Over forty days, the pregnancy test strip shows one dark line and one faint line.
A faint and a dark line on a pregnancy test stick after more than 40 days may be due to short gestational age, testing errors, threatened miscarriage, or other reasons. These can be improved through general management or medication. Specific analysis is as follows:
1. Short gestational age
A short gestational period may affect the rise in pregnancy-related hormones such as progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), thereby influencing the result of the pregnancy test. In early pregnancy, when levels of these hormones are still low, the test result may appear faint or inaccurate. It is recommended to wait and retest after some time.
2. Testing error
The method and technique used when performing the pregnancy test may affect the accuracy of the result. Incorrect usage or improper operation could lead to inaccurate readings. It is advisable for individuals to visit a hospital for a blood hCG level test to confirm pregnancy.
3. Threatened miscarriage
Threatened miscarriage may interfere with the normal increase of hormones such as progesterone and hCG, thus affecting the test result. During a threatened miscarriage, hormone levels may fluctuate abnormally, leading to unclear or inaccurate test results. If threatened miscarriage is suspected, patients should seek medical guidance and may be prescribed medications to support the pregnancy, such as progesterone capsules or progesterone injection.
Besides the above causes, ectopic pregnancy or abnormal embryonic development could also be responsible. Individuals planning pregnancy should take abnormal test results seriously and are advised to seek medical evaluation at a hospital.