Two pink lines? Yup, you have a positive pregnancy test. If you’ve gotten this result you can be fairly certain that you are indeed expecting, as home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate.

Your pregnancy test was positive because it has detected a sufficient concentration of the hormone (hCG) in urine. This hormone is produced only in pregnancy, with certain exceptions, as there are drugs containing the hormone which is used in conjunction with some infertility treatments. In these cases your doctor will tell you not to take any pregnancy test as it could give a false pregnancy test.

There are some rare situations, in which the test might paint two pink lines, and technically you are not pregnant. This is commonly called pregnancy test evaporation line, and occurs precisely when the urine crosses the test. This faint light gray line evaporation in the test area is often interpreted as a positive pregnancy test result, but is actually a false positive.

Scientifically, the pregnancy hormone (hCG) is produced by the placenta, and this happens when there is an implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus. Implantation occurs 8 to 10 days after ovulation, and you can detect your pregnancy at that point with a sensitive enough home pregnancy test. If your pregnancy test is less sensitive,  you have to wait 15 days after implantation for the test to detect the hormone (hCG).

Now that you know you’re likely pregnant, you can start planning for the next 9 months.

Recommendations when you get a positive pregnancy test

Positive Pregnancy TestCarefully read the instructions in the test package, and check the response time; it’s typically 5 to 10 minutes. If you wait much longer, it could get a very light gray line faint evaporation in the test area and you will get a false pregnancy test.

Expired tests can also lead to false positive results, even a negative result when indeed you are pregnant. Always check the expiration date before testing to assure accurate results.

There are pregnancy tests strips that have a very good reputation of not leaving evaporation lines and are much less expensive than other pregnancy tests. Ask at the pharmacy for these test strips.

Perform the pregnancy test first thing in the morning if possible, as your urine has a higher concentration of hCG in the morning.

Different pregnancy tests have different sensitivities. Remember, the higher the sensitivity, the earlier a pregnancy test can give you an accurate result.

You may be experiencing early pregnancy symptoms. You should start preparing for your pregnancy, caring for your own health, and checking on your baby’s health. See also pregnancy diet and pregnancy exercises.