What timeframe is a line a valid line?

[Amelia800]

Hi everyone,

Im quite new to the whole TTC thing. Just really wondering something… yesterday (9dpo) I had a very faint line on 3 different brands of tests (evening). One seemed like a shadow, two may have had some color but I’m not sure.
Today is 10 dpo and I just took the last test I have left (fmu). Here’s what my question is about: first there was nothing, then at about the 5 minute mark, something started to show. It was more a shadow than anything. At around 9 minutes, it started to turn into a line. I thought seeing a little pink to it but I wasn’t very sure. I left it because I had to do something. Then, between 20-30 minutes after taking it, there was a small but quite clearer line, which was obviously pinkish. This was not a squinter anymore.

So here’s my question: which timeframe would you ladies think counts in this situation? I know the time limit to read it would normally be before 5 minutes and no later than 10 minutes. But I wonder how to interpret this because it started to show, but developed later. (Of course I will test again later after I bought new ones :))

Thank you in advance !

Whatever timeframe it says on the leaflet that came with the tests

The official answer is follow the instructions.

HOWEVER. My 9/10dpo lines have always been wait an hour and shine a torch type squinters. Never blazing lines immediately.

Also, when I got covid in 2021 the line only showed as a shadow after about half an hour in the first instance, and only blazed immediately days later.

Scientifically lines that detect tiny amounts of chemicals have to start somewhere.

And I’ve NEVER had a slow shadow of a line and not been pregnant, even though some of them have been chemicals or early losses.

read the instructions!! Also wait a couple of days, it’s very early.

Hi, thank you so much for your answer! Very helpful. The instructions say between 3 and 5 minutes. That’s when the shadow came, so it’s the reason I am wondering.

Really not sure what you mean by a shadow but a line within the time frame suggests positive. But I would wait until your period is due and do one then.

I had this with my chemical pregnancy. It eventually progressed to showing pregnant on a clear blue digital 6 days after my period was due, and then the next day I miscarried at 5 weeks. My advice is once it's out of your tests time frame (usually 5 minutes for most brands), put it in the bin and disregard anything that may come up afterwards to save yourself potential heartbreak.

If I were in your position I would test again in a couple of days if period still hasn't shown up.

Hi everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. For those who wonder: I am definitely pregnant. Three days after writing this post, something started to show after 2 minutes and completed after 6 minutes and darkened after the time limit. Yesterday (again three days later), a small line came up within 1 minute and darkened and thickened a lot in pink color within 4 minutes (which is within the time frame of 5 minutes). I think it’s just a slow progression overall.