Evap lines vs faint positive

The last thing you need are unclear results. So what is an evaporation line on a pregnancy test? Dye-based home pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin hCG in your urine, says Kelli BurroughsMD, a gynecologist in Houston.

It can sometimes be hard to tell whether that subtle, extra line on a pregnancy test is a positive result. An evaporation line or evap line typically appears as a faded streak, while a faint positive pregnancy test result looks like a lighter blue or pink line, depending on the test dye color. Because interpreting your at-home pregnancy test can occasionally be tricky, this article covers evaporation lines and faint positives, tips to get accurate results, and what to do if you don't. At-home pregnancy tests check your urine for human chorionic gonadotropin HCG , a hormone released by your body when a fertilized egg implants in the lining of your uterus. If one line the control line, which confirms the test is working appears on a non-digital test, it most often means you are not pregnant. If your test shows both the control line and a line in the test result window, this typically indicates pregnancy. Pregnancy tests are most accurate when taken after you have missed a period.

Evap lines vs faint positive

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. The second line may be an evaporation line. This line can appear in the results window of a pregnancy test as the urine dries. You can pick up a home pregnancy test at your local drugstore or online. These tests are 97 to 99 percent accurate. But sometimes, the results are confusing. Some pregnancy tests involve two lines: a control line and a test line. The control line appears on every test, but the test line only appears if there are levels of the pregnancy hormone in your urine. The second line could be an evaporation line. When you schedule an appointment with your doctor to confirm a pregnancy, your doctor may take a urine or blood sample.

Medical News Today. Learn more about the causes of a false pregnancy test.

Is it a faint positive — or an evaporation line? Here's what each signifies on a pregnancy test, and how to tell the difference. Whether you've been enduring the two-week wait or you're taken by surprise by a missed period , you know it's time to take a pregnancy test. But wait, is that a faint line you see? Reading a home pregnancy test can be confusing, and if you're really wanting to get pregnant or hoping to not be pregnant , it's nerve-wracking when you can't tell an evaporation line from a faint positive. An evaporation line or "evap line" is a faint line on a pregnancy test that shows up after urine dries on a testing strip. Because it can be hard to tell the difference between a faint positive and an evap line on a pregnancy test, it's important to carefully follow the testing kit instructions.

An evaporation line is a small streak where the positive line should be on a pregnancy test. It only appears on tests that show negative results, meaning it does not indicate pregnancy. 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. A positive test would change color in the same spot, blotting out the evaporation line. For most people, getting an accurate result merely involves taking another test.

Evap lines vs faint positive

You want to see an easy-to-read result — but unfortunately, the reality of taking pregnancy tests is that the results can sometimes be challenging to interpret. Faint lines, evaporation lines, indent lines, and more can put a damper on your pregnancy testing experience. Instead of getting excited about the results, you may find yourself confused or disappointed by a difficult-to-read result. This blog post will teach you how to make sense of confusing pregnancy test lines — including faint lines, evaporation lines, and indent lines — so you can go into your pregnancy testing experience feeling confident and capable of interpreting your test. Home pregnancy tests use the concentration of the pregnancy hormone hCG human chorionic gonadotropin found in urine to determine whether or not you are pregnant. They do this by comparing your hCG levels to an average threshold of hCG found in early pregnancy.

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Syphilis can affect babies…. Want a personalized experience? Tetrokalashvili shares a few additional tips you can follow in order to reduce the likelihood of getting an evaporation line on a pregnancy test:. Find out about the different means available, how they work, and how effective they are. How we vet brands and products Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Was this page helpful? Gnoth C, Johnson S. However, it may also be the result of a chemical pregnancy , a false-positive test result that comes from taking a pregnancy test too soon before the start of your next menstrual period. Strips of hope: accuracy of home pregnancy tests and new developments. Unfortunately, some confusion when interpreting the results is unavoidable — especially if your test line comes back light or faint.

They occur after urine dries, leaving a faint line behind that can easily be misinterpreted. Pregnancy tests are basically tiny chemistry experiments you run on your bathroom counter. Urine travels across a test strip where it has a chance to interact with both a control line, and a test line.

Share this article. This includes ectopic or molar pregnancies. Unfortunately, some confusion when interpreting the results is unavoidable — especially if your test line comes back light or faint. Taking a home pregnancy test incorrectly is one of the most common causes of confusing test results. Learn more. Some people take pregnancy tests too early to receive accurate positive results. When is the best time to take a pregnancy test? In other words, people might see evaporation lines if they read a pregnancy test too late. Learn more about the causes of a false pregnancy test. Published January 24, Medical News Today.