When you are trying to get pregnant, it is natural to feel anxious. If you think it is close to the time when you should find out if you are pregnant, it is completely normal to want to take a pregnancy test. In fact, many women stock up on pregnancy tests so they can test as soon it is time.
But, some of the tests do not give you a result or answer as clearly as you would like. For example, have you seen a First Response Pregnancy Test faint line? Many women hold off their excitement when they see a very faint line because it simply does not seem like a clear enough result. But, a faint line is still a line! So, there is a very good chance you are pregnant! Congratulations!
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work?
The standard pregnancy tests work by finding hCG in a woman’s urine. hCG stands for human Chorionic Gonadotropin. This is the pregnancy hormone. This is one of the first changes your body experiences when you are pregnant.
The First Response pregnancy test is different from other brands because “some at-home pregnancy tests are unable to detect hCG in urine sooner than the first day of a missed period. FIRST RESPONSE is the only brand that tells you 6 days before your missed period.”
How and When Should You Take a Pregnancy Test?
According to First Response, you may take their pregnancy tests up to six days before your missed period. If you are carefully monitoring your menstrual and ovulation cycles, this may be a good choice for you.
However, most doctors recommend that you wait to take a pregnancy test until after you miss your period. The longer you wait to take the test, the more likely it is you will receive a clear result. This is because hCG increases significantly each day. The more hCG in one’s urine makes the test more effective.
To take a test, you must remove it from its packaging and hold it by the thumb grip. You can either urinate directly on the absorbent strip or you can urinate into a cup and then stick the absorbent stick into the cup. You should only place the tip into the urine for five seconds either way.
Then, you wait for three minutes. At this point, push through your anxiety, and check the result window. All effective tests should show you at least one line. This lets you know the test works.
If you only see one line, it means you are not pregnant. If you see two lines, even a very faint second line, it means you are pregnant! This second line only appears if the pregnancy hormone hCG is detected in your urine.
General Pregnancy Test Tips
To ease your mind, there are some general pregnancy tips you should follow to make sure you are getting correct results.
- Make sure you are using a pregnancy test that has not expired. These tests do have expiration dates, so check the packaging.
- Take the test first thing in the morning. If possible, take the test when you wake up and urinate.
- Do not allow anything to contaminate the test.
Follow the test instructions (only 5 seconds in the urine and wait for 3 minutes to see results)
While the two-line pregnancy tests are the most popular, some women find peace of mind using the new digital result tests. These pregnancy tests actually use the words pregnant and not pregnant to give results. If you do not trust yourself to believe the faint line, then consider splurging for the more expensive digital result tests.
What is a False Positive?
It is possible to receive a false positive result; however, this is very rare. This generally only occurs when there is blood or protein in your urine or if you have been taking certain medications.
Unfortunately, if you have recently been pregnant or miscarried, there may still be some hCG in your urine. The best way to guarantee your results are correct is to make an appointment with your doctor.
Wanting More Confirmation?
In addition to the common pee on a stick pregnancy test, some women also like to take DIY pregnancy tests such as a bleach pregnancy test or a sugar pregnancy test. These tests may confirm your results giving you more peace of mind. Additionally, you can also begin evaluating how you feel to see if you may be experiencing any early pregnancy signs.
To Wrap Up…
If you see a faint line on your first response pregnancy test, then it is very likely you are pregnant as this line indicates there is hCG in your urine. Go ahead and schedule an appointment with your doctor to confirm your exciting news. Congratulations!