Sage-Tips

What does it mean if the control line is darker than the test line?

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.

How dark should a pregnancy test line be at 3 weeks?

3 weeks: 5 – 50 mIU/ml. 4 weeks: 5 – 426 mIU/ml. 5 weeks: 18 – 7,340 mIU/ml. 6 weeks: 1,080 – 56,500 mIU/ml.

Why is the negative line on my pregnancy test so light?

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.

Does a dye stealer mean high HCG?

So a dye stealer is when the HCG hormone from the baby is so high, the test line steals the dye from the control line; causing it to appear more faint. Your result at 18 dpo was a stunning dye stealer! Congratulations mummy! So a dye stealer is when the HCG hormone from the baby is so high, the…

How do you know if you’re having a chemical pregnancy?

A chemical pregnancy can only be detected through a pregnancy test, which shows elevated hormone levels. A pregnancy becomes clinical when a doctor can verify the pregnancy through an ultrasound or fetal heartbeat. A chemical pregnancy has no signs that can be felt or heard.

What is a control line on a pregnancy test?

Most urine pregnancy tests have a “control” window and another window that is the “results” window. When this line or other symbol appears in the control window it ensures that the test is working properly.

Can you see a faint line on a negative pregnancy test?

Sometimes you might see a faint line on a negative pregnancy test, but this line does not look the same as a true positive result. There are two cases where you might see a faint second line when you are not pregnant: Evaporation line: This is a faint line that appears on a pregnancy test after the ink has dried.

What does a darker line on a pregnancy test mean?

The darker line is usually the control line. This is not a sign of a problem with the pregnancy or the pregnancy test, assuming it came up within the time limits of the test.

What happens to the second line on a pregnancy test?

As hCG levels fall, the second line on your pregnancy tests would become more faint. Ectopic pregnancy: If the embryo implants outside the uterus, hCG levels will not rise as quickly or as high as with normal implantation. This could lead to faint lines on a pregnancy test.

What does a faint positive hCG test result mean?

HCG is normally only present in your body if you are pregnant. 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.