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Follow the instructions below to understand your FIRST RESPONSE™ Pregnancy Test results:
Two pink lines in the pregnancy test result window means you are pregnant. A positive test result shows that the pregnancy hormone (hCG) was detected. One pink line and one line lighter than the other in the pregnancy test result window means you are pregnant. Any positive test result (even a very faint line) shows that the pregnancy hormone (hCG) was detected.
One pink line in the pregnancy test result window means you may not be pregnant, or it may be too early to tell.
CAUTION: If you choose to test early and the result is negative, you may not be pregnant or it may be too early to tell because your urine does not have enough hCG for the test to give a positive result. If you do not get your period within seven days, you should retest with another FIRST RESPONSE™ Early Result Pregnancy Test. If you receive another Not Pregnant result and your period still hasn’t started, we recommend you consult your healthcare professional.
Buy Now Whether or not you’re trying to conceive, missing your period—one of the clearest signs of pregnancy—can be a nerve-wracking and overwhelming experience. To relieve this anxiety, many people choose to take at-home pregnancy tests. But with all the options out there, it’s hard to know which one to pick and how they work to get the most accurate results. How to Take a Pregnancy TestTake the test in the morning right when you get out of bed since this is when your hCG levels are at their highest. Tip: Catch a “midstream sample” for the most accurate results. This basically means peeing a little bit into the toilet before peeing on the test. You can either pee directly on the test for up to 5-10 seconds (or however long the instructions say) or you can pee in a cup and put the pregnancy stick inside for no longer than 10 seconds—whichever is more comfortable for you. When you pee on the stick, make sure to keep the results window facing you. Pregnancy tests typically only take a couple of minutes, but it’s important to read the directions to determine how long test results take to process. The Best Way to Read a Pregnancy TestNowadays pregnancy tests range from the traditional to the more high-tech. Here’s how to read positive and negative results for both. Positive Pregnancy TestTraditional at-home pregnancy tests come with a single window or two windows on the pregnancy stick. All tests will have a test line to make sure that the pregnancy stick is actually working. 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. Some women prefer digital tests because they are easier to read and there are no lines (faint or bold) to interpret. There will also be some type of countdown to indicate when the results are ready. A positive pregnancy result will say “You’re Pregnant” or it would say “Yes” in a digital test Negative Pregnancy TestIf you are not pregnant, a single window test would only show the single test line. For two-window tests, the first window would show the test line and the second window would show a single line that looks like a minus (-) symbol. This means you are not pregnant. On a digital test, a negative test result will say “Not Pregnant” or “No” to indicate that you aren’t expecting. Faint Line on Pregnancy TestYou might end up with a faint line, also called an evaporation line. It can be confused with a false positive. The line usually appears several minutes after the time of the test and is caused by evaporating urine. If the line seems faint or you are at all uncertain, take another test. How Do Home Pregnancy Tests Work?At-home pregnancy tests have become more accurate because they are more sensitive to the hormone human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) which indicates pregnancy. When an egg is fertilized and attaches to your uterine wall, the placenta begins to form and produces hCG, which flows throughout your bloodstream and urine (that’s where the pee part of pregnancy tests comes in). As you get further along in pregnancy, hCG levels rise more rapidly, doubling every couple of days. At-home pregnancy tests measure the level of hcG in your urine. How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test?Many at-home pregnancy tests say they are 99% accurate on the first day of a missed period. According to Mayo Clinic, however, you should wait at least a week from the day of your missed period to take the test for more reliable results. Before taking the test, keep these things in mind:
How Accurate are Pregnancy Tests?False positives: This is rare but can definitely happen. If you receive a false positive it could be that infertility drugs are messing with your hCG levels, you recently gave birth or had a miscarriage, or the test could be broken. If you get a positive result, go to your healthcare provider to have confirmed by the lab. False negatives are also rare but more common than false positives. Around 5% of tests may lead to false negatives. Factors that could give you a false negative result range from taking the test too soon and having a faulty test. For the best results be patient and wait at least a week to take the test. If you tested early and it came up negative, but you end up missing your period, test again. If your home pregnancy test says you’re pregnant, it’s time to make an appointment with your healthcare provider to confirm the results. Looking for the best items for your growing family? Add all your favorite baby products to ONE registry with Babylist.
A pregnancy test may show a small streak where the positive line should be. This is called an evaporation line. It only appears on tests that show negative results. A positive test would change color in the same spot, blotting out the evaporation line. Share on Pinterestlaflor/Getty Images Taking a pregnancy test can be a nerve-racking experience, especially when it is difficult to understand what the lines on the test mean. An evaporation line does not indicate pregnancy. If this type of streak appears, it usually means that a person has read the results too late or has otherwise misused the test. For most people, getting an accurate result merely involves taking another test. Some people take pregnancy tests too early to receive accurate positive results. It may be a good idea to wait for a few days before taking another test. An evaporation line is a slight streak that appears where the positive line on a pregnancy test should be. Evaporation lines are colorless streaks, not faint lines. They typically appear if a person waits for longer than the suggested time to read the test result. An evaporation line can also appear if the test gets wet. An evaporation line does not indicate pregnancy. These lines often occur when a person has checked the result too late or taken the test incorrectly. When an evaporation line appears, it is best to take another test for an accurate result. If a person sees an evaporation line, it means that the test is negative, or they took it too early in the pregnancy to show a positive result. Pregnancy typically begins when a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the uterus. The only exception is an ectopic pregnancy when the embryo attaches outside of the womb’s inner lining. After typical implantation, the body starts to produce a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The body’s hCG levels rapidly increase during the first trimester. rising by at least 49% every 24 hours in the first trimester. At the end of the first trimester, hCG levels fall. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting hCG levels during the first trimester of pregnancy. Tests that can detect smaller concentrations of hCG in the urine are more likely to show positive results earlier. The levels of hCG are very low in the days immediately before and after the first missed period. Also, these levels can vary from person to person in early pregnancy, as well as from pregnancy to pregnancy in the same person. Some people naturally have lower levels than others. The compounds in home pregnancy tests interact with hCG, and a positive result will often look like a line, a dot, or a plus sign. Most tests also have lines that indicate that the tests are working. Usually, only urine that contains a sufficient level of hCG can cause the test’s dye to stain in a way that shows a positive result. There are, however, a number of rare conditions that can cause a test to come out positive in the absence of pregnancy. Examples include familial hCG syndrome, molar pregnancy, or conditions that affect the pituitary gland. Learn more about the causes of a false pregnancy test. How much HCG does a person need for a positive pregnancy test?Some pregnancy tests promise to detect pregnancy 5 or more days before a missed period. While they often can, the effectiveness of the test depends on the level of hCG in the urine. According to research published in 2014, the average hCG concentration in urine at 9 days after ovulation — around 5 days before a missed period — is 0.93 milli-international units per milliliter (mIU/ml). Most early-result pregnancy tests can only detect hCG when it rises to levels of 25 mIU/ml or higher, which happens after ovulation around day 11 By day 14, hCG levels are typically around 137 mIU/ml. For some people, however, they can be as low as 45 mIU/ml. Because hCG increases so rapidly in the early days of pregnancy, getting the day of ovulation wrong by 1–2 days can affect the result of a pregnancy test. A person who believes that they are on day 11 can often expect an accurate result, but if they are actually on day 9 after ovulation, the test may not be able to detect pregnancy accurately. False negatives are more common than false positives. If the result is negative, it may be a good idea to take another test in a few days, to give the hCG levels a chance to rise. Very few medications, including fertility drugs, may cause false positives. Otherwise, a positive result followed by a negative result a few days later could mean a very early pregnancy loss. 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. Any coloration in a positive line indicates pregnancy. A mark on a pregnancy test may be an evaporation line if:
If the control line on the test does not change color, this means that the test has failed. A line on a pregnancy test a positive result if:
Evaporation lines are also likely to appear if a person has not followed the instructions on the test’s packaging. To prevent evaporation lines:
Urine hCG concentrations are often highest when a person wakes up. Taking a test first thing in the morning can increase the chances of an early positive result. Waiting for the results of a pregnancy test can be agonizing. If the result shows a colored line, even a faint one, then the test is likely positive. If the results show a faint, colorless line, then this may be an evaporation line. A simple way to help ensure accuracy is to take two tests and carefully follow the test instructions. Anyone who is unsure of the results should give hCG levels time to rise and take another test in a few days. This can reduce the risk of false negatives. A doctor can provide the most accurate results by testing the blood or the urine. |