Weak (faint) Second Strip On A Pregnancy Test - What Does It Mean?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

A weak second strip on a pregnancy test - what does it mean?

When performing a pregnancy test and anxiously waiting for the result, many women find that the second strip on the device looks too faint or barely visible at all. Naturally, this introduces some bewilderment and makes you wonder whether the testing procedure was carried out correctly. Therefore, it is worthwhile to figure out whether a weak strip on a pregnancy test indicates, and what this situation generally means.

Content:

• How does a pregnancy test work?
• Reasons for the appearance of a weak second band on the test
• How to get the most reliable result?
• What if the second streak is faint?

How does a pregnancy test work?

It is clear that a weak strip on a pregnancy test can appear only on the device that assumes the issuance of the result in the form of stripes. Therefore, further we will focus on strip tests. It is these devices that are in high demand among women due to their affordable price, but rather high accuracy.

All pregnancy test strips work according to the same principle. They are equipped with an indicator that indicates whether the woman is in position or not. This band traps human chorionic gonadotropin and manifests itself if this hormone is present in the woman's urine in the required volume. It is intensively produced by the body after the embryo enters the uterine cavity and is implanted to its wall. After that, the hCG level begins to double every day. With the help of hypersensitive tests, pregnancy can be detected as early as 7-10 days after conception.

If the hormone is absent in a woman's urine or there is too little of it, then one strip appears on the test. When the hCG level reaches 10-25 mIU / ml (depending on the sensitivity of the device), a second band appears on the test, which indicates pregnancy. However, sometimes it can be subtle, which happens for a number of reasons.

Reasons for the appearance of a weak second band on the test

If the second strip on the test is barely noticeable, then this may indicate both a false positive result (there is no pregnancy, but the test will determine it), and a false negative result (there is a pregnancy, but the test does not recognize it).

Possible reasons for the incorrect operation of the device are as follows:

• The woman is pregnant, but she does the test too early. In this case, the content of chorionic gonadotropin in the urine does not reach the level necessary for the test to be able to fully respond.
• The test itself was of poor quality. A weak strip on it may appear when the device is expired, defective, or was stored incorrectly. A woman should be especially alert when both stripes are blurred or weak. It is possible that spots appear on the dough or the formation of a strip in the wrong place - all these are signs of damage to the device.
• The test sensitivity has a low threshold. The higher the sensitivity of the test to hCG, the more reliable the result. Modern devices are capable of detecting the hormone in urine, starting from 10 mIU / ml. The most "unreliable" in this regard is precisely the inexpensive strip tests, which have a sensitivity of 25 mIU / ml and often give dubious results with early pregnancy diagnosis.

• There is too much or too little urine on the test. If the test in urine is overexposed, it can lead to the fact that the reagent simply spreads over the strip, and it will be indistinct. When a woman does not pass the urine test for the prescribed time, this will contribute to the fact that the hCG hormone is not enough to completely stain the second strip.
• An unstable menstrual schedule. In the event that a woman's monthly cycle is unsettled, she may conduct a study too early, which means that hCG in the urine will not be enough to obtain a clear result.
• Late onset of pregnancy. This is also due to the study being conducted too early. Sometimes it happens that ovulation is somewhat delayed. As a result, fertilization of the egg does not take place in the middle of the cycle, but closer to its end. Naturally, menstruation does not occur, but there is not enough chorionic gonadotropin in the urine for the test to be able to "consider" it well.
• Recently transferred abortion. If a woman had an abortion a few weeks ago, then chorionic gonadotropin continues to circulate in her body. Its level gradually decreases, but a sharp decline cannot occur. Therefore, a test performed 4-30 days after the abortion will produce a weak second strip, although in reality there is no pregnancy.
• Taking drugs with hCG. Some medicines contain chorionic gonadotropin in their composition, for example, pills for the treatment of infertility (Pregnil, Profazi, Novarel and others). Even after the end of the therapeutic course, their components can linger in the body for some time and lead to the appearance of a weak second strip on the test.
• Trophoblastic diseases, for example, chorionepithelioma of the uterus, contribute to an increase in the level of hCG in the blood and urine, which can provoke the appearance of a pale streak on the test, despite the absence of an embryo. Sometimes such a result can be obtained with uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts or cystic drifts.

• Having an ectopic pregnancy. Often, it is with an ectopic pregnancy that the second strip on the test is weak. The body produces chorionic gonadotropin, but in an insufficient volume, so the device cannot give an adequate response.
• Frozen pregnancy. In this case, the woman's embryo remains in the uterine cavity, but it stopped developing. Accordingly, the rate of hormone production decreases, which can lead to the appearance of a weak strip on the test. A woman should be alerted to signs such as pain in the lower abdomen, the appearance of bloody discharge, the absence of menstruation, and an increase in body temperature.
• Climax. Sometimes during menopause, against the background of hormonal imbalance, a woman's level of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood and urine rises. This can make the test result questionable.
• Kidney disease. If a woman has severe disorders in the functioning of the kidneys, then this can lead to the fact that hCG in the urine will not be excreted in sufficient volumes. Therefore, the test in this case often reacts to the presence of pregnancy with a weak second stripe.

The test makers note that the presence of a weak band on the test should be considered a positive result.

However, it is still recommended to conduct a follow-up study with a new pregnancy test. This is best done after a few days. If the second test produces a bright and clear band, then the result can be confidently considered positive. When the strip on the test is again weak or blurred, you should seek the advice of a specialist. Indeed, often such test results can indicate health problems.

How to get the most reliable result?

In order for the test results to be as reliable as possible, it is necessary to read the instructions for using the test and strictly follow it.

Compliance with the simple rules of the procedure will help to avoid the appearance of a pale second stripe on the test and to unambiguously interpret the result:

• It is best to carry out the testing procedure no earlier than the first day of your missed period. Some doctors generally advise to wait at least 5-7 days from the expected start date of menstruation. The sooner the pregnancy is diagnosed, the less chance that the result will be 100% reliable.
• To carry out the study, only fresh urine should be taken. 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 chorionic gonadotropin in the urine will be maximum.
• If the procedure is planned for the evening, then during the day you need to stop 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 time of urine exposure 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 external genitalia.
• The result should be evaluated no earlier than after 3-5 minutes. Until that time, the second stripe (if it appears) may remain weak and dim.

What if the second streak is faint?

When testing at home, it should be understood that only a doctor can give the most reliable result. Despite all the assurances from the test makers that their systems are 100% accurate, the risk of error is always present. Therefore, if a woman saw a weak strip on two tests in a row, it is imperative to consult a specialist.

Most likely, the doctor, after examining the gynecological chair, will offer the woman the following research options:

• Donating blood for hCG. It is known that after pregnancy, hCG can be detected in the blood much earlier than in urine. Therefore, a blood test, even in the early stages of pregnancy, will provide correct data on the woman's condition. A blood test will be 100% informative already on the first day of your missed period. By the level of hCG in the blood, one can make an assumption about how long a woman is. Blood sampling is carried out on an empty stomach in the morning.
• Ultrasound. The doctor can detect a fertilized egg using a transvaginal ultrasound examination on the 5-6th day of a delay in menstruation. In the transabdominal way, that is, through the stomach, it will be possible to diagnose pregnancy from 7-8 weeks of intrauterine life of the embryo. As a rule, at such an early stage, an ultrasound scan is performed if it is suspected that the ovum is fixed in the wrong place, that is, an ectopic pregnancy has occurred.
• Examination on a gynecological chair. By examination, the doctor can diagnose a pregnancy that did not occur earlier than 4 weeks ago. During a vaginal examination, the doctor will find a bloodshot cervix and a somewhat elongated vaginal vault. The uterus itself will be enlarged.
• In the absence of pregnancy and the presence of pathologies, the doctor, if necessary, will refer the woman for consultation to other specialists.

So, when getting an unclear result of a pregnancy test, the first step for a woman should be to buy a new device and repeat the study. If the strip on the test is again pale, then you need to seek advice from a gynecologist.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.