No matter what, taking a pregnancy test can be an emotional roller coaster. When it comes to getting a false positive pregnancy test result, the experience can be deeply upsetting, particularly for anyone who has had a difficult time getting pregnant or is actively hoping to get pregnant (or both). The hope that comes with seeing that positive sign crashing down as you realize it was a false positive pregnancy test? It's a uniquely devastating emotion. Show Of course, getting a false positive pregnancy test when you’re actively trying not to get pregnant can be just as horrible. Yup, you could probably do without the panicked verification trip to the ob-gyn, just to learn there was nothing to stress over. Thankfully, experts note that false positive pregnancy tests are rare. Unfortunately, though, they can happen. Here are some of the most common causes of a false positive pregnancy test, along with some additional information that can help you put it all into context. First, what is a pregnancy test?Let's start with the absolute basics just to make sure we're all on the same page. A pregnancy test tells you if you’re pregnant or not. That's simple enough to understand. But it's understandable if you're a little fuzzy on the details of what these devices actually look for to identify a pregnancy. At-home pregnancy tests check for the hormone hCG. HCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin, which the body creates during pregnancy. Right after a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining, the placenta then forms and starts producing hCG1. A blood test can detect hCG about nine days after conception, and a urine test can detect it 12 to 14 days after conception, according to the Cleveland Clinic, although it varies—some especially sensitive urine tests can detect a pregnancy even earlier. A person’s hCG level typically doubles every 72 hours through 8 to 11 weeks of pregnancy. Then it remains consistent and starts to go down after delivery. Back to top. How does a pregnancy test work?An at-home pregnancy test is designed to find hCG in pee2. If the hormone is present, it triggers a chemical reaction and the test signals that you're pregnant. If hCG is not present, the test will say you aren't pregnant. Many tests use two lines to mean you’re pregnant and one line to mean you’re not—but it depends on the test brand. Some tests use plus and minus signs. Some digital pregnancy tests have a screen that plainly reads "pregnant" or "not pregnant." Which can save you some “Is that one line or two?!” squinting, at least. Seems simple, right? As Ina Garten would say, "How easy is that?" Typically, pretty easy. Most at-home pregnancy tests claim to be about 99% accurate3. Ultrasounds typically can't detect a pregnancy until a little later in your pregnancy and that's why at-home tests are so useful. But, sometimes, other elements can mess with a pregnancy test's results and tell you you’re pregnant when you’re really not. Back to top. What can cause a false positive pregnancy test?Here are the most likely reasons you may end up with a false positive pregnancy test: 1. You let the test sit too long before looking. If you take a standard pregnancy test with line indicators, it's important to check the results according to the specific instruction of the test. If you let it sit too long before reading the results, urine on the test can evaporate and make it look like you have two lines instead of just one. "Oftentimes people will see evaporation lines as urine starts to evaporate off the test," Jamil Abdur-Rahman, M.D., board-certified ob-gyn, tells SELF. That might cause the test to look like it has a faint second line—making it positive—but it really only has one. The best way to avoid this: Read the pregnancy test's directions and follow them exactly. The popular pregnancy test brand First Response, for example, instructs users to wait three minutes after taking the test, then read it as soon as possible4. 2. The pregnancy test is expired. The second most common reason Dr. Abdur-Rahman's patients get false positives is because the test is expired, he says. When a test is past its expiration date, the chemical that detects hCG doesn't always work as it should, and you’re more likely to get a misread. "The test can expire and the chance of having a false positive increases," Dr. Abdur-Rahman says. 3. You’re on fertility medications that raise hCG levels. If you take a pregnancy test too soon after taking a fertility drug that contains hCG—like some injections that are often part of in vitro fertilization—you could get a false positive. Home pregnancy tests are typically accurate. However, in some instances, a test may produce a false-positive result. Although many home pregnancy tests claim 99% accuracy, they may provide false results. A false positive is a test result that indicates the user is pregnant when they are not. Several factors can lead to a false reading. This article discusses some of the potential causes of a person getting a false-positive pregnancy test reading. Home urine pregnancy tests work by detecting a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine. In early pregnancy, cells that will later form part of the placenta produce hCG. This hormone helps the body maintain a pregnancy. Home pregnancy tests vary depending on the brand, and each one will have detailed instructions to follow for accuracy. Some kits require a person to place a test stick in their urine stream. Others may use a urine collection cup. A person will then dip a pregnancy stick into this cup or retrieve urine with a dropper to place on the test stick. The way the test reveals a positive or negative result also depends on the brand and can include:
Importantly, a person taking a pregnancy test should be aware that even a faint plus sign or a line indicates a positive result. However, not all positive pregnancy tests mean the person is pregnant. There are some occasions when a pregnancy test can give a false-positive reading. People should speak with their doctor for further evaluation if they receive a positive pregnancy test. Here are five possible situations that could cause a person to have a false-positive result from a home pregnancy test. When taking a home urine pregnancy test, it is important for people to follow the test’s instructions. Most tests will ask the user to read the result within 4–5 minutes of taking the test and no longer than 10–30 minutes afterward. Non-digital urine pregnancy tests will show lines or symbols to indicate whether a person is pregnant or not. If a person reads the pregnancy test after the recommended time has elapsed, it may result in what looks like a positive test result. However, in most cases, this is not a positive pregnancy test but an evaporation line left by the urine after the recommended time for reading the test. A person taking a home urine pregnancy test very soon after an abortion or miscarriage can be another reason for a false-positive result. Once a fertilized egg implants into the uterine wall, the body secretes hCG. Typically, hCG may start to decline as soon as 5 days after a medical abortion but may remain at a readable level for longer. People taking a pregnancy test during this time can result in a false-positive test. People may also experience an incomplete miscarriage. This condition means that there may be tissue from the pregnancy in the uterus that continues producing hCG. If this occurs, a person will need surgery to remove any remaining pregnancy tissue. A molar pregnancy, or hydatidiform mole, is a condition that causes a uterine tumor to grow. Instead of a normal placenta and embryo, the placental tissue develops abnormally. This can result in a cluster of cells, or a mass of small fluid-filled sacs forming, which a medical professional must remove by performing a dilation and curettage procedure, also called a D&C. In a complete molar pregnancy, there is no embryo or placental tissue present in the growth. Conversely, in partial molar pregnancy, there may be some fetal tissue in the molar growth. During a molar pregnancy, a person’s hCG levels will increase. This may lead to a positive pregnancy test. At times, a condition called persistent gestational trophoblastic disease can occur. This results from the continued growth of the products of a molar conception within the uterus. It can be a serious medical condition requiring chemotherapy or surgery to remove the womb. Certain medications may cause false-positive pregnancy tests by raising a person’s hormone levels in their blood and urine. Certain infertility and weight loss treatments may contain synthetic hCG and cause false-positive results in blood tests. Other drugs, such as aspirin, carbamazepine, and methadone may also result in false-positive tests. Alongside gestational trophoblastic diseases, which includes molar pregnancy, other medical conditions can cause a person’s hCG levels to rise, even when they are not pregnant. These include:
Phantom hCG occurs when certain antibodies bind with the molecules in the pregnancy testing kit. The interaction causes the testing kit to signal that hCG levels are higher than they are. Home pregnancy tests can be up to 99% accurate when used correctly. The amount of hCG present in a person’s urine gradually increases following fertilization. Due to this, tests will typically be more accurate following a person’s first or second missed period. However, in around 10% of pregnant people, hCG levels only begin to rise the first day after a missed period. In these instances, a test is unlikely to be accurate if carried out at this time. Not using the test as advised or checking the results later than the recommended time can lead to false-positive results. If someone has a positive pregnancy test, it is important to notify their doctor, as they will need further evaluation and testing to confirm and monitor their pregnancy. If someone believes that they may be pregnant, but their home pregnancy test results are negative, they should speak with a doctor for further guidance. Home pregnancy tests can be up to 99% accurate. However, in some instances, they may produce a false-positive result. Incorrect test usage, previous abortions and miscarriages, and some medications may lead to a false-positive pregnancy test result. People should always see their doctor after a positive pregnancy test. Further tests can assess the reasons for a positive result and confirm whether a person is pregnant or not. What can make a pregnancy test turn positive?7 Reasons Your Pregnancy Test Gave A False-Positive. You Had A Miscarriage or Abortion Recently. ... . Some Medications Can Trigger False-Positives. ... . Medical Conditions Are Sometimes to Blame. ... . Confusing Evaporation Lines. ... . User Error. ... . An Ectopic Pregnancy. ... . A Chemical Pregnancy.. How can I get a false positive pregnancy test at home?Here are five possible situations that could cause a person to have a false-positive result from a home pregnancy test.. Evaporation lines. When taking a home urine pregnancy test, it is important for people to follow the test's instructions. ... . Previous miscarriage or abortion. ... . Molar pregnancy. ... . Medications. ... . Medical conditions.. Does salt water make a pregnancy test positive?No scientific data suggest that anything in a person's urine reacts with salt to indicate pregnancy. Even before the invention of modern pregnancy tests, people did not typically use salt-based tests.
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