Many women second guess pregnancy tests and want confirmation before they really believe that they’re pregnant.
Often they’ll post a photo of their pregnancy test in a parenting forum or group. Often these photos will have an item sitting on the pregnancy test, such as a ring or coin.
Why is there an item on the pregnancy test?
Some people who aren’t aware of this “item trick” think the item’s inclusion is to show off a ring or show how big the test is. This is not the case.
Many women believe that putting an object on their pregnancy test focuses the camera on the object instead of the lines, so it can more clearly pickup the lines on the test. Contrary to this common idea, an item in the picture doesn’t make the lines more obvious, in most cases.
If there is a faint line, is the test positive?
Yes, whether there is a faint line or a dark line, the outcome of the test is still positive. The darkness of the line varies based on how far a woman is into the pregnancy and her hormone levels. Read more about faint lines on pregnancy tests here.
Susannah is a certified Birth Doula through Childbirth International and the founder of Trimester Talk. With a background in journalism and digital strategy, she combines evidence-based research with real-world knowledge to create accessible content about pregnancy and parenting. She’s a mother of two and stepmother of two more, all of them now teenagers.