You’re not alone! We’ve been there, staring at that hint of pink and wondering if it’s positive or not. We know how nerve-wracking it can be when you’re waiting to find out if a new addition is on the way. Although we no longer have to wait for months to be certain we are pregnant, even minutes and days can seem like ages.
So, what do you do when you’re staring down a test, wondering if that faint line is a true indication of pregnancy?
We’ll help you figure out if your pregnancy test is positive or not and discuss what to do in either case.
Table of Contents
- How Pregnancy Tests Work
- What Does a Faint Line Mean?
- Blue Dye, Pink Dye, or Digital Test?
- Morning or Evening Urine?
- What To Do if You Get a Faint Line Pregnancy Test
- Which Pregnancy Tests Give the Best Early Results?
How Pregnancy Tests Work
What exactly causes that line on a pregnancy test to appear? The answer is a little hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) (1).
Your baby’s placenta makes HCG to help nourish the embryo. HCG is vital in maintaining the proper levels of the main pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Pregnancy test strips are specially treated so when your urine hits them, they conclude whether HCG levels are detected. The dye does not stick on the test line if no HCG is detected. But if it is, the test line will change colors, making two lines appear in the window instead of one.
If you take a pregnancy test before you have missed your period and get a faint line or even a negative result, do not fret. Not all pregnancy tests are created equal. Tests vary in price, sensitivity, and how they give you your answer. If you want to test before your period is due, it is best to choose a test that can detect HCG at a low level.
So I did the test again the very next morning, as you have had nothing to drink all night and the hormone in your water is less diluted (I think this is right, but don't quote me on it!)
Line was BOLD AS BRASS in the morning.
Good luck, fingers crossed for you
Kate
xx
We can probably all agree that there’s barely any degree of complexity to an at-home pregnancy test, right? After all, you pee on the thing, you stare at the thing then, after a short wait, it gives you one of two answers. Yes, no. Pregnant, not pregnant. Line, no line. Clear as day.
But, what happens when you get a very faint line on a pregnancy test? Is the test, perhaps, faulty? Mistaken or, somehow, confused?
When you’re (not unreasonably) anticipating a definitive answer, a faint line on a pregnancy test can be, at best, befuddling, and at worst, excruciating. You might be comforted to know that getting a faint line on a pregnancy test isn’t all that uncommon. But, what does it actually mean?
WH spoke to Marie Louise, Senior Midwife and author of Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond to find out.
So, what does a very faint line on a pregnancy test actually mean?
More often than not, a faint line on a pregnancy test indicates a positive result. Though, it’s likely that the pregnancy is early days.
‘A faint line is usually a sign of very early pregnancy and is most common when women have taken a test before a missed period,’ says Marie.
The reason for this – why the line might be faint as opposed to clear and thick when you take a test pre-missed period – is that over-the-counter pregnancy tests work by detecting levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that’s produced by the placenta once an embryo is implanted in the uterus, in urine.
So, those in very early stages of pregnancy will only be producing low levels of hCG; potentially enough to make a faint line appear on a pregnancy test, but not enough – yet – for a crystal clear one.
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‘Over-the-counter pregnancy tests are usually very accurate,’ says Marie, which is why they sometimes pick up on pregnancies early doors. ‘The levels of hCG present in your urine will depend on how pregnant you are. After conception, the levels of hCG rapidly increase and tend to peak around 9 weeks and then gradually decline around 12 weeks.’
Try not to mistake a faint positive line on a pregnancy test for an evaporation line, though, which occasionally appears as urine evaporates from the stick.
Most annoyingly, it’s not always easy to decipher between the two, however, if an evaporation line is going to appear it usually happens minutes after the advised time to check your results, so be sure to read and follow the test instructions.
Should you be worried about a faint line on a pregnancy test?
Whilst it’s definitely unnerving when you expect to receive an either-or answer and, instead, get a very faint line on a pregnancy test, it’s usually nothing to worry about.
‘A genuine false positive is very rare,’ says Marie. Over-the-counter tests are incredibly accurate and are designed to detect very low levels of hCG. ‘Although, some factors could potentially affect the accuracy of the test, such as medication taken with fertility treatment. It’s always best to follow the test instructions thoroughly and wait the recommended time to get the most accurate result.’
Something to be aware of, though: a faint line on a pregnancy test can, sadly, be a sign of early miscarriage if you were pregnant. This is because there may still be traces of the hCG hormone in your body, and it’s therefore still detectable in over-the-counter pregnancy tests.
If you suspect or experience symptoms of miscarriage (which include bleeding and cramping), speak to your doctor.
So, what should you do if you get a very faint line on a pregnancy test?
To get a definitive answer, Marie recommends taking another test. ‘You should take another around 5-7 days later (if you can wait that long),’ she advises, as allowing a few extra days gives your body time to produce higher levels of hCG, meaning you’re more likely to get a certain answer. ‘By that point, the line should appear darker and thicker, giving you a more definite positive. You could also opt to take a test that states “pregnant” if you prefer, rather than assessing the lines,’ she says.
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Oh, and when you do retake a pregnancy test, aim to take it in the morning, if possible. ‘In general, the best time to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning, or the first urine of the day, if you can. If not, try not to drink too much liquid before taking a pregnancy test as it’s thought there’s a possibility this could dilute the hCG.'
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