EPT Pregnancy Test Instructions

About the EPT Pregnancy Test

The EPT pregnancy test comes in two versions of the standard urine test. The older one is a classic home pregnancy test with a stick that you hold in your urine stream and a round window that shows a plus or minus sign. The newer one has a digital screen that shows "pregnant" or "not pregnant."

Original Style EPT Pregnancy Test

The EPT pregnancy test instructions are easy to follow.

Start in the Morning

You can use the EPT pregnancy test as early as four days before your period is due. However, results are less likely to be accurate early in pregnancy. To help increase your chance of getting an accurate result, use the test as soon as you wake up, the first time you urinate. The pregnancy hormone beta-HCG, which is what the test measures, is most concentrated first thing in the morning.

Get Ready

Take the test stick out of the package and remove the purple cap. The stick has an indentation for your thumb; hold the stick at that end, opposite from the absorbent tip. It doesn't matter if the results window is facing up or down.

Two Choices

You'll need to dip the test into your urine which can be done by using a clean cup to catch your urine or holding the test directly in your urine stream. Advantages and disadvantages? If you don't want to look at your urine or don't want to have to dispose of the soiled cup, hold the stick in the stream while you urinate. But be warned: it has a tendency to splash.

Next Step

Now place the test stick on a dry, flat surface and leave it alone for two minutes. Shaking the test stick or moving it around can affect the result. After the two minutes are up, check the results window. If the results are not clear, wait another minute or two and check again.

Don't wait too long, though: the results get less accurate after ten minutes have passed.

Interpretation

• A plus sign in the round results window means you're pregnant.
• A minus sign means you're not.

Either way, a line appears in a smaller, square window to let you know you've done the test right. If it doesn't, check the package instructions. You might not have done the test properly or the test stick might be faulty.

Don't take these results as the final answer, though. If you think you're pregnant and the test doesn't agree, wait a few days to a week and try again. If it's still negative and you haven't had a period, see your doctor. Check with the doctor, too, if the test is positive. You'll need to confirm that you are pregnant and start the appropriate care.

Digital EPT Pregnancy Test Instructions

The digital EPT pregnancy test instructions are just as simple, but it does have a few important differences:

• Instead of a plus or minus sign, the results window says "pregnant" or "not pregnant" in plain English.
• The test comes in two parts: a holder with a digital readout window and a separate test stick.
• A symbol flashes in the results window to let you know the test is processing.
• If there's a problem with the test, the readout shows an error message.

Getting Started

Take the holder and the test stick out of the packaging. Take the cap off the test stick. Line up the purple arrows on the test stick and the holder so they're pointing at each other. Insert the test stick into the holder until it clicks. A small image of the assembled test kit should appear in the results window.

Testing

Just like with the older version of the EPT pregnancy test, you'll need to dip the absorbent end of the test stick into your urine. Again, you can use a cup or hold it directly in the urine stream. Check the package to see how long you need to soak it. If you've done this step right, the symbol in the results window should flash.

Results

Your results should be ready in three minutes, max. If you get a blank window or the words "See Leaflet," there's a problem with the test. You might not have used enough urine, you might have separated the test stick from the holder too soon, or the test might be faulty. Check the official EPT pregnancy test instructions to see what to do.

As with the older version of the test, see your doctor if the test is positive, if it's negative but you haven't had a period or have signs of pregnancy, or if you have any other concerns.

EPT Pregnancy Test Web Site

Want the official instructions? You'll find them at the EPT pregnancy test page on the Pfizer Consumer Health care web site.