A faulty pregnancy test, incorrect use, or certain medical conditions can lead to a false positive pregnancy result.
Most home pregnancy tests are accurate, but there is still the possibility of false negatives and false positives. A false positive result indicates pregnancy when it is not. In most cases, this means the test detected the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine, although the opposite is true. However, it is sometimes possible to have hCG in your urine even if you are not (or no longer) carrying a living embryo.
False positive pregnancy test results can occur for a number of reasons below.
Error during pregnancy test
Home pregnancy tests can be defective when not stored properly or damaged by heat or water, although this is rare. It could also be a manufacturer error.
Errors are more likely to occur when the implementation is incorrect. For example, you may wait too long to read the results or misunderstand the results on the test strip. Sometimes faint lines show up even though the results are negative. A true positive result will show up as clear bright lines.
Faulty pregnancy tests or improper pregnancy tests can lead to false pregnancy results. Image: Ngoc Pham
Early miscarriage
Another possibility is that you had an accurate positive result, which means you have hCG in your urine, but your hCG levels are decreasing. Technically, this is not a false positive, but it is a false positive. Low hCG levels can be a sign of miscarriage or biochemical pregnancy, meaning the embryo does not implant or develop. A woman’s body may also have hCG remaining after a previous abortion.
Ectopic pregnancy
A positive pregnancy test can also occur if the pregnancy is ectopic. In this case, the doctor must remove the embryo to protect the mother’s health and her fertility.
Like an early miscarriage, a positive result for an ectopic pregnancy is not a false positive, but it does mean that the pregnancy must be terminated. Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include dizziness, vaginal bleeding, fainting, and abdominal and pelvic pain. If you experience these symptoms along with a positive pregnancy result, contact your doctor immediately.
Pathological
There are many medical conditions that can cause a false positive result, for example a molar pregnancy, a benign tumor that develops in the uterus. This is caused by an egg developing abnormally after fertilization. Other conditions include urinary tract infections, some types of ovarian cancer, and kidney disease.
Medicine
Certain medications can also lead to this condition such as anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety drugs, antihistamines, diuretics, chemotherapy drugs, antipsychotics, Parkinson’s disease drugs, and narcotic sleeping pills. .
When receiving a positive pregnancy test result, women should contact their doctor, especially if they suspect this is not true. Your doctor may perform a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm if you are pregnant, repeat a urine test, or switch to a blood pregnancy test. A blood test not only confirms the presence of hCG in the blood but can also measure the amount of hCG. Your doctor will usually order a repeat blood test a few days later to determine whether your hCG level has increased or decreased.
If the cause of a false positive result is uncertain, your doctor may recommend additional testing. If the pregnancy test is faulty or an error occurred during the test, women should use a digital pregnancy test that clearly states “pregnant” or “not pregnant,” which helps avoid confusion due to faint lines. Be sure to follow the instructions for using the test to get the most accurate results.
If a false positive result is due to a medical condition or medication, you may need to treat the condition or review the medication you are taking.