# Explain the delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test thing to me **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2022, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525 "2022-04-27T07:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/1 "2022-04-27T07:42:18Z")
I’m a weird one. I do want to be a father and have kids someday, yet the phenomenon of couples being ecstatic over positive pregnancy tests is something I have a hard time relating to (unless they were, say, near the end of their fertility window or had tried unsuccessfully for many years to conceive, in which case it makes more sense.) As a single man with no kids, I’d imagine my response to being told, by my future-wife, “Test says pregnant!” would be an inward reaction of…_“Oh, snap. This means immense responsibility and pressure and the potential for a thousand things to go terribly wrong in the future. Kids cost a million dollars each, they can get run over if they don’t look before crossing the street, they can grow up to be crooks, they, they…”_ It would be anything **but** dancing and jumping about in glee. So for those of you Dopers who were ecstatic, please clue me in on how it felt and why 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/2 "2022-04-27T09:35:37Z")
We wanted a kid, and were actively working to make one. We shouldn’t have been happy we succeeded? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/3 "2022-04-27T09:47:09Z")
This. My wife and I were together for 12 years and married for 5 before we were ready to have kids. This wasn’t an “oops” in the back seat of my car. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/4 "2022-04-27T10:17:08Z")
I don’t have kids and never wanted them, but even I can understand how, for couples that have planned it, worked at it, and longed for it, then it’s quite reasonable to feel pretty ecstatic about it actually happening. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/5 "2022-04-27T10:43:34Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > We wanted a kid, and were actively working to make one. We shouldn’t have been happy we succeeded? Yes, this. > [@Velocity](#): > > my response to being told, by my future-wife, “Test says pregnant!” would be an inward reaction of… _“Oh, snap. This means immense responsibility and pressure and the potential for a thousand things to go terribly wrong in the future. Kids cost a million dollars each, they can get run over if they don’t look before crossing the street, they can grow up to be crooks, they, they…”_ It would be anything **but** dancing and jumping about in glee. This is all shit you should get over _before_ starting to make a baby. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/6 "2022-04-27T10:54:16Z")
Some people actually do have to work at making a baby. Its all fun and games the frist couple of months but after a while it can wear on a couple. Emotions run high and guilt and blame can come into play. If and when it does happen it can be huge relief as well as a huge win. If it doesn’t happen the couple could spilt. So yeah, peoples lives could be at stake so why not celebrate a win? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/7 "2022-04-27T10:55:10Z")
Exactly what @Alessan and @MrDibble said. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/8 "2022-04-27T11:03:09Z")
It’s possible to have both reactions, to this and to other life-altering moments. I was ecstatic, and I was also overwhelmed, and I also felt huge love for my wife, and I also was scared. But at the moment when you find out, the happiness is the thing that you feel the most. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/9 "2022-04-27T11:16:28Z")
I understand the happy reaction for the reasons given. I’ve often thought being happy or relieved over a negative test would be a good commercial. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/10 "2022-04-27T11:16:51Z")
Our first pregnancy wasn’t planned, but I have always wanted to be a father. It’s possible to be really happy over fortunate, but unexpected events as well. After we lost our first child, having the second positive pregnancy’s result was also unbelievably wonderful. Oddly enough, we were actively trying for the last pregnancy with careful charting and scheduled sex. As we were already parents, it was just more more of a relief than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/11 "2022-04-27T11:33:52Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > I understand the happy reaction for the reasons given. I’ve often thought being happy or relieved over a negative test would be a good commercial. Like this? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kFb5fkuL4ew/maxresdefault.jpg "EPT Home Pregnancy Test - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFb5fkuL4ew) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/12 "2022-04-27T12:04:22Z")
I am confident that I’ve seen commercials for a pregnancy test where the gist of it was “I might want a baby someday but this wasn’t the right time in my life for it so I’m happy to see a negative result”. Ah ha. Wasn’t this one but there ya go… > **Summary** > > [Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test TV Spot, 'Not Right Now' - iSpot.tv](https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OrWx/clearblue-digital-pregnancy-test-not-right-now) > [Clearblue TV Spot, 'Can't Even' - iSpot.tv](https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OzrS/clearblue-cant-even) (Link only hidden because board software wouldn’t let me link directly to the page with a preview) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/13 "2022-04-27T12:07:19Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > We wanted a kid, and were actively working to make one. We shouldn’t have been happy we succeeded? Clearly this. My wife and I had been trying for a while, with some hiccups along the way, and when it finally happened, why wouldn’t we be ecstatic? I mean, yes, I was a bit trepidatious about the complete change in life and lifestyle that was about to come, but this was something we had been working at, and being a father had been one of my life goals, and my wife was even more over the moon, especially after one non-viable pregnancy before. I know several couples who have been trying for years before successfully getting pregnant (one is due any day now.) Why would you not be overjoyed when a dream of yours, something you’ve been working hard at, comes into fruition? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/14 "2022-04-27T12:12:05Z")
So if I’m understanding the OP correctly, you don’t understand why a couple that wanted a baby would be happy with a positive pregnancy test because you don’t want a baby? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/15 "2022-04-27T12:19:33Z")
Not that I was ever part of such a scenario, but my reaction would have been closer to that of the singer in the Fuzztones’ “Nine Months Later”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/V9Xrs2-GHyI/hqdefault.jpg "The Fuzztones - Nine Months Later.avi") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Xrs2-GHyI) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/16 "2022-04-27T12:23:46Z")
My wife had endometriosis and her doctor pointed out that pregnancy could have beneficial effects. She wanted a baby, I didn’t, but we never really discussed it. She began trying, monitoring her temperature, etc. Eventually diagnostics were done showing I was fertile, but she had problems. She continued trying, while I was happy that no pregnancy resulted. I gave her injections at home, I gave semen samples at her doctor’s office, etc, all to no avail. When we were told that in vitro fertilization was the next step, I objected due to cost. A year later, having stopped doctors appointments, she was pregnant. I wasn’t thrill, but she was. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/17 "2022-04-27T12:50:53Z")
If you’re trying to have a baby it’s great news. If not, other reactions. They’re not showing those other reactions on commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/18 "2022-04-27T13:01:30Z")
Positive emotions are a normal and natural human response when one learns one has achieved a much-desired objective. My wife and I were walking down a side street in Cabo San Lucas when we got the happy call from the fertility clinic in which they provided detailed confirmation of what we already suspected. We laughed and cried and danced around and then we went into a bar where I had a drink and she had a club soda. This is what people do. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/19 "2022-04-27T13:08:00Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As a single man with no kids, I’d imagine my response to being told, by my future-wife, “Test says pregnant!” would be an inward reaction of… _“Oh, snap. This means immense responsibility and pressure and the potential for a thousand things to go terribly wrong in the future. Kids cost a million dollars each, they can get run over if they don’t look before crossing the street, they can grow up to be crooks, they, they…”_ It would be anything **but** dancing and jumping about in glee. You sound like a classic pessimist, focusing on the downsides and dangers. Would you have a similar reaction to getting a new job, buying a house, getting a pet, or starting a new relationship? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525/20 "2022-04-27T13:40:14Z")
We both wanted a child, so we were both delighted. Our daughter brought a lot of joy to our life. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-delight-over-positive-pregnancy-test-thing-to-me/963525.md?page=2)