Negative digital test but faint line on stick

You’re not alone! We’ve been there, staring at that hint of pink and wondering if it’s positive or not. We know how nerve-wracking it can be when you’re waiting to find out if a new addition is on the way. Although we no longer have to wait for months to be certain we are pregnant, even minutes and days can seem like ages.

So, what do you do when you’re staring down a test, wondering if that faint line is a true indication of pregnancy?

We’ll help you figure out if your pregnancy test is positive or not and discuss what to do in either case.

Table of Contents

• How Pregnancy Tests Work
• What Does a Faint Line Mean?
• Blue Dye, Pink Dye, or Digital Test?
• Morning or Evening Urine?
• What To Do if You Get a Faint Line Pregnancy Test
• Which Pregnancy Tests Give the Best Early Results?

How Pregnancy Tests Work

What exactly causes that line on a pregnancy test to appear? The answer is a little hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) (1).

Your baby’s placenta makes HCG to help nourish the embryo. HCG is vital in maintaining the proper levels of the main pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Pregnancy test strips are specially treated so when your urine hits them, they conclude whether HCG levels are detected. The dye does not stick on the test line if no HCG is detected. But if it is, the test line will change colors, making two lines appear in the window instead of one.

If you take a pregnancy test before you have missed your period and get a faint line or even a negative result, do not fret. Not all pregnancy tests are created equal. Tests vary in price, sensitivity, and how they give you your answer. If you want to test before your period is due, it is best to choose a test that can detect HCG at a low level.

@ChealseyHeck Clearblue digital are less sensitive than the "early detection" tests on the market (eg. FRER)

If your positive is only faint on the non-digital, then you will only be 3-4 weeks pregnant (4 weeks would be roughly the day your period was due). Clearblue detects from conception, so would say 1-2 weeks around the time you expect your period, but it's not an exact science.

Wait a few days (HCG doubles every 48h) and then try again.

You suspect you’re pregnant and you have taken a home pregnancy test, but suddenly your anticipation turns to confusion when you spot a very faint line on the test. What does it mean? Find out why your test line may be faint and whether you are pregnant or not. 

Table of Contents

1. If you see a positive line, you’re pregnant
2. What causes faint positive lines on a pregnancy test?  
3. Rise of pregnancy hormone (hCG) in early pregnancy
4. What does a faint line look like?
5. How can I avoid getting faint lines on my pregnancy test?

• A pregnancy test detects the presence of the hCG ‘pregnancy’ hormone.
• HCG is normally only present in your body if you are pregnant.
• Any positive line, no matter how faint, means your result is pregnant.
• Levels of hCG in your body will increase over the course of your pregnancy.
• If you test early, your hCG levels may be still be low and you’ll see a faint positive line.
• You can avoid getting faint lines by using a digital test, use the first urine in the morning if testing early, and don’t drink too much liquid before testing.

If you see a positive line, you’re pregnant

A pregnancy test checks for the presence of a hormone known as hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotrophin).  This is often called ‘the pregnancy hormone’ because it is usually only present in your body when you are pregnant. As your pregnancy progresses, levels of hCG will go up, making it easier for tests to detect. Some pregnancy tests, like Clearblue Digital, will give you a clear answer in words like ‘Pregnant’ or ‘Not Pregnant’, however, many tests will show two lines if you’re pregnant. 

If the test has worked – and you are using a visual test – you will always see the ‘control line’– but if you’re pregnant, another line will also develop. Sometimes it’s easy to say whether the pregnancy test is positive or not, but sometimes this other line can be very faint. If you see a positive line, even if it’s faint, the simple answer is: Yes, you are almost certainly pregnant.

What causes faint positive lines on a pregnancy test?  

The strength of the positive test line depends on how much hCG is in your urine.  If the line is faint, it usually means that the hCG level is low. One reason why hCG levels may be low could be because you’re still very early into your pregnancy. Some very sensitive pregnancy test kits can detect pregnancy as early as 6 days before your missed period (5 days before you expect your period), however the levels of hCG this early are so low that you can expect any line to be faint. As your pregnancy progresses, the levels of hCG will rise, so if you choose to test again, you will likely see a much stronger positive line.

You can see how your hCG levels rise in your urine over the course of early pregnancy in the graph below.  

Rise of pregnancy hormone (hCG) in early pregnancy

Relative hCG
concentration

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Ovulation

hCG can start to appear in urine around this time

First day you can test with Clearblue Plus Pregnancy Test

Expected
period

Missed
period

Days before missed period

Adapted from: Gnoth C. and Johnson S. Strips of Hope: Accuracy of Home Pregnancy Tests and New Developments. GeburtshilfeFrauenheilkd 2014;74(7):661–669. 

Another reason you may only see a faint positive is because you’ve drunk too much liquid. Drinking a lot of water or other beverage before taking a pregnancy test may help you produce a urine sample more quickly, but it will dilute the concentration of any hCG. Drinking a lot of liquid before testing can leave you with a faint positive line, or if you’re testing early, even a negative result.  

It may be easy to think a faint line is a false positive, but it’s very, very rare to get a false positive result. You can read more about false positive pregnancy test results here.

What does a faint line look like?

Each pregnancy test is different, with some brands using a red dye and others, like Clearblue, a blue dye. For a red dye test, a faint line will look light pink, whereas a blue dye test will produce a light blue line See images below to get an idea of what a faint line can look like.  

How can I avoid getting faint lines on my pregnancy test?

You can avoid the uncertainty of faint lines if you: 

• Go digital. Use a digital pregnancy test that spells the result out for you, so you no longer need to try to read faint lines.   
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the test.  This is really important. Different tests will have different sensitivities (what level of hormone they can detect) and some may be suitable for testing before your missed period whereas others may not be. If you want to test early, make sure you use a test designed for the job.
• Do the test first thing in the morning. if you’re testing early, take the test first thing in the morning when your hCG levels are more concentrated. 
• Don’t drink too much liquid. Drinking a lot of liquid, including water, before testing can dilute your hCG levels.  

If you do see faint lines and you’re still not sure whether or not you are pregnant, you might wish to test again in a few days’ time when your hCG levels may be higher.  If you’re still not sure, see your doctor. 

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Can a positive result be wrong?

False positives are incredibly rare. Find out what can cause them and why you may get a negative result after testing positive.

Will a digital pregnancy test pick up a faint line?

If you test early, your hCG levels may be still be low and you'll see a faint positive line. You can avoid getting faint lines by using a digital test, use the first urine in the morning if testing early, and don't drink too much liquid before testing.

Can a negative digital pregnancy test be wrong?

Could a negative result be wrong? It's possible to get a negative result from a home pregnancy test when you're actually pregnant. This is known as a false-negative.

Is digital or line test more accurate?

You may be surprised to learn that digital and analog home pregnancy tests work exactly the same way. They may show you your results in a different way, but there is nothing special about the way a digital pregnancy test works, and one type isn't necessarily more accurate than the other.

Are digital tests more sensitive than line tests?

Generally, most dye tests detect hCG in urine at levels between 25 mIU/mL and 50 mIU/mL. Digital tests, on the other hand, are less sensitive and may require more hCG — which is why you should wait until you've actually missed your period to try this type of test.