Are Clearblue digital pregnancy tests prone to false negatives, or is there a perfectly reasonable explanation for double lines on a broken-open test?
Recognized by Healthline as the best digital pregnancy test on the market, Clearblue has made a name for its easily accessible and accurate at-home pregnancy testing. But recently, their accuracy has been doubted on social media.
One woman called out the company after she received a false positive pregnancy reading. And now, another TikToker user has come forward with their own questionable experience using the product.
What happened with the Clearblue digital pregnancy test?
In a video posted on Sept. 22 that has now reached over 330,000 views, TikTok user Taisen (@taisenterra) shares her recent experience using a Clearblue digital test.
She shows that after taking the pregnancy test, it reads that she is ‘Not Pregnant’.
Unsure, she decides to take the entire test apart, and it reveals two blue lines on the inside strip. This typically means a positive, which leads her to believe that she really is pregnant.
“Please tell me you see that second faint line,” Taisen asks viewers in the clip.
Now, she’s even more confused than before she took the test.
Commenters share their false negative stories
Apparently, Taisen is not the only person who is running into trouble with these digital pregnancy tests.
In the comments section, other consumers, who are now mothers, shared their similar experiences dealing with false negatives.
“I found out I was pregnant with my twins this way. It is def true,” one user shared.
“I was early pregnant and got a not pregnant but took it apart and saw a faint second line,” another commented.
“This happened with both my pregnancies,” a third said.
@taisenterra Fell down the clearblue rabbit role.. 🫤 7 dpo… #7dpo #clearblue #digitaltest #digitalpregnancytest #pregnancy #ttc #ttcjourney #falsepositive #takingaparttest #fyp #foryou #viral #confused #motherhood ♬ original sound – t a i | motherhood + life
Are Clearblue tests accurate?
Clearblue prides themselves on the accuracy of their tests. According to their official website, they boast a 99% validity rate. That being said, the company also suggests that there are common denominators that fall on the consumer when it comes to false negatives.
From drinking too much liquid before using the test to testing too early, there are several reasons as to why the pregnancy test could deliver a false negative and only show one line.
However, that’s not what the TikToker is alleging. She is claiming that the test has misled her into thinking that she is not pregnant, when the lines show that she is, alluding to a technical error.
According to Parents, a double line on the paper doesn’t necessarily equal pregnancy.
In some cases, a test may produce an evaporation line, which is a faint second line that materializes as a result of the test itself, not in relation to the pregnancy determination. Thus, the user should go by the ‘Pregnant’ or ‘Not Pregnant’ words that appear on the digital test.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Clearblue via email and Taisen via TikTok DM and comment.
