Can You Reuse A Pregnancy Test?

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Can You Reuse A Pregnancy Test? No, you can never reuse a pregnancy test. Once opened, strip loses its sensitivity. It doesn’t matter if you peed on it or not.  Reusing a test will not give any results and invite infections. Discard the test immediately after reading results. Even after a blank pregnancy test, peeing again is of no use.

Taking a pregnancy test can be expensive at sometimes. Especially if you have been trying to conceive then, this can be a pocket buster. Frankly tell us, aren’t you thinking – Can you reuse a pregnancy test?

Reusing a pregnancy test is not an option. You can get a box of pregnancy test strips or cheaper pregnancy test but reusing a pregnancy test is not at all advised.

Can You Reuse A Home Pregnancy Test?
Can You Reuse A Home Pregnancy Test?

Will a used pregnancy test work?

A used pregnancy will not work because it worked once already. The dye present in pregnancy test is for single use.

It won’t work if you have opened it and if you’ve used it then not only that it won’t work but also will it become a house of germs. Even if it’s showing you lines, it doesn’t mean that it’s working.

If you get an invalid pregnancy test result, with a blank result window, some of you might be tempted to reapply and retest. But it will all be in vain!

Same is the case with an invalid pregnancy test that once used it won’t be usable for future.

Reapplying a second sample of urine won’t help if a pregnancy test gives an invalid result.

Why does a used pregnancy test not work for the second time?

For answering this question, you need to know how a pregnancy test works.

A home pregnancy test doesn’t work for a second time because the working of a pregnancy test is dependent on the use of organic particles.

There are hCG antibodies on the hCG strip of a pregnancy test. Once you open the kit, these hCG detector particles come in contact with the atmosphere.

They start reacting with the surroundings. These chemicals might react to give colored compounds that will appear as a positive pregnancy test result on second use.

If you happen to use the pregnancy test, then they will react with the urine components. Also, your urine has a lot of salts and other materials that favor bacteria as a growing medium making it a house of germs.

So a used pregnancy test only has one place the dustbin!

Can you reuse a home pregnancy test?

Some of you might not have got the desired pregnancy test result. In the hope of getting a positive pregnancy test result, you might try dipping it in urine again. All this is a waste and will only bring more confusions and anxiety.

There is no point reusing a pregnancy test. 

Standard home pregnancy tests have an hCG strip that has a dye to give color on the positive result. This reaction is not reversible.

Once the dye and urine come in contact, there is no way that they separate. The urine particles and hCG if present cover all the dye particles. Thus, no new urine can react.

It could be possible that you may read some misleading texts saying that there are ways to reuse a pregnancy test. But they all are rumors. There is no way to reuse a pregnancy test – Unless you want a false result!

Bottom line is that you cannot reuse a home pregnancy test.

Can you reuse a digital pregnancy?

Digital pregnancy tests have an hCG strip inside a plastic body. It has a paper popping out that you dip in your urine.

Digital pregnancy tests might show the result differently as a phrase, but the working is the same.

Once you use a digital pregnancy test, it is no longer suitable for anything. Do not try reusing a digital pregnancy test.

Can I use a digital pregnancy test a second time?

No. Even a digital pregnancy test has an hCG strip which is for single use. Once the dye in the hCG strip comes in contact with urine, the strip no longer remains reusable.

So even in this case after spending more than the double amount for getting a digital pregnancy test you cannot reuse the pregnancy test.

We suggest you should take the digital pregnancy test only after taking a dip strip or midstream pregnancy test before it.

Digital pregnancy tests serve the purpose of a confirmatory test. These are expensive and are not reusable. 

Is there any pregnancy test that you can reuse?

No, all pregnancy tests use hCG strips. These hCG strips can work only once.

Even without getting used and by merely coming in contact with the atmosphere they get spoiled, and it is no longer usable.

Positive result on reusing the pregnancy test

It is a bait! Getting a positive result after the result reading slot is a false positive pregnancy test result.

No matter you reuse a pregnancy test once or a hundred times or let it stay. Anything after the passing of result reading time is a false pregnancy test result.

It happens because the chemicals present in the pregnancy test now have urine attached. After that, they can react with gases in surroundings to give false results.

Once this happens nothing is reliable about that pregnancy test. Reusing a pregnancy test is not an option in any case.

Even if you get a positive result after reusing pregnancy test, it is still not reliable.

Can you reuse a pregnancy test?

No. The conclusion of the discussion is that a pregnancy test is disposable and you cannot reuse a pregnancy test.

Instead, it would be better said as never to try to reuse a pregnancy test for whatsoever reason.

That’s why we recommend you must look for early pregnancy signs and then time your pregnancy test.

Most pregnancy tests claim a 99% accuracy after the day of missed periods as this is the ideal time for taking a pregnancy test.

Taking a pregnancy test before this will make you prone to a false negative. If you time a pregnancy test right, the question of reusing will never arise.

Doctor’s advice is essential, and thus you must get an appointment. Don’t think about this further. You cannot reuse a pregnancy test!

Can you reuse a pregnancy test?
Can you reuse a pregnancy test?

2 COMMENTS

  1. I reused a pregnancy test hours apart because I wasn’t satisfied with my reading and tests are so expensive. I got a very faint positive, one with a new test and one with a used test. I’m confused am I pregnant or not ? should I wait a week again to test ? Going to the Dr isn’t an option for me right now because consultation alone is expensive plus seeing the Dr is another figure. if trying for a baby is so expensive how much will it cost if I did get pregnant… sigh… wish I can get adopted by some super cool rich parents.
    ???????

    • A used pregnancy test is no longer accurate. But since you got a faint positive pregnancy test in the first use, it means you are pregnant. Repeating a pregnancy test will confirm if you get a fat positive pregnancy test next time. If faint line on pregnancy test shows again it could mean that you’ve a cyst or some other issue. You can get free pregnant tests from certain hospitals, and birthing centres. Some even offer free prenatal examinations. The child you’ll have is not your parent’s responsibility. As parent indeed you’ll have financial and moral responsibility towards your child.

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