Find a Center Near You

True Value Parenting

Contact Us

Medical Care

Home

About Us

What if my test line is light? If hCG is detected at this early stage, the test line would be expected to be light as hCG levels are just beginning to build. However, when testing this early, the results should be verified (tested again) after the first missed period. This is because, although the test picks up the presence of hCG, it does not guarantee a viable pregnancy. hCG may also be produced by an EPL or "early pregnancy loss." This is an embryo which fails to implant properly in the uterus, or is rejected by the uterus. It is followed by a normal or slightly heavier than normal menstral period, which may be 2 to 3 days late. hCG level may rise in the week following implantation (second week of conception) like a normal-term pregnancy. When EPL occurs, hCG concentration in the urine reaches a peak 2 weeks after conception then rapidly declines. What is the significance of Early Pregnancy Loss (EPL)? Most women are unaware that they have had an EPL. EPL's are much more common than people realize. Some reports indicate that EPL's may occur in 31% of pregnancies overall. Women may get a positive result from a test taken before the first missed period. However, the fertilized egg may not implant correctly, or the uterus may reject the embryo. An EPL can delay menses up to three days which would further lead the client to believe she is pregnant, while in reality that is no longer the case. Can this explain why two tests, taken a few days apart, give conflicting results? Yes it can. A woman can take a home pregnancy test a few days before she missed her period and it can show positive. She may then come into a clinic a week later and the test can show negative even though the clinic's test is more sensitive and higher quality. By the time she took the pregnancy test at the clinic she may have experienced an ELP. Her hCG may have dropped to undetectable levels. For this reason, if a woman is tested before her first missed period it is recommended that she be retested if her period still has not started after 31 days. Are there any other factors that may give conflicting test results at two different times? Yes. Another factor is how diluted the urine is at the time of the test. The more concentrated the urine, the greater the concentration of hCG. Remember, women's levels of hCG can vary markedly. If a woman who has low levels of hCG takes a pregnancy test early in her pregnancy using her first morning urine, it may come out positive because of the higher concentration of hCG. If she then goes to a clinic later in the day after consuming liquids, her urine will be very diluted and there may not be a high enough level of hCG to detect. Information provided by Heritage House '76, Inc. 1-800-858-3040 www.heritagehouse76.com