Some women complain about seeing “ghost lines” or a faint line when they are reading their pregnancy test. This could be from the evaporation lines that are on the test. But what are evaporation lines? On most tests, there is an antibody line in both the control and test section. The antibody line in the test section will only turn pink (or the designated “pregnant” color) when there is hCG in your urine. However, that being said, the antibody line might have a reaction to your urine that could cause it to appear a different color, such a gray or a very faint line, also called evaporation line.
First thing to remember is that, if your urine has hCG in it, you will receive a pink line and only a pink line. Any other color or shade that the antibody line turns to means that you do not have hCG in your urine. Positive tests can be seen by color, not just the fact that there is a line in the test window.
Early detection pregnancy tests usually have a promise of being able to predict hCG levels as early as 5 days before your missed period. This can be true in most cases of women with an average ovulation period. However if you are later, like I have said above, this “promise” will most likely not be kept because of a later “window” to test hCG levels. Also, if you have an earlier ovulation period, you might be able to in fact test earlier than 5 days.
Well I hope this information about evaporation lines will help you more clearly read the pregnancy test. Remember many women take more than one test to determine if they are in fact pregnant or not, and the only way to be 100% sure you are pregnant is to see your doctor! Also, if you have any questions about your ovulation period and your window to test hCG levels, your doctor can help you pinpoint the times.