lines lighten at 6 weeks

[try2020]

Hi ladies 👋 looking for some reassurance but deep down I think I know what direction this is going in 😭 tests had been getting darker until today, tried diluting (v bottom test) but today's is definitely lighter 😭 I had a bleed of bright red blood 5 days ago and a scan showed gestational sac and yolk sac and all looked normal, bleeding likely due to sex. Test the morning after that on 07/09 was looking fine and a digital said 3+ weeks. I'm on holiday and couldn't get betas done but I think I'll ask the clinic for them when I get back. Just hoping against hope that this isn't what I think it is xx

[Jess1981]

There is a thing called "the hook effect" it is at 6 weeks pregnant where the hormone goes so high the pregnancy tests come back lighter. The fact the scan showed everything to be ok ( at that early point ) I would say was very encouraging & much more reliable than pregnancy tests. Also HCG will vary throughout the day I found my tests were darker in the afternoons! I hope you have another scan booked up to give you reassurance. Also lots of women can have a bit of a bleed and still have a healthy baby ( I have) Wishing you the best Xx

[try2020 in reply to Jess1981]

Thank you Jess for your kind words and reassurance I did try the dilution as I read that can counteract the hook effect but didn't darken the line. I have a private scan at 7wks, so 1 wk to go, going to step away from the tests in the meantime as that melted my brain this morning xx

[try2020 in reply to Jess1981]

oops and congrats on your wee baby 🥰🥰

[KLADY123]

Hi try, could be hook affect or could just be timing/urine concentration/cheapy tests being so unreliable.

Great you were able to have a scan and what was seen is what was expected. Not sure when your back from hols but perhaps a private scan once you get back would be helpful, or as you have suggested the beta would defo reassure you.

X

[try2020 in reply to KLADY123]

Thanks hon, yep private scan in one week 🤞🤞🤞 xx

[st1984]

I do t think you can't compare the new tests with the old ones in the pic as the old ones have dried out so will look different. I tested right up to my 9w scan, after 3 MMC I felt it gave me some control (which obviously it didn't but it somehow helped me deal with things). At around this point my tests just all looked the same, a test can only get so dark. Also hcg can level out and like PP said there is the hook effect. I honestly think don't obsess too much over the shade of the line, they could be different batch number of tests with slightly less dye in etc etc. I think your line looks good still. I had a massive bleed at 7 weeks and was convinced it was over but it wasn't and she's 9m old now. Good luck, let us know how you get on xx

[try2020 in reply to st1984]

Thank you st1984, that is really reassuring, congrats on your little baby girl 🧡🧡 so sorry to hear about your previous MMCs, I guess part of me thinks this is a numbers game and there is no reason why it should or shouldn't work out for me, my pessimism and anxiety were on overdrive this morning..... xx

[MrsOrangejuice]

I was an obsessive tester and Googler for the first three weeks post this FET as i'd had two chemicals. I got a dye stealers then panicked when the control line started to get darker again. I read about the hook effect and instead of diluting the sample I tested when I'd had a lot of liquid and not long after having been to the loo previously - so sort of self-diluted. It worked and went back to a dye stealer. I got beta results and they were around 21,000 so I stopped testing at that point. I guess it was interesting to see that progression and the biology at work, but it didn't half worry me. Probably why we're advised to wait for scans after a certain point. I hope that's all it is for you and everything's ok with the scan. 🍀

[try2020 in reply to MrsOrangejuice]

Thanks MrsO, I just read your recent post and congratulations on your pregnancy, I hope this is the one for you after a long hard fought journey 🧡 that's interesting that you did a self dilution test 😁 I have decided I am not going to do any tests now and just sit tight for my scan at 7wks. I am actually too scared to do them now. The interpretation of the results was giving me anxiety and I kind of hadn't realised just how much until I saw that light test. I can't change what will happen so just have to wait, which I am sick of doing but I am also thankful to be able to say that right now we are pregnant. Good luck to you too 🤞🥰

[Sjr1988]

Ok, so firstly I’d just like to say congratulations. Secondly bright red blood doesn’t always mean the worst, I bled from 5-14weeks and I now have a perfectly healthy 2year old.

Just try and relax lovely, I tested so many times and literally drove myself mad and feel I should have relaxed a lot more.

Put your feet up and revel in the fact you’ve got that little bubba growing xx

[try2020 in reply to Sjr1988]

Hey Sjr thanks for reaching out with your story and congrats on your wee toddler 🥰 that must have been so stressful to bleed for all those weeks! It is very reassuring to hear that it doesn't mean disaster. I haven't tested since and my head space is a lot better too for it, thanks for the congrats too 🧡 xx

[articsnowfox]

These cheap test are so unreliable - i was convinced that i was also having yet another chemical pregnancy due to the tests being so light and seeming to get lighter. I got a better quality test and the line was a lot stronger (and ended up being a healthy pregnancy)

[try2020 in reply to articsnowfox]

Thanks arctic 🧡 I'm sorry you went through that too, I haven't tested since, and I don't think I will even with my clear blue digital at home, it's just too stressful 🤯 I didn't realise that they would become so unhelpful after a certain point.... Congrats on your healthy pregnancy, that is really reassuring to hear xx

[AcuFertilityDoc]

I agree with Jess1981. The urine pregnancy tests are designed to work within a certain range, but when hCG goes high, it exceeds the test parameters and goes lighter. Not a good way to monitor your pregnancy. Hang in there. ( :

[try2020 in reply to AcuFertilityDoc]

Thanks Acu, yes I have learnt a lot since my meltdown 😳 I am a bit of a catastrophiser as unfortunately so often my negative predictions have come true..... guess I have just been waiting for it to go wrong and this seemed to be it.... but than goodness for this forum and people like you keeping the less experiencedand knowledgeable straight! I just need to ride out these 5 days until the scan 🤞🧡

[AcuFertilityDoc in reply to try2020]

I wish you all the best and look forward to good news! ❤️☺️

[BBHH1]

Once you see anything in the US HCG measures don’t matter much anymore. The really important things is how the US looks. They said it’s good so trust that. Next step is check for a a fetal pole and heartbeat in a week. Best

[try2020 in reply to BBHH1]

Thanks 🧡 just a few days to wait 😬 xx

[BBHH1 in reply to try2020]

Also looks like to me the line getting lighter is the test control line and not the result one, which can happen when HCG is too high. Good luck!🍀