There is no tension and anxiety as in the period after taking a pregnancy test. The waiting and the not knowing yet is torturous.
Now, imagine enduring the agonizing minutes only to check and be met by a blank pregnancy test.
A blank pregnancy test may make you feel like screaming in disappointment, but it does happen.
Many women take the test and are excited to see the plus sign or the word ‘pregnant’ without the ‘not.’
Others are just elated; they dodged the bullet again. Why, then, does the pregnancy test sometimes say nothing? What can you do about it? Read on to find out.
How A Pregnancy Test Works
Pregnancy tests confirm pregnancy by identifying the pregnancy hormone in your blood or urine. The pregnancy hormone is called human chorionic gonadotrophin, abbreviated as hCG.
There’s a particular chemical in the testing kit that changes color when it comes into contact with hCG in the urine.
The hCG hormone is only present in the urine and blood of pregnant women since it’s produced when the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus.
A positive test indicates presence for hCG, while a negative test is indicative of the absence of hCG.
Pregnancy should be detectable by the first day of your missed period. Some women may even get a positive result a couple of days before the expected period date.
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Why A Pregnancy Test May Be Blank
The traditional pregnancy reveals the test results by the presence of lines on the test kit. If two lines appear, the test is positive. If only one line appears, the test is negative.
The second line will only appear if you are pregnant. The first line will appear even if you are not pregnant, and it shows immediately the test is dipped in urine.
The first line is more of a ‘control line’ that shows you that the test kit is functioning as it should.
Some tests have an image or a word on the control window. Study your test kit to understand what every symbol and writing means.
If your pregnancy test gives you the blanks, it means that the test has lost its efficiency and could not interpret your urine’s composition.
What then would cause a pregnancy test to malfunction this way?
A faulty test kit
A pregnancy test kit that is functional should give you a pregnancy test result that is accurate. A blank pregnancy test may happen if the test kit is faulty.
If the testing kit was not properly stored or transported, it might get ruined, leading to a blank pregnancy test result.
The testing kit is expired
Before you purchase the pregnancy test kit, check the box to confirm the date of manufacture and expected expiry date.
Manufacturers are human, too; an honest mistake could have led to the wrong kit being put in the wrong box with the incorrect expiry date. Check both the date on the kit and the box to see if they tally. Fildena https://www.ministryofmasks.com/fildena-100-mg/
Failure to follow the instructions
Poorly followed instructions may lead to a test result being blank.
Even if you have done the test before, read the instructions as something may have changed in the design and usage directions.
Different brands may also have different testing time frames.
Follow the directions of the particular brand and do not try to employ instructions from another brand.
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How To Accurately Take The Pregnancy Test At Home
Most store-bought home pregnancy tests are urine tests. It’s recommended to take two pregnancy tests to confirm the test results. For more accuracy, acquire two tests from different brands.
Use the very first morning-urine to take the test.
Morning urine has the highest concentration of the pregnancy hormone. It is most likely to give you accurate results even in early pregnancy.
Do not open the testing kit until when you’re ready to take the tests. This reduces contamination, and your chances of the testing kit malfunctioning.
Make sure that your hands are clean when opening the testing kit. Read and follow the instructions carefully.
Some tests will take a couple of minutes, while others may go up to 10 minutes.
Be patient and don’t rush or interfere with the testing kit while it’s ‘processing’ the results.
If both tests are positive, congratulations, you’re the hottest newly pregnant mom in town! A faint positive symbol is still positive.
Should one test be negative and the other positive, you will need to repeat the test with a new set of testing kits.
You can also visit your doctor for a quantitative blood pregnancy test to confirm if you’re pregnant or not.
If both tests are negative, wait a few more days and retake the test. Often, tests come out negative because you tested too early.
Multiple Blank Pregnancy Tests and What To Do
If you test before the hCG concentration is high enough to be detected, you may get a negative even though you’re pregnant. This is called a false negative. Wait until you have missed your period and retake the test.
If you’re having early pregnancy symptoms but your home pregnancy tests are still coming out negative, see your doctor for a blood test or even an ultra-sound. These are more accurate.
Should you get a blank pregnancy test, change the testing kit, and try again. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
You cannot reuse a pregnancy testing kit. Even if the test was blank, use a new testing kit when retaking the pregnancy test.
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Can You Reuse A Blank Pregnancy Test?
No, you cannot reuse a blank pregnancy test. Pregnancy test kits are designed to only work once and are only valid within the timeframe indicated on the box.
Once urine comes into contact with the pregnancy stick, it triggers chemical reactions to show your results.
The test kit is exposed to reagents that discern the pregnancy hormone.
After reading the results in the time frame given, whether blank, positive, or negative, it should be discarded.
It’s important to read the instructions in the pregnancy test stick and the time frame indicated to check for the results. Most take about 2-3 minutes.
Make sure to set the timer when you start. After the pregnancy test kit has been exposed to the reagents, it cannot be used again.
Conclusion
Testing for pregnancy at home is easy and inexpensive. It also has its downsides, a blank pregnancy test being one of them.
However, a pregnancy test done at home is perfect for the time when you just need to know right away.
There are more home-made pregnancy tests that you can also explore, especially in early pregnancy, for variety and fun.
Some moms do the toothpaste test or the baking soda test.
Once you’ve confirmed that you’re pregnant, remember to start your folic acid supplements immediately.
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