Negative Pregnancy Test Turned Positive After Several Hours – [A Simple Guide]

I took a pregnancy test yesterday, and it was negative, but when I checked the pregnancy results after 24 hours and I saw a faint pink line on the pregnancy test. I was shocked to see a negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours. What does it mean? I am pregnant or not. What should I do now? It is a major concern for me. Hold your horses for a while.

A negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, the pregnancy result is inaccurate. The recommended time for checking the result is mentioned on the package. After the recommended time, if your negative pregnancy test converts into a positive one, you get a false positive pregnancy test. The pink light line on the pregnancy test might be an evaporation line. So, what is an evaporation line? Are there other factors that can be responsible for the false positive pregnancy results? – to know everything, stay with me till the last line of the blog post.

How Do Pregnancy Test Work?

The home pregnancy test is an accurate tool to confirm pregnancy. The pregnancy test detects the amount of the hCG ( pregnancy hormone) to show negative or positive pregnancy results. The hCG hormone starts to form after conception in women. Therefore, the pregnancy test confirms the pregnancy based on the absence or presence of the hCG.

If the hCG level is high in your urine ( usually after one or two weeks of conception), then you will see two dark pink lines on the pregnancy test. The two pink lines indicate you are pregnant. Hurray! But you are not pregnant if you get one line on the pregnancy test.

Sometimes, women get one pink line on a pregnancy test due to testing early, but they are pregnant. In that case, you should take a pregnancy test after one week to confirm your pregnancy. If your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, that does not mean you are pregnant or testing early. To know the reason move forward with the flow of the content.

Negative Pregnancy Test Turned Positive After Several Hours (4 Reasons Guide)

A negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours. The situation can be stressful for anyone. But you can easily handle the situation if you have good knowledge of getting false positives. Then, you will jump on to your next step to confirm your pregnancy. I am here to tell you the reasons for getting false positives.

Here we go.

Evaporation Line

The evaporation line occurs on the pregnancy test once the urine has dried. It can leave a faint and colorless line on the pregnancy test. If you are unaware of the evaporation line, you may get false positive pregnancy results and think you are pregnant. You will be disappointed when your healthcare provider tells you the pregnancy has not occurred yet.

Getting an evaporation line is common, but you don’t get it every time. It also depends on the urine’s chemical makeup of the women. So, how to avoid getting the evaporation line on a pregnancy test? The reaction time that gives you the most accurate pregnancy results is mentioned on the package. The reaction time can differ per the brand, but it is mentioned on the package. You should read the instructions twice before taking the pregnancy test. That is the best idea to avoid false positives and an evaporation line.

The evaporation line usually forms after the reaction time. For example, suppose you have taken the pregnancy test and got a pink line on the pregnancy test means the hCG amount has not been detected in your urine. If your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, that means the line has formed, it is an evaporation line. Therefore, you are not pregnant and must repeat a pregnancy test after one week to confirm your pregnancy. If your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, means the pregnancy test result is not correct.

Diluted Urine

If you take a pregnancy test and get negative pregnancy results, you take another test but get positive results. But it happened. How has your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours? What does it mean? It happens due to how much fluid you have drunk before taking a pregnancy test.

If you drink too much water before taking the pregnancy test, that can dilute the urine, and a pregnancy test can’t be able to detect the amount of hCG in your urine. So it is always recommended not to drink too much water before taking a pregnancy test; otherwise, you may get false negative pregnancy results.

Expired Pregnancy Test

A negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours and could also happen using an expired pregnancy test. An expired pregnancy test becomes less inactive to find out the level of the hCG in your urine and can give your false positive pregnancy test. You might get negative pregnancy results even if you are pregnant. If you use the unexpired pregnancy test the next day, you may get a positive pregnancy test.

Follow Instructions Incorrectly

You can also get a false positive if you don’t follow the instructions carefully. The pregnancy test is valid for a certain amount of time that is usually 10 minutes, so if you leave the pregnancy test and noticed, your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours. Now, the pregnancy test result is inaccurate.

After the reaction time, the urine begins to dry, causing an evaporation line. People understand the evaporation line as a faint pink positive line. So, always read all the instructions carefully to avoid getting false positive pregnancy test results.

Can I Avoid Incorrect Pregnancy Test Results?

If your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, you got an inaccurate pregnancy result. Here are some steps that help you to avoid getting false pregnancy test results:

Expiration Date

Whenever you purchase or use a pregnancy test, check the expiration date; otherwise, you may get false pregnancy results. This is because the expired pregnancy test becomes inactive to look for the amount of the hCG in the urine and leads you to get false pregnancy test results.

Follow Instructions Carefully

It is a must to follow the instructions mentioned in the package. Whether you are using a pregnancy test or pregnancy test strip, you must first read all instructions to take the test correctly. For example, when should you check the results, and how much urine should you use for testing?

It would help if you peed directly on the pregnancy test strip or used a dropper to drop the urine sample, etc. All information is mentioned in the pack, so first, you must read them carefully. Otherwise, you might be shocked about how a negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours.

Take a Pregnancy Test In the Morning

The level of the hCG is most concentrated in the first urine of the morning. Therefore, a pregnancy test can detect it easily to confirm your pregnancy. If you are in early pregnancy, a pregnancy test detects the amount of the hCG, but you have to use morning urine for the test.

Take a Pregnancy Test After Two Weeks of Missed Period

It is very difficult to wait for two weeks after the missed period. But if you want to get the most accurate results, you must wait. After two weeks of pregnancy, a high amount of hCG in your urine can be easily detected by a pregnancy test.

Conclusion

If your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, don’t worry, as it happens to many couples who take pregnancy tests roughly in excitement and are confused about the pregnancy test result. So, read the instructions carefully to get the correct pregnancy test result. Another thing you should be aware of is the evaporation line that can create after several hours. So, always read the result in the recommended time to avoid evaporation lines that cause false positive pregnancy test results.

If you are still muddling with the pregnancy test results, consult your healthcare provider. They will suggest you for taking a blood test to confirm your pregnancy. Your negative pregnancy test turned positive after several hours, now you should take a pregnancy test following proper instructions.

FAQs: Negative Pregnancy Test Turned Positive After Several Hours

Here are the answers to a negative pregnancy test that turned positive after several hours. Read them carefully to boost your knowledge about taking pregnancy tests: