Survey Results

What would you do if you thought you were pregnant? Nearly four in five women would want to take a home pregnancy test as soon as possible, according to a new survey conducted by StrategyOne for the marketers of e.p.t^® and e.p.t^® Digital^® .

Ex plore the links below to read highlights from the survey, which gauged the attitudes of sexually active women of childbearing age (400 women ages 18-44) and OB/GYNs toward early home pregnancy testing.

Most women have used home pregnancy tests
When to test? Respondents say as soon as possible
Many women don’t understand that the reliability of home pregnancy tests varies before and after one’s expected period
A negative test inhibits re-testing for a week or longer
Women have little knowledge about the reliability of pregnancy tests taken before the start of one’s period
False negatives elicit frustration, anger and betrayal
OB GYNs advise their patients to wait before using a home pregnancy test
Most OB GYNs have seen false negatives from early testing

Most women have used home pregnancy tests
Home pregnancy tests have been used by 80% of women aged 18 to 44. Not surprisingly, older women aged 35 to 44 have had much more experience using home pregnancy tests than younger women aged 18 to 24 (87% vs. 65%). Similarly, older women are more likely than younger women to report having had a pregnancy test at a doctor’s office (women aged 25 to 34, 77% and women aged 35 to 44, 81% vs. women aged 18 to 24, 59%).

Of those who have used home pregnancy tests, 47% say they have taken the test before the first day of their expected period. Interestingly, women aged 25 to 34 are more likely to report they have taken a home pregnancy test before the first day of their expected period compared to women 35 to 44 (56% vs. 39%).

Of those who have taken a home pregnancy test, 12% have received a false negative result.

When to test? Respondents say as soon as possible
Nearly four in five (79%) women agree that, if they thought they were pregnant, they “would want to take a test as soon as possible, even if they did not expect their period for a few more days.” Mid-range aged women (25 to 34) are more likely than their younger counterparts (18 to 24) to say they would take the test as soon as possible (85% vs. 75%).

While they agree that they would like to take the test “as soon as possible,” there is no definitive time period in which women predict they would take a home pregnancy test if they thought they were pregnant.

• 19% report they would take a test a few days before the first day of their expected period;
• 31% say they would take a test between the first and last day of their expected period;
• 23% say they would take a test after the last day of their expected period;
• 19% say they would take a test after missing more than one period.

Many women don’t understand that the reliability of home pregnancy tests varies before and after one’s expected period
Overall, half (49%) of women agree that home pregnancy tests are equally reliable, whether they are used a few days before or a few days after the first day of their expected period. Just 36% report that home pregnancy tests are not equally reliable (and 15% say they have “no opinion” implying they are not sure).

Interestingly, older women are not as knowledge as younger women regarding the differences in the reliability of home pregnancy tests. More than half of those 25 to 34 (55%) and 35 to 44 (54%) agree that “home pregnancy tests are equally reliable whether they are used a few days before or a few days after the first day of their expected period” compared to just 34% of women 18 to 24.

A negative test inhibits re-testing for a week or longer
More than half (55%) of women agree that if they took a home pregnancy test a few days before the first day of their expected period and the results indicated that they were not pregnant, they would be unlikely to re-test for a week or more.

Pregnancy encourages healthy behavior; a negative pregnancy test does not

The majority of women report they would change their behavior in multiple ways if they thought they were pregnant:

• 94% say they would contact their OB GYN;
• 71% report they would start taking prenatal vitamins;
• 66% say they would stop drinking alcohol;
• 60% indicate they would seek out information on how to take care of themselves while pregnant;
• 58% say they would stop drinking caffeine
• 47% report they would stop smoking.

Not surprisingly, two in three (65%) women agree that if a pregnancy test told them they were not pregnant, they would do things that they might not do if they were pregnant, like drink caffeinated beverages, smoke, drink alcohol, or wait to visit the doctor. Younger and mid-range aged women are much more likely to agree with this statement than older women (72% and 70% vs. 56%).

Women have little knowledge about the reliability of pregnancy tests taken before the start of one’s period
Few (32%) women are aware that using a home pregnancy test four or more days before the start of one’s period can give an incorrect result for more than 30% of pregnant women. And once provided with this knowledge, four in five (80%) say they would be unlikely to take a test four or more days before the first day they expect their period.

False negatives elicit frustration, anger and betrayal
Women were further asked how they would feel if they received a “false negative” on a pregnancy test, (i.e. a result that stated that they were not pregnant when they actually were).

• 54% say they would feel frustrated;
• 34% say they would be angry;
• 20% report they would be betrayed;
• 11% say they wouldn’t care.

OB GYNs advise their patients to wait before using a home pregnancy test
Four in five (80%) OB GYNs agree that they advise their patients that home pregnancy tests taken before the first day of their expected period are not as accurate as those taken on or after that day, and 72% of say that they advise their patients to wait until the first day of their expected period.

Most OB GYNs have seen false negatives from early testing
Two in three (66%) OB GYNs agree that some of their patients who have taken home pregnancy tests have received inaccurate results.

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