People commenting congratulations on a very faint could be positive / negative test?

[Monkeytoy]

I’m on a couple of mum groups on Facebook and always see people post photos of their pregnancy tests asking if people can see a second line. It’s either a very very faint line that could possibly be an evap line or a negative. The photo is also usually edited into black and white.

I am not blaming the poster, because when I was ttc I used to stare at tests wondering if the very faint line was a positive or not.

It just makes me cringe when people comment congratulations you’re going to be a mum! To a pregnancy test that looks pretty much negative. The poster ends up coming back a couple of days later to say it was negative as they’ve just come on their period. I feel bad that they must of got their hopes up from the numerous congratulations messages.

I’m probably just bored atm but just wondering what everyone else thinks about this?

I also find this obsession with testing early bizarre - if it happens, it happens - knowing early won't change anything. There's a reason the tests say wait til your period due date.

Anyone remember that affords the test which tells you how many weeks you are with a woman proudly showing her friend a test which shows she is 1 week pregnant?

Yes this. Although my losses were earlier, I still cannot get excited about a positive test for a good few weeks. Tbh I find it difficult to believe I'll get a baby out of my current pregnancy and I'm almost 31 weeks..!
I know I shouldn't transfer my trauma onto other people, and they're entitled to get excited, but I think there has to be an element of realism about whether a positive test actually leads to a baby.

It’s bloody awful. But I guess we have to remember there’s no qualification to post on online forums, some people are mental, some people have demons, some are downright cruel and some get a kick out of being absolute cunts.

Among them, are the genuine ones, who want to help and share experiences, although with varying degrees of acerbity. Though they’re being diluted more and more as time goes on here.

People who post the pics in the first place really only want to hear congratulations.

I would legit be merrily carrying on with me life thinking I wasn't pregnant if I got one of these tests! But then I've only ever got mega strong positives for all 3 of my pregnancies.

It's mad how quick people are to recognise a non existent line about a week before periods are even due!

I can only imagine how extra heartbreaking this must be, particularly for those who have been ttc for a while!

Whenever I see those 'Is this positive?' posts on Mumsnet, I just cringe. If you can't tell whether a test is positive or negative when you're looking at it right there in front of you, strangers on the internet will not be able to tell from a grainy photograph, and yet instead of saying "It's not possible to tell, sorry - perhaps wait a few days and test again?" or whatever, people will say "Congratulations!!!" or "There's definitely a line there, if you zoom in on the photo and enhance the contrast you'll see it!"

The posters are usually people who desperately want to be pregnant and in most cases are (completely understandably) kidding themselves that there's a line and wanting others to validate their delusion, and it's just not helpful for people to keep fuelling that.

I see this all the time on Mumsnet. I've never been able to see the supposed line yet (and that was even before I got fucking cataracts...)
Everyone piles on with congratulations, you're going to be a mum.
And I'm thinking, can't see the fucking line and back in the day when I was shagging and paranoid about getting pregnant I was always mega happy when I got a test that looked like that, because it's bloody negative!

I really don't know why people don't just test again a few days later rather than faff on taking photos, uploading them, fiddling with settings to make the line appear darker etc.

Was just going to say the same. Surely you are better not knowing it's a chemical one.

@ManateeFair Oh yeah the “I definitely see a line too!!!!” Comments 🥺

@Toddlerteaplease The hospital told me that these early tests have caused so many more woman to come in to them in a panic because they’ve got positives to then come on their period. They told me that a large percentage of eggs implant only to then fail and the majority of woman wouldn’t ever know they were pregnant because they will come on their period as normal. Now there are 6 day early tests that mean a woman will find out shes pregnant or see a faint line only to then come on her period. It causes lots of heartbreak

I can't believe people are going to the hospital after such early positives!
It seems the big problem is people not knowing what they indicate, or rather what they DON'T indicate.

I posted on here with an "is there a line?!" thread. I was in shock and not thinking clearly, but I really appreciated being able to post and get replies. As the line was so faint I was surprised to get congratulations rather than more measured "something's happened but wait and see" type replies, which is the attitude I went with when I'd calmed down. Luckily, as my period came five days later (after testing positive for four days). I wasn't ttc but wasn't against the idea either.

I am glad I knew something happened, although as my period was late I'd have suspected it even without the tests. It's nice to know things are working as I'm now ttc. But I agree the immediate "congratulations" are OTT and especially unhelpful if people are desperate to conceive.

Yeah I've never seen it on FB either but loads on here. It always seems to be women testing insanely early - and while I get the obsession in testing when you're desperate to be pregnant, it's just not good for them. I can never, ever seen them, and all the "I see a line! Congratulations!" when it's faint enough to be invisible for a lot of people is just cruel.

It does cause a lot of heartache. It also overloads the EPU causing queues of women wanting to see a heartbeat and they're barely late at all. It's idiotic, and I've been so close to saying so several times, but it's #unkind

Yes! I zoomed in on one which lots of people were saying "congratulations" and I still couldn't see anything.
I think people think they're being kind, but I think it's cruel.

The whole thing is stupid. But after taking a long time to conceive number 2, I can see how the process can drive you a little crazy

It is total madness. If there isn't a line the woman is either not pregnant or needs to test again in a few days. If there isn't a line the test is at the moment negative. Test again in a few days. It's not rocket science.

Posting the test in the first place is weird IMO. People are just responding with what they want to hear/trying to be nice.

YANBU, this is annoying as hell. Not the testers themselves but the comments. Chemicals happen all the time, I imagine most women have had at least one. I liken it to a game of snooker where the red rolls slowly towards the pocket but just stops short of the edge.

These early test things are dreadful. I understand there is a reason why some women really do need to know, perhaps so they can start taking a certain drug but on the whole, companies are just exploiting women's desperation to conceive.

What else is annoying is when the OP asks a very simple question - line or not?- with no extra info and the 'Congratulations' pile on starts. Without knowing whether a pregnancy would be wanted or not. A positive result is not always good news.

@RobertaFirmino This is true as well, congratulations to a pregnancy test that might potentially be positive might not be helpful to someone that is hoping it’s negative!

I tested positive 6 days DPO, your experience isn't gospel. Not everyone is the same, I know that may be beyond you.