What to Do if You Have a Faint Line on a Pregnancy Test?

October 1, 2024

Waiting for a pregnancy test result can feel like the longest few minutes. Is it negative or positive? The future hinges on the results.

However, what if the result is unclear, and you see the control line and a faint positive line? Believe it or not, the test is positive if you see any positive line—even if it’s incredibly faint.

Did this happen to you?

Schedule a no-cost and confidential appointment at Crystal Women’s Clinic. We can verify your pregnancy test result with a lab-quality pregnancy test and ultrasound to reveal critical health details that will inform your next steps.

What Causes a Faint Line?

Again, a faint positive line indicates pregnancy. But why isn’t it dark and evident like the box or instructions show? Here are a few reasons.

1. Your hCG levels are still low.

It takes time for the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to rise to detectable levels in your urine, which is what a pregnancy test detects.

If you are taking an early test or have just missed your period, hCG could be detectable but still low. If you test again in a few days, chances are the positive line will be darker.

2. Your urine levels aren’t the most concentrated.

While you can take a pregnancy test at any time of day, your urine will be most concentrated in the morning after waking up—especially after sleeping and not drinking anything for hours.

This makes it easier for pregnancy tests to detect hCG in urine. However, if you’re taking the test at another time of day after drinking liquids, it’s possible that your urine could be less concentrated, leading to a fainter line.

3. You drank lots of liquids before the test.

If you’re taking the test after drinking lots of liquids, you could have diluted your urine, making hCG more difficult to find. This could be another reason for the faint line.

What to Do Next After a Faint Positive Pregnancy Test

As long as your control line (the other line on a pregnancy test) is visible and bold, you know that your test is working correctly. If this line did not appear on the pregnancy test, the test would be invalid.

Your faint positive pregnancy test should be enough to know you are pregnant. However, if you prefer, you can wait a day or two to test again first thing in the morning and see if you receive another positive result.

After a positive pregnancy test, your next step is to schedule an appointment to verify your pregnancy. At this appointment, you would receive a limited ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy is progressing inside the uterus with a heartbeat. You would also learn how far along you are, also known as your gestational age.

Visit Crystal Women’s Clinic Today

Make an appointment at Crystal Women’s Clinic for pregnancy confirmation and information on potential next steps.

We’re here for you no matter how you feel about your pregnancy. Receive support in a safe and confidential setting today!