Question

In a lateral-flow pregnancy test, you see a blue band form on the control line and no band form on the test line. This is probably a ________ test for pregnancy.

a) Positive
b) Negative
c) Inconclusive
d) Invalid

Answer 1

In a lateral-flow pregnancy test, a blue band forming on the control line and no band forming on the test line indicates a negative test for pregnancy.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a lateral-flow pregnancy test, a blue band forming on the control line and no band forming on the test line indicates a negative test for pregnancy.

Lateral flow tests, also known as immunochromatographic assays, are used to detect pregnancy-related hormones in urine. In these tests, fluids such as urine are applied to a test strip, and the fluid flows by capillary action through a stripe of beads with antibodies attached to their surfaces.

If the pregnancy-related hormones are present in the urine, they will bind to the antibodies in the test line, resulting in a colored band. However, if no colored band forms on the test line, it indicates that the pregnancy-related hormones are not present, and the test is considered negative.