Pregnancy Test Lines

What Are Pregnancy Test Lines?

A home pregnancy test is all about lines. Various alignments of lines display the results of a pregnancy test. There are different kinds of symbols used in a pregnancy test. There are different dyes used, and every brand differs in the display of pregnancy test lines.

One thing to note is unlike other items you must not buy two pregnancy tests of different brands. Pregnancy test lines have a specific design and color. They even have a particular manner of estimating hCG.

That is why to get accurate results the basis of comparison should be uniform. Two different pregnancy tests have different sensitivities, accuracy, timing, etc.

Duplicating a pregnancy test means repeating the pregnancy test twice with the same kit and same procedure. If you took a dip strip then again take a dip strip next morning. After that, you may change the method of taking the pregnancy test.

Pregnancy Test Lines
Pregnancy Test Lines

Here we have discussed all the possible pregnancy test lines:

Control line in pregnancy test

A control line is a pregnancy test is like a verification checkpoint. If a control line shows in a pregnancy test, then it indicates that the pregnancy test is working. Also, the absence of a control line in a pregnancy test is an indication of a defect in the pregnancy test.

Again in cases where you get a test line but not a control line it is an invalid pregnancy test.

Where does control line appear in a pregnancy test? A control line appears either in a separate control window or the same result window as the test line.

How does control line appear in a pregnancy test? Control line merely appears by reacting with the urine components. It doesn’t need any special reaction to occur for its appearance.

Interpretation of control line in pregnancy test: A control line in a presence test shows that the test is working and that you’ve followed the instructions rightly.

Test line in pregnancy test

 A test line in a pregnancy test is the line that is read for deciding your medical condition with respect to pregnancy.

A test line appears in a pregnancy test only when you are pregnant. If a test line is not visible even if you are pregnant, then it is a false negative pregnancy test.

If a test line appears without you being pregnant, it is a false positive pregnancy test.

Where does a test line appear in a pregnancy test? A test line appears in a pregnancy test in the result window. It may be a result window with two slots or a single slot window.

Usually, the test line appears at a position after the control line in the direction of movement of urine.

This means it is to the opposite side where you dipped the hCG strip in urine.

How does test line appear in a pregnancy test? A test line appears because of a chemical reaction that gives a color to the hCG strip. This is because the hCG antibodies (detector particles of pregnancy test) and hCG particles in urine react.

Interpretation of test line in pregnancy test: A test line is pregnancy under normal circumstances shows that you are pregnant.

If the line appears or doesn’t appear contrary to the pregnancy state, then it is a false pregnancy test result.

Evaporation line in pregnancy test

An evaporation line (evap line) in a pregnancy test is a mark left by urine after it gets evaporated. The appearance of this line is not a common in a pregnancy test. It appears because of human errors or limitation of the pregnancy test.

How does evaporation line appear in a pregnancy test? An evaporation line surfaces once urine evaporates completely. It is because urine has a natural pale yellow color.

Interpretation of evaporation line in pregnancy test: An evaporation line showing up indicates that the result reading time has passed.

Indent line in pregnancy test

Indent line in pregnancy test are the marks of pregnancy test hCG antibodies. They are the particles attached to the hCG strip that can detect hCG hormone in urine. This hormone comes in your urine after few days from implantation.

How does indent line appear in a pregnancy test? An indented line comes up when the test strip comes in contact with moisture. It can be deliberately done by the manufacturer to show the sensitive area of the pregnancy test.

Interpretation of indent line in pregnancy test: There is no interpretation of the indent line in terms of pregnancy testing.

However, if it is not supposed to be there as mentioned on the pregnancy test pack, then it can be indicating that the pregnancy test has got corrupted.

Horizontal line in pregnancy test

Horizontal lines turns up in pregnancy tests having a separate window for test results.

The horizontal line appears only in case of those pregnancy tests that have a result for the negative pregnancy test results.

How does horizontal line appear in a pregnancy test? The horizontal line is the only test line that develops even when you don’t have hCG in your urine.

It is a color acquired by the result window particles when they don’t detect hCG.

Interpretation of horizontal line in pregnancy test: The horizontal line in a pregnancy test is a minus sign. It indicates that the pregnancy test result was negative.

The conclusion after getting a horizontal pregnancy test line is that you are not pregnant.

Pregnancy Test Lines
Pregnancy Test Lines

Crossed lines in pregnancy test

Crossed lines appear only the pregnancy tests that have a symbolic result display.

How do crossed lines appear in a pregnancy test? The crossed lines are test lines that show up together.

They show up just like any other pregnancy test line due to a reaction between the hCG strip and the urine sample.

Interpretation of crossed lines in pregnancy test: The crossed lines are like a plus line. They are symbolic of a positive pregnancy test result.

The conclusion of crossed lines in a pregnancy test is that you are pregnant.

Other cases may involve the occurrence of closely spaced lines or very thick lines or thin lines.

Thick line in pregnancy test

A thick line may be due to excess of a sample of urine dropped on the pregnancy test. It can also be if the pregnancy test has a gradient display of results then the lines appear like the big fat positive pregnancy test.

A big fat positive pregnancy test confirms pregnancy. Women keep repeating the tests every day until they get a BFP.

Faint line or thin line in pregnancy test

I see faint line pregnancy test, am I pregnant? A faint line on a pregnancy test appears when the hCG hormone is not available in sufficient amounts.

No matter how thin a positive pregnancy test is, it shows that you are pregnant. An extremely thin line or a barely visible line of pregnancy test is no exception, and even that means a positive pregnancy test.

Can a faint line be negative? Difference between positive pregnancy test, indent and evap line is not stark for a newbie.

A faint line can be negative if it is an evaporation line. A colorless line because of urine evaporation is evap line.

Closely spaced lines in pregnancy test

Closely spaced lines in pregnancy test that might be merging happen when you keep the test for more than the allotted time. It may also be because of a defect in the particular pregnancy test.

Closely spaced pregnancy test lines create a lot of confusion while reading pregnancy test results. For this reason, you should be very careful while taking the pregnancy test. Follow every line mentioned in the instructions manual.

And in case even after being careful you find ambiguity in the pregnancy test results then duplicate the test next morning.

Blue lines and Pink lines of pregnancy test

Which one is better for a pregnancy test pink lines or blue lines?

  • It depends on your choice. Both have their limitations and advantages.
  • Pink lines are being replaced by blue lines probably to bring something new.
  • Pink dyes are easier to read.

What do two lines on a pregnancy test mean?

A frequently asked question by first-timers to pregnancy test is “What do two lines on a pregnancy test mean?”

Two pregnancy test lines on a pregnancy test are the control and the test line. When both of them appear, the result is positive. Two lines on a pregnancy test mean that a woman is pregnant.

The combination of these pregnancy test lines and knowledge about them will lead you to make the right conclusion about your pregnancy.

8 COMMENTS

    • Most likely it is control line. Either kit isn’t working if it has some symbol for negative results or you’ve got a negative pregnancy test.

    • Maybe you’re not holding the kit the right! ?
      It’s possible that you don’t read the instructions while using a pt because you used it earlier. There are defective kits too.

  1. Could possible im pregnant? All symtoms of pregnant i have
    Last normal menstruation december and spotted last 1 day same feb march january no period

  2. I took a test but I am not sure if it is a evaporation line or a positive I looked at it about 20/30 minutes after taking it. Can someone look at the pictures and tell me.

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