This post is by Kristyn Hodgdon and originally appeared on the Fertility Tribe blog. 

I don’t know about you, but I despise buying pregnancy tests at the drugstore. From the high prices to the unnecessarily confusing instructions to the anxiety of running into someone at the checkout, it’s not a pleasant experience. Buying a pregnancy test should be easy, accessible, and free of stigma, but unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

The good news? There’s a new company that is flipping the whole experience. Stix is a private, discreet, high quality, affordable pregnancy test that gets delivered right to your door. It is over 99% effective, gyno approved, and FDA certified. But most importantly, it’s made by women FOR women.

Stix founders Cynthia and Jamie decided enough was enough after they both had terrible experiences purchasing pregnancy tests. Cynthia was buying a pregnancy test and ran into her boyfriend’s mom. Jamie, on the other hand, had a cashier sarcastically wish her good luck with an eye roll. 

Throughout their journey creating Stix, Cynthia and Jamie heard hundreds of pregnancy test horror stories from their customers. I sat down with them to hear these stories, which ranged from women not knowing when to take a pregnancy test, to needing access to a discreet pregnancy test, to wasting money on unnecessarily expensive pregnancy tests.

The best pregnancy test stories are shocking but also totally relatable. Here is just a sampling:

1. “My husband and I are in our  second year of trying to conceive and just the other week, the cashier told me that ‘I might as well stop trying at this point.’ - Tessa, 28

2. “Last year, I bought a bulk pack of pregnancy tests and the instructions were so confusing. I didn’t realize that I had to wait 5 minutes for the results to show up, so after I saw the “negative” result I threw the tests in the trash. I took two tests every day for three weeks, and then I was taking out the trash and noticed they were ALL positive. I was pregnant! It was the worst way to find out because I was filled with anxiety all month hoping for that positive result.” - Christina, 26

3. “I’m a banker and I have close relationships with my clients. I was in the drugstore with a pregnancy test in hand when I turn around, and boom, one of my clients is behind me! It was the most uncomfortable small talk of my life.” - Angela, 34

4. “I never know when to take a pregnancy test. My periods are all over the place and the language on pregnancy test boxes at the store is so confusing. So, I just buy them all the time to be sure. I’ve wasted hundreds and hundreds of dollars doing this. The worst part? My drugstore cashier gives me mean looks every time I walk into the store. I hate that he’s up in my business.” - Grace, 26

Since those of us in the infertility community tend to take A LOT of pregnancy tests, I’m sure many of you can relate to these horror stories.

When I came across Stix I thought the idea was genius, and after receiving my pregnancy tests in the mail I can attest to the clear results, easy-to-read instructions, and discreet packaging. Plus, for women who are trying to conceive, there is a subscription option, so you don’t even have to think about ordering them every month!

Do you want a better experience taking pregnancy tests each month? Stix is for you.