What do the lines look like on a positive pregnancy test?
Positive Pregnancy Test
For single window tests a positive result would show both the test line and another line to indicate that you are pregnant. For the two-window tests, in one window a test line would appear and in the second window a plus sign (+) will appear even if it is faint to indicate that you are pregnant.
POSITIVE RESULT
If two coloured lines appear on the test strip, you are pregnant. One line may appear lighter than the other, but they will both be the same thickness. A faint line is more likely to occur when you are testing early and your hCG levels are low.
Any positive line, no matter how faint, means your result is pregnant. Levels of hCG in your body will increase over the course of your pregnancy. If you test early, your hCG levels may be still be low and you'll see a faint positive line.
If only one coloured line appears on the strip, the test is negative and you are not pregnant. If two coloured lines appear, the test is positive, which means you are pregnant. Even if the lines are light in colour, you may assume you are pregnant.
Each pregnancy test is different, with some brands using a red dye and others, like Clearblue, a blue dye. For a red dye test, a faint line will look light pink, whereas a blue dye test will produce a light blue line. See images below to get an idea of what a faint line can look like.
When taking a pregnancy test, any line in the test indication area is considered a positive pregnancy test, even if it is lighter than the control line. The darker line is usually the control line. Sometimes this second line is so faint, you can barely see it.
A very faint line may also occur if the urine is too diluted to detect hCG. Drinking a large amount of fluid can dilute the urine and skew the results. If a faint line becomes a negative test result the second time around, it could be the result of a very early miscarriage in the first few days and weeks of pregnancy.
- Missed period. If you're in your childbearing years and a week or more has passed without the start of an expected menstrual cycle, you might be pregnant. ...
- Tender, swollen breasts. ...
- Nausea with or without vomiting. ...
- Increased urination. ...
- Fatigue.
How to identify an evaporation line on a pregnancy test? In early pregnancy, there may be very little hCG in the urine, and the positive line may be faint. But even a faint positive line has color, and this distinguishes it from an evaporation line, which is colorless.
An evaporation line is a line that appears in the results window of a pregnancy test as the urine dries. It can leave a faint, colorless line. If you're not familiar with evaporation lines, you might see this line and think you're pregnant.
Can an evaporation line appear immediately?
2 The evaporation line does not show up until after the pregnancy test reading window of time to accurately get your results. So you will not need to worry about an evaporation line if you read the pregnancy test within the time frame specified in the instructions that came with your test.
So, if you do get a faint line, Kirkham recommends waiting two or three days, then testing again. If it's still faint, she suggests going to your family doctor for a blood test, which can measure the specific amount of beta hCG, to check if the pregnancy is progressing as it should.
Faint line pregnancy test
Sometimes the line on a pregnancy test might be so faint as to be almost invisible. But often, it's definitely a faint positive test result, just like these below.
Other times, it may indicate a false-positive result. Usually, the cause of a faint line on a pregnancy test is testing too early. In early pregnancy, your hCG levels rise gradually. A faint line could be the result of hCG levels that are rising, but not very far above the threshold to indicate that you are pregnant.
In a healthy pregnancy, the levels of the hormone should double every 2 to 3 days. While the line might be faint at the very beginning of pregnancy, as time goes on and the pregnancy advances, the line that the test produces should get darker and more apparent.
Usually, a faint line on a pregnancy test simply means that you are pregnant. If you're testing within a few days before or after your period is due, you are very early in pregnancy. Your hCG levels have not increased enough to create a dark line on a pregnancy test.
Should pregnancy test lines get darker? In general, yes, pregnancy test results should get darker early on as a pregnancy progresses. This is because the pregnancy hormone, hCG, typically doubles every two to three days during the first few weeks of pregnancy.
In many cases, you might get a positive result from an at-home test as early as 10 days after conception. For a more accurate result, wait until after you've missed your period to take a test. Remember, if you take a test too soon, it could be negative even if you're pregnant.
Yes! Drinking too much water — or any liquid — can affect a pregnancy test. The hormone hCG is more concentrated in your urine first thing in the morning. If you haven't missed your period yet, your hCG level may not be high enough to be detected in more diluted urine.
This is because hCG levels rise rapidly in the first few days after implantation. It's also possible to get a positive test result followed by a negative result. If you use two different pregnancy tests, this could be the result of varying test sensitivity. Wait a few days and test again.
How long does it take for hCG to show up in urine?
hCG is a hormone produced by your placenta when you are pregnant. It appears shortly after the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. If you are pregnant, this hormone increases very rapidly. If you have a 28 day menstrual cycle, you can detect hCG in your urine 12-15 days after ovulation.
- Missed period. Often, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period. ...
- Breast changes. Breast changes are common in early pregnancy. ...
- Light bleeding. ...
- Cramps. ...
- Nausea and vomiting. ...
- Fatigue. ...
- Headache. ...
- Food aversions or cravings.
An evaporation line is also often thinner than the control line. In the image above, you can see that the horizontal line is one thickness, while the vertical evaporation line is much thinner and of uneven thickness.
Evaporation lines on pregnancy tests are generally colorless, but not always. There are some evaporation lines that do have color—either a light blue or light pink. The color, however, is very faint and not as dark as the color of the control line. The evaporation line can also sometimes appear greyish.
As the test dries and the urine evaporates, this caught ink is pulled to the surface and becomes darker. This is why the most important rule for getting a true positive pregnancy test is: do not read them after the allotted time! The results are only accurate in the time frame specified in the instructions.
If you let the test sit too long the the test may show a false positive result. A false positive is when the tests shows you are pregnant when you actually are not. Pregnancy tests work by detecting a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, HCG. A hormone is chemical produced in your body.
If you do see any changes, only assume that your test was accurate during the 10 minute window. If you get a positive test, contact your healthcare provider. They will have you come in for an ultrasound or blood test to confirm your pregnancy.
An evaporation (or evap) line is a slight, typically colorless streak on an at-home pregnancy test that can cause confusion. These lines usually show up when you've read the results outside the suggested window and the urine has dried.
It's not uncommon to see evaporation lines in any pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests display an evaporation line in the results window as the urine dries. Colorless traces can be left behind. If you haven't heard of evaporation lines before, you might mistake this line for a pregnancy sign.
If the window on the testing stick shows two lines, the tester is positive for COVID-19. The opaqueness of the lines also can indicate more, Vail said. If the line is fainter, the patient is likely to be less sick, less infectious, or might be nearing the end of infection, Vail said.
Is it a faint line or evaporation line?
How to identify an evaporation line on a pregnancy test? In early pregnancy, there may be very little hCG in the urine, and the positive line may be faint. But even a faint positive line has color, and this distinguishes it from an evaporation line, which is colorless.
The linea nigra is about 1/4 to 1/2 inches wide and stretches from your pubic bone to your belly button. In some cases, it extends past the belly button towards your breasts. It's darker than your skin color and can appear brown or light black.
An evaporation line will be a grayish white mark that appears after ten minutes. The best way to know if you are pregnant is to test again tomorrow.
An evaporation line (or evap line) typically appears like a faded streak, while a faint positive test result looks like a lighter blue or pink line, depending on the test dye color.
2 The evaporation line does not show up until after the pregnancy test reading window of time to accurately get your results. So you will not need to worry about an evaporation line if you read the pregnancy test within the time frame specified in the instructions that came with your test.
Lines with No Colors
Some faint lines on pregnancy tests are the same color as the control line: pink or blue. Other times, the lines show up clear or colorless.
At some point during your second trimester, you may notice a dark brown line running down the middle of your abdomen, between your belly button and pubic area. This line is called the linea alba. You've always had it, but before your pregnancy it was too light to see.
The consensus online among frequent testers is that pink dye tests are the best overall option. Many people believe that, compared to their blue counterparts, pink dye tests are less prone to getting an evaporation line.
