First check the expiration date on the package and make sure it hasn’t expired, especially if you’ve had it around for a while. If you’ve been storing the test anywhere that gets moist or warm, like the bathroom, it may have deteriorated. If that’s the case, it’s better to throw it away and get a new one.
For best results, try testing first thing in the morning, when your urine is most concentrated. Read the directions carefully because they vary with different brands. Some require you to urinate in a cup and then, using a supplied dropper, place a small sample in a testing well. Others let you pee directly onto a stick. And some will let you do either.
The tests also vary in how they display the results: For example, some show pink or blue lines on the test strip, while others reveal a red plus or minus sign in a window. Most have a control indicator (often a second line or symbol) that’s supposed to indicate whether the test is valid.
If the control indicator doesn’t show up properly, the test may be faulty. If this happens to you, you can usually call the manufacturer and have them send you a new one, although it might not arrive soon enough for you to use that month.
If you have any questions about how to use a test, call the manufacturer’s toll-free number on the package instructions.
If the test shows a negative or a faintly positive result, wait another few days or a week and try again if you still haven’t gotten your period. One possibility is that you ovulated later in your cycle than you thought and took the test too early to get a positive result.
Whatever you do, don’t assume that one negative result means you’re not pregnant. If you don’t get your period as expected, remember that you might still have conceived. (It’s no time to go off on a drinking binge or do other things that are unsafe in pregnancy.) If you still haven’t gotten your period or a positive result in another week or so, make an appointment with your practitioner to find out why.
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