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You might have taken a pregnancy test lately and discovered a very faint pink line. Good news, you’re pregnant!
Well, it might not be the case.
While the pregnancy test with a faint line is a high chance that you’re pregnant, there are other reasons why that line might be visible.
A classic pregnancy test shows two lines. One is the control line and the other is the test result. These types of pregnancy tests detect HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin, which is a hormone produced by the placenta which appears in urine during pregnancy.
If the hormone is present in urine, the result line will show color, whether it’s blue or pink, depending on which brand you use.
Does a faint line on a pregnancy test mean I’m pregnant?
Yes, a faint line on a pregnancy test means you’re pregnant about 99.9% of the time. Even the instructions on your pregnancy test tell you that a faint line is positive.
You are more likely to get a false negative on a test than a false positive. A false negative pregnancy test result is a pregnancy test that shows no detection of HCG, but you are pregnant.
A false positive pregnancy test result on the other hand will show a line detecting HCG, but you are not pregnant.
While other factors could create a false positive test result, this is rare and you should test again or consult your doctor.
The most accurate pregnancy test you can get is a blood test from a doctor. The blood test can detect the smallest amount of HCG in your bloodstream as early as 6-8 days after conception.
What causes a faint line on a pregnancy test?
Low HCG levels
All pregnancy tests you buy at the store have some sort of detector for human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in urine.
The further along you are in pregnancy, the more HCG is in your urine, the darker the result will be.
A faint line in a pregnancy test is usually because there is little HCG detected whenever you took the test.
Evaporation line
Another cause of a faint line on a pregnancy test is an evaporation line which is common among home pregnancy tests.
An evaporation line is a faint line that appears once the urine dries off of the pregnancy test.
This usually occurs after a negative test result and the urine dries. The line will usually be faint and colorless. This does not mean you’re pregnant.
Since pregnancy tests are meant to be read shortly after the urine touches the test, the evaporation line should be ignored.
Is my pregnancy test defective?
Defective pregnancy tests are rare, but they do exist. The chance of your test showing you a false positive is rare, but false negative tests happen all the time
This can happen due to the test taken too early, or a defect in the HCG hormone detector.
One doctor discovered a flaw in these tests where the test will capture fragmented hormones which won’t trigger the signal antibody that shows the positive line. Her experiment showed that about 5% of tests were susceptible to this flaw.
How to avoid a faint line in your pregnancy test
Go to a well-lit area
Your faint-line pregnancy test might just show up that way because of the lighting. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area, especially if you’re taking the test before your missed period.
Test later
The faint line is caused by low detection of HCG. If you test far after conception, the line on the test will appear darker.
Take the test first thing in the morning
The first pee of the day usually has the most HCG in it, so testing first thing in the morning will help a positive test appear darker.
Go digital
Digital is the way to go if you’re having trouble reading your pregnancy test. The digital test will give you a clear indication of whether the test is positive.
Don’t drink a lot of water before the test
It goes against our instinct. We think that the more urine we have, the better the results will be. It’s the opposite! Drinking lots of water before taking the test will dilute the urine making the line fainter if it shows a positive result.
When is a pregnancy test with a faint line negative?
A false positive pregnancy test is a pregnancy test that has a faint line, but you’re not pregnant. Although rare, there are many reasons why you would get a false positive result. These include:
- menopause
- medication
- pregnancy loss
- ectopic pregnancy
- medications
- medical conditions
- Choriocarcinoma – hormone-producing tumor
As always, it’s best to consult with a doctor to clear these reasons.
Conclusion
Although a faint line in your pregnancy test usually you’re pregnant, that’s not always the case. Rarely, pregnancy tests are defective, detect HCG for other reasons, or show a line once the test is dried.
No matter what your results are, always consult with a doctor to confirm any condition that the pregnancy test detects.
References
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/flaw-in-many-home-pregnancy-tests-can-return-false-negative-results/
