Join us as we take you through how to use the OVUM Early Detection Pregnancy Test. Remember to check the expiry date of the pregnancy test before using it and follow the instructions carefully. 

• Over 99% accurate on the first day of your expected period
• Test up to 5 days earlier than your expected period

THIS TEST IS DESIGNED FOR SELF-TESTING AT HOME

ABOUT THE OVUM® PREGNANCY TEST

This test detects a hormone called human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which is present at varying degrees in the early stages of pregnancy. Once an embryo implants into the uterine wall it produces hCG, which can be detected in urine. If the test detects hCG, it will display a positive result.

If you prefer to test early, this test can be used 5 days before you expect your period to start. However for the most accurate result (over 99%), please test as close as you can to your expected period. See 'What Day Should I Test?' for more information.

BEFORE YOU TEST 

• To ensure the results are as accurate as possible, please read these instructions in full before taking a test
• We recommend testing first thing in the morning as your urine is at its most concentrated at this time. This is especially important if you are testing before your expected period
• Should you wish to test later in the day, please ensure you haven’t drunk too much liquid in the hours before testing

TAKING THE TEST 

1. Unwrap one OVUM® test and remove the cap so the absorbent tip is exposed
2. Take a seat on the toilet and hold the test in place, using the thumb grip for convenience (and to avoid peeing on your hand). Point the absorbent tip downwards. Note the early part of your urine flow will give you a stronger reading. 
3. Either pee directly onto the absorbent tip until it is completely soaked. This should take around 5 seconds. Try not to pee on the result window!
4. You can also use a clean, dry container to pee into and then dip the test for at least 5 seconds. 
5. Keep the absorbent tip pointing downwards and replace the cap. Lay the test on a flat surface, facing up. After 3-5 minutes, check the result. 
6. Once you have used your test, place it and the individual foil sleeve in the prepaid envelope included in the box of tests. Once you have used all four tests, simply post it at any U.K postbox, where it will be delivered to our recycling partner for processing. 

READING YOUR RESULTS

The test window can show two lines;

• The control line makes sure the test has worked
• The test line shows a positive result

Positive

No matter how faint the test line is, if two lines show up, that’s a positive result. 

Negative

If only the control line shows up, the test is negative. Either you’re not pregnant or it’s too early to test. 

Invalid

The result is invalid if no coloured line appears in the control line, even if a line appears in the test line. 

This could mean the absorbent tip wasn’t saturated enough with pee, or the test is damaged or expired. Please test again, peeing into a small cup and dipping the absorbent tip directly into the urine.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PREGNANCY TEST

How accurate and sensitive is the test?

The OVUM® Early Detection Pregnancy Test is the most sensitive test available. It can detect hCG with over 99% accuracy and has a sensitivity of 10mlU/mL.

The test is more than 99% accurate in predicting pregnancy three days before your expected period.

At four days before your expected period, the test result is 97% accurate and at five days before your expected period, the test is 77% accurate.

When can I check my results?

Please check your result between 3 and 5 minutes after taking the test and make sure you read it within 5 minutes. After that time, the results may not be accurate, so please test again.

One line appears darker than the other. What does this mean?

So long as you can see two lines, that is a positive pregnancy result. End of.

If you're straining to find a faint test line it is perhaps because your pee is too watered down or it is slightly too early to test. Wait and test again in a few days. Hard to do, we know.

Make sure you test in the mornings when your urine is most concentrated.

WHAT CAN AFFECT MY RESULTS?

• Waiting too long to read your result window. Results read after 5 minutes are not accurate.

• If you have recently stopped using hormonal contraception or are using fertility drugs (such as clomiphene citrate), your periods may be irregular, leading you to test too soon.

• A recent miscarriage or pregnancy, including a chemical pregnancy (a pregnancy loss very soon after implantation), may give you a false positive when you're no longer pregnant. Also, a normal pregnancy cannot be distinguished from an ectopic pregnancy based on hCG levels alone.

• Fertility drugs containing hCG can lead to misleading results. The hCG in these drugs usually clears your body two weeks post-injection.

• Rare medical conditions that result in the production of hCG unrelated to pregnancy. These include ovarian cysts or tumours, gestational trophoblastic disease and hCG secreted by the pituitary gland during menopause. If you think any of these might apply, please see your GP.

I feel like I'm pregnant, but the test is negative. What should I do?

A false-negative result (when the pregnancy test is negative, but you are actually pregnant) can happen when the levels of hCG are below the sensitivity of the test. This can happen for two reasons:

• It might be too early to detect a pregnancy. If you tested before your expected period, this could be the case. hCG levels increase rapidly in early pregnancy, so if you feel you're pregnant, test again in 1-2 days. If you miss your period and still get a negative result, please see your GP.
• Your urine might have been too diluted before testing. Avoid too much liquid in the hours before testing.

I have irregular periods. When should I test?

Having irregular periods can make it much harder to know when to test. We suggest counting at least 14 days from when you last had sex and testing. If you have a negative result but feel you might be pregnant, please wait 1-2 days and test again.

What Day Should I Test?

For the most accurate results, test on the day of your expected period. However, you can use the tests starting up to five days before you expect your period to start.

If you get a negative result and you tested more than 3 days before your expected period, you could still be pregnant (see below chart). Take the test again in a few days, as you may simply not be producing enough hCG yet for the test to detect. 

NEED SUPPORT?

A negative test can hit hard; it can be an indescribable and all-consuming pain when you are trying to conceive.

Sometimes, a positive test can also cause anxiety, especially where previous fertility trauma has been experienced.

To help with how overwhelming it can all feel, we have guided meditations by Fertility Coach Alice Rose available once you receive your test results.     

FULLY RECYCLABLE

Unfortunately, no brand of pregnancy tests can yet be replaced in your household recycling. Here at OVUM®, we still wanted to bring you tests that could be fully recycled, so we partnered with Enval, which developed a patented technology to recycle the plastic used in our tests. 

This means the OVUM®  tests, their foil wrappers, and desiccants can now be fully recycled, so please simply post the used items in the prepaid envelope included in your pack. 

The OVUM® tests are also certified rePurpose plastic negative, so we remove twice as much plastic from the environment for every kilo used in our tests. 

The external cardboard packaging and the instructions are made of recycled paper and can be placed in your usual household recycling. 

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Analytic Sensitivity:

The OVUM® Early Detection Pregnancy Test detects urine hCG concentration of 10mlU/mL or greater.

Interfering Substances:

The following potentially interfering substances were added to hCG negative and positive specimens, and no interferences were observed: acetaminophen, aspirin, ascorbic acid, atropine, caffeine, glucose, haemoglobin, tetracycline, ampicillin, albumin and bilirubin.

Additional comments 

• For in vitro diagnostic use only. Do not re-use
• Store between4-30°c. So not in your freezer or the oven. Keep away from direct sunlight and heat. 
• Keep out of children’s reach. 
• Not for contraceptive use. We know, but it’s a legal requirement to mention this.
• Do not use after the expiry date.
• Do not open the wrapper until you're ready to start testing and do not use this product if the wrapper is torn or damaged. 

For the PDF version of our IFU, head here.