Also, blue dye tests are the devil and should be banned. JMHO.

TheFannins729 · January 2011

i was just going to say that some of them say 50 mIU. I got a positive on a blue dye (hard to really tell) and two distinct pink lines on a frer, but a "not pregnant" on a digital the next morning.

JaysonandKristin · January 2011

TheFannins729:
i was just going to say that some of them say 50 mIU. I got a positive on a blue dye (hard to really tell) and two distinct pink lines on a frer, but a "not pregnant" on a digital the next morning.

The dig I took was 50 mIU, and the FRER was 25 mIU. That's why I say that it's less sensitive.

A 50 mIU dig and a 50 mIU dye test are just as sensitive.

TheFannins729 · January 2011

JaysonandKristin:
TheFannins729:
i was just going to say that some of them say 50 mIU. I got a positive on a blue dye (hard to really tell) and two distinct pink lines on a frer, but a "not pregnant" on a digital the next morning.
The dig I took was 50 mIU, and the FRER was 25 mIU. That's why I say that it's less sensitive.
A 50 mIU dig and a 50 mIU dye test are just as sensitive.

yeah, it all comes down to which brands you buy for each.

Ginkeez · January 2011

Even if tests claim a certain sensitivity, there is still going to be some variation from brand to brand. The tests I use I think are supposed to be able to get a result with at least 25 hcg, but I am pretty sure I have gotten lines when my levels were as low as 5. The digital tests just make things clearer rather than deciding if their really is a 2nd line there or not. I have heard on several occasions that the digital test was wrong at first. But it will turn out positive eventually if you truly are pregnant. You just have to wait a day or two.

google123 · January 2011

I actually think they are more sensitive. They say they measure 25mIU, but they measure levels much lower than what is advertised. Eg. I had an very very early hcg/beta blood test that was 21, and the night before (with dilute urine) I got a 'pregnant' on the digital. I also got a 'pregnant' at 10dpo with very clear dilute urine. When I took a regular hpt test, I could barely see any line on it, and had I not known that I was pregnant, I could've easily mistaken it for a BFN.

funkymonkeyohyeahhh · January 2011

I wasn't obsessed over the tests at all and fully expect AF today or tomorrow, but reading all those "Digitals aren't as sensitive." comments started planting doubts. I think, like most things pregnancy-related, it varies from person to person. Thanks for the replies. I was just trying to get an idea for why people believe that

Azrayla · January 2011

I dont buy the whole less sensitive..if you can get a line you should get a positive with FMU..I agree maybe not taking it later in the day..I guess it depends on brand too..But I got my faint BFP at 8dpo and 9dpo digi confirmed. I used a walgreens brand which is blue dye but I dont know if that counts for digis? Either way said yes, and well, I am so..

Good luck!

7apodacn · January 2011

** Butting in from lurking** I'm not pregnant yet, but I have some useful links, HTH. https://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hpt.html https://www.peeonastick.com/hpts.html **Butting back out**

BetsyDavis · January 2011

I was getting all extremely faints(so faint I though I was seeing things in the light) took a digital to confirm got my Pregnant. I was using test strips that are supposed to be extra sensitive (10 miu) and still was getting lines that I wasn't even sure was there. I think they say there are less sensitive because 25 is the lowest level they measure at (lowest I have seen) when other test do.