If a pregnancy test shows a weak second line: reasons

Types of tests

You can find a large number of pregnancy tests on the market. They differ in application technology and operating principle.

The most common and inexpensive test is the so-called strip test. It is made of fabric or paper. It is necessary to collect urine in a container and lower the test there to a certain mark for a specified time. Then the strip is laid out on a dry horizontal surface, and after 5-10 minutes the result is known.
A drop of urine is added to tablet pregnancy tests using a special instrument, which, after spreading over the surface, gives the result. The test strip is contained in a plastic case. Such tests are more reliable in detecting pregnancy.
Inkjet tests are the fastest to use. To get the result, you need to hold the test under the stream for a while, after which the result becomes known. Plus means pregnancy, minus means its absence. Such tests are considered the most sensitive to hCG.
Electronic tests have the highest cost in pharmacies, but have the lowest error. They work almost instantly after placing them under the stream. With the help of such a device, you can find out not only about the presence of pregnancy at a very early stage, but also its timing.

All tests work on the principle of displaying a strip if there is a sufficient level of hCG in the urine. This hormone appears within a week after fertilization.

The first strip on the test is a control line and indicates that the test is working properly, and the second one measures the hCG level.

You should not blindly trust the test results; they do not provide a 100% guarantee. And even the most expensive and advertised tests can be wrong. There are frequent cases of false positive (no pregnancy, but 2 stripes) and false negative (pregnancy, but 1 strip) tests.

What does the test respond to?

Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life. Global changes begin in the body, aimed at preserving the life of the unborn child and bearing the fetus. In the body of the expectant mother, the level of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) increases. If before pregnancy its norm was 5 mU per ml, then in the first two to three weeks of pregnancy the figure increases several times and can reach a value of 305-1050 mU per ml.

The test has 2 strips. One of them - the control - should appear immediately, which will indicate that the test is suitable for use, the second - the test - reacts to an increased level of the hCG hormone, does not appear immediately and most often indicates the presence of pregnancy. The second stripe may appear over time (more precisely, this is written in the instructions for a specific test). What does the barely noticeable second stripe mean?

The most common causes of a pale line on a test

Manufacturers of test strips claim that a pale second line on the test means that you are pregnant. But it is not always the case. It is better not to immediately rely on such a test result, but to take it again, using a product of a different brand or variety.

When the second line on the test is pale, this may be due to the following reasons:

incorrect storage and transportation conditions for the dough;
defective test. This is especially true in cases where the stripe has a blurry, insufficiently bright color, spots have appeared on the control zone, or a red stripe has formed at the bottom;
expired device;
low sensitivity of the test. In the early stages, such a test may simply not display a weak second line, and it should be carried out after another couple of weeks;
incorrectly conducted research;
late ovulation;
pathologies of the menstrual cycle associated with stress or hormonal disorders;
the presence of diseases of the pelvic organs (cysts, fibroids).

But sometimes a pale second line on the test means that the pregnant woman has serious pathologies. For example, poor attachment of the fetus, tumors in the pelvic organs, abnormalities in fetal development, frozen or ectopic pregnancy.

A pale line on a pregnancy test can also occur due to non-compliance with the instructions for use (removing the strip from the container too early, looking at the results too late, etc.). If this happens, then it is worth repeating the study, but using a different type of test.

How does a strip pregnancy test work?

The simplest tests consist of two parts. In one of them - in the one that is to be immersed in a container with urine or this natural physiological fluid is dripped onto it - there is an absorbent substance. If hCG is present in a woman's urine, the substance releases a dye that colors the strips. The brightness of the lines is determined by the amount of the hCG hormone. If it does not stand out, then the second stripe does not appear.

Manufacturers guarantee reliable results:

if a woman does the test on time - that is, after the delay, and not before it;
only when the test was stored correctly;
urine was collected in the morning;
pregnancy develops normally.

In all other cases, the result may be false negative or false positive.

HCG reaches the required concentration – 20-25 mIU/ml – in the blood no earlier than the end of the first week of pregnancy, and urine contains 3 times less of it.

Therefore, you should not do the test before the delay - it will be a waste of money, time and nerves.

Why the test may show a weak second line

There are many reasons why a weak second line appears on the test.

As already mentioned, this happens if a woman is in too much of a hurry to find out the result and tests herself before her period is due to start. When collecting urine, you need to take into account some organic features. When they say that menstruation comes every day, an error of 1-3 days is considered normal. Therefore, gynecologists do not even advise running to get checked until the delay reaches a week. To get a reliable result, you need to wait until at least 3-4 days have passed from the start of the delay.
There is a very weak second line on the test if a woman is taking diuretics, is on a diet with an extended drinking regime, or has drunk a large amount of fruit compote or berry juice. The denser the urine, the higher the level of hCG in it; with a low concentration of physiological fluid, its content decreases several times.
Pathology of pregnancy - after conception, the embryo does not reliably penetrate the wall of the uterus and is rejected by the body.
Ectopic pregnancy.
Immediately after childbirth, miscarriage, or abortion, the test shows a false positive result for several days.
The presence of trophoblastic tumors is a rare type of neoplasm that develops during the degeneration of trophoblast cells - the membrane of the embryo.
With hydatidiform mole - the pathological development of the fertilized egg, in which the chorionic villi develop into formations resembling capsules with liquid.
When a woman is planning a pregnancy and preparing for it, she is treated with hormonal drugs to ripen the egg and accelerate ovulation. If there is a delay, it seems to her that pregnancy has occurred; there is a faint line on the test. HCG is produced in increased quantities for another 10 days after the end of the treatment course.
The woman violated the test technology - she immersed it too deeply in the container or looked at the result after 30-40 minutes.
During oncological processes in the body at the earliest stage, hCG is produced in increased quantities not only in women, but also in men. If a young woman tests her husband as a joke, then if the result is positive, she should not laugh, but pay a visit to the oncologist.

If the test was stored incorrectly, it has passed its expiration date, or the packaging is damaged - in these cases, there is also a chance of seeing a faintly colored strip on it.

False negative result

In some cases, there is pregnancy, but there is no second stripe.

Why does this happen?

At the very beginning of pregnancy due to diuretics and increased drinking regimen.
If a woman has a history of kidney and cardiovascular diseases. They disrupt the synthesis of hCG, preventing it from entering the blood and urine in the required quantities. Those women who are aware of their condition and the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy, feeling other signs - nausea, delayed menstruation, changes in taste, engorgement of the mammary glands - understand that in order to maintain pregnancy it is necessary to consult a gynecologist. It is quite difficult to save the first pregnancy with such a clinical picture.
Again a violation of technology. Daytime urine with a small amount of hCG was collected, the test strip was not immersed deep enough in the container.

To be sure of the indicator, you must first read the instructions, and then run to get checked. Otherwise, the reliability of the result will be in question.

Best tests

Test strips are the cheapest and most accessible “devices” for women. To use them, urine is collected in a clean container in the morning, and then a strip is placed there.

The result is ready in 3-5 minutes. The downside is low sensitivity and a mandatory requirement to follow the technology. Violation leads to a false positive or false negative result.

Often, in a woman who suspects she may be pregnant, home tests show a weak second line

. This situation can arise for various reasons.

Of greater importance is the period of the cycle in which the tests were done. In some cases, two stripes may appear even during menstruation.

When does a test fail?

Sometimes a pale line even on a subsequent pregnancy test means:

hCG level is too low (the norm is 6.15 IU/l, which increases every day of pregnancy). To be detected on the test, this figure must reach 20 IU/l. As a rule, this happens if the woman took the test before the delay. In this situation, the strip may be barely visible or completely absent;
recent use of a course of hormonal medications containing hCG. The test should be repeated a couple of days after the pale result;
a small concentration of hCG in the urine. For example, when taking diuretics to treat kidney disease, there is too much fluid in the urine, diluting the hCG. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct the study in the morning, when the concentration of the hormone is higher and the strip may be the brightest;
recent abortion. The hCG level returns to normal after this for some time;
recently undergone IVF procedure. The test in this case needs to be carried out only after a couple of weeks, otherwise the hormones will show a weak second line.

Sometimes a woman wants to get pregnant so badly that she imagines a faint line that actually isn’t there.

When a pale line appears on the test after an abortion, the reason for this may be:

poorly performed abortion, as a result of which the embryo survived;
remnants of the fertilized egg in the uterus;
the appearance of a new pregnancy immediately after an abortion. Pregnancy can occur within a couple of weeks after the fetus is removed.

In this situation, a weak line means that you need to urgently consult a doctor.

How to avoid mistakes when taking a test?

Test devices for determining conception at home are highly accurate - the accuracy of the most expensive high-quality models reaches 97%, but cases of the device’s own error cannot be ruled out - it may be defective from the very beginning. To reduce the likelihood of error, at least due to user error, follow the recommendations below:

Store the packaging correctly - in accordance with the instructions or recommendations indicated on the box;
Check the expiration date of the device before use;
Do not open the package ahead of time - only before direct use;
Use high-precision test device models;
Carefully monitor the holding time and waiting time - keep it strictly according to the instructions, it is even better to time the minutes on the timer;
Make sure all surfaces, containers, and your hands are clean;
Carry out the study in the morning, when the concentration of the hormone in the urine is highest;
Do not drink a lot of liquid the day before, as this can affect the overall concentration of urine, and, consequently, the hormone content in it.
Follow the instructions to the last detail;
The most informative result is shown when there is already a delay in the menstrual cycle.

Following this rule will make the result more accurate and reduce the likelihood of faint coloring.

Ectopic pregnancy

If the second line on the test is barely visible, then this may also indicate an ectopic pregnancy, since with it the hCG level rises less intensely. This pregnancy is similar to a normal one, but is distinguished by low body temperature (less than 37 degrees), pain in the lower abdomen, or brown or beige spotting.

Another characteristic sign of an ectopic pregnancy is that after a couple of weeks, when taking a repeat test, the strip remains barely visible.

Under these circumstances, you should immediately get examined by a doctor. Otherwise, delaying this moment to 7 weeks can cause internal bleeding, rupture of the fallopian tubes, or even death.

What does a faint line mean during menstruation?

take a pregnancy test during your period . This need often arises in women who were confident of pregnancy due to the presence of obvious signs. In such a situation, menstrual bleeding is not a reason to give up thoughts about pregnancy.

The test allows you to confirm or refute the assumption that conception has occurred. The presence of menstruation does not in any way affect the reliability of the results obtained, if you follow the instructions and hygiene rules .

It is important to use a test from a trusted manufacturer. It is advisable to take a device with the highest level of sensitivity (for example, an inkjet or electronic test). These tests have the greatest reliability because they can detect even a slight increase in the level of hCG in the urine, which is not always possible with cheaper analogues. It is best to conduct the study in the morning, immediately after sleep. It is at this time that the concentration of urine is greatest. The main thing is not to drink large amounts of liquid during the night and before bedtime.

Since blood getting into the urine can negatively affect the reliability of the results obtained, before the procedure it is necessary to carry out hygiene procedures : wash the genitals, insert a tampon into the vagina.

A negative result confirms the absence of pregnancy, or its duration is too short, which is not determined by the test. If you receive a negative result and still have doubts, it is recommended to retest after the end of your period. If, with a negative test, a woman observes atypical bleeding and other alarming symptoms, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

If the test shows an unclear second line during menstruation, the following can be assumed:

Conception occurred immediately before menstruation and menstruation began on the appointed day. Sometimes this happens: a woman is already pregnant, but spotting appears on standard days of menstruation.
Pregnancy is present, but it is frozen or ectopic . In such a situation, the appearance of blood indicates that bleeding has begun and is mistaken for menstruation.
There is a risk of miscarriage . In this case, spotting is taken for menstruation, indicating an incipient spontaneous abortion.
Other reasons. Hormonal imbalances, inflammatory processes, previous abortions and miscarriages, etc. In such situations, the test may show a second faint line due to the presence in the woman’s urine of the same hormones that are present during pregnancy. So, after a miscarriage or abortion, an elevated level of hCG remains in the body for some time.

It is important to understand that bleeding during a frozen or ectopic pregnancy and when there is a threat of miscarriage differs from standard menstrual flow. But women often cannot distinguish one from the other. In this situation, it is the presence of an unclear second line on the test that is a reason for concern and for contacting a gynecologist. In such a case, an ultrasound is prescribed to determine the exact diagnosis. Also, a blood test . Since the level of hCG in the blood increases an order of magnitude faster than in the urine, a blood test more reliably shows the presence of pregnancy. Also, the analysis allows you to determine the expected period in accordance with the concentration of the hormone.

How to avoid a weak second stripe?

In order to immediately eliminate possible causes of an insufficiently bright second line on the test, you should adhere to the following instructions:

it is necessary to strictly follow the operating instructions, which means strictly adhere to all time frames;
It is better to carry out the test in the morning;
before conducting research, it is important to carry out hygiene procedures;
look at the expiration date indicated on the test packaging;
Do not touch the indicator zone on the test with your fingers;
There is no need to save on buying a test; it is better to choose a product from the most well-known companies. Manufacturers of low-cost tests often skimp on developing reagents;
before conducting the study, you should try to drink less fluid;
It is recommended to buy several different tests at once;
you can view reviews about the product, since a test may have one constant error specific to it;
The test should not be exposed to drops of water or dirt;
It is better to conduct research a few days after the delay of menstruation;
You need to buy the test exclusively at a pharmacy.

If it turns out that the second strip on the test used is pale, then before drawing conclusions, it is recommended to re-test.

How to get the most reliable result?

In order for the test results to be as reliable as possible, you must read the instructions for using the test and strictly follow them.

Following the simple rules of the procedure will help you avoid the appearance of a pale second line on the test and clearly interpret the result:

It is best to carry out the testing procedure no earlier than the first day of missed menstruation. Some doctors even advise waiting at least 5-7 days from the expected start date of your period. The earlier pregnancy is diagnosed, the less chance that the result will be 100% reliable.
To perform the test, you must take only fresh urine. It is good if it is possible to perform the procedure in the morning, immediately after waking up. It is at this time that the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine will be maximum.
If the procedure is planned for the evening, then during the day you need to avoid drinking too much liquid. Also, on the eve of the study, you should avoid taking diuretics and any other drugs that have a diuretic effect.
The exposure time of urine to the test should not be less than 5-15 seconds (according to the instructions for use).
Before carrying out the procedure, you need to take care of the cleanliness of the container for collecting urine and the external genitalia.
The result should be assessed no earlier than after 3-5 minutes. Until this time, the second stripe (if it appears) may remain weak and dim.

Reviews

Ekaterina: I took a pregnancy test before the delay, then on the 2nd day of my period. Doubts arose due to the atypical nature of menstruation. The bleeding was very slight, more like spotting. Tests showed two stripes. At an appointment with a gynecologist, it turned out that there was a threat of miscarriage.

Maria: The menstrual test showed a weak second line. An ultrasound revealed that there was a cyst in the right ovary, which caused a similar test reaction.