Although rare, it’s possible to get a positive result from a home pregnancy test when you’re not actually pregnant. This is known as a false-positive. The hCG shot helps follicles release mature eggs. It may cause a false-positive reading on an at-home pregnancy test, particularly if the test is taken too early. Other medications can also cause false-positive pregnancy tests. They include but aren’t limited to: A pregnancy test can be wrong if hCG strip is folded. The detector particles bind to each other in a folded hCG strip. Therefore, it will not detect the hCG in the urine.If you use a home pregnancy test after an hCG injection, wait 20 days before interpreting the test as positive or negative. The best way to detect a pregnancy after an hCG injection or shot is the hCG beta blood test. The blood test is much more sensitive than a urine pregnancy test.
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How likely is a false-positive hCG test?
A false-positive test result only happens less than 1% of the time, but when it does, it can make the following days or weeks confusing before you realize you’re not actually pregnant.
Can a home pregnancy test give a false-positive?
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.
Can high hCG levels cause a false-positive pregnancy test?
In either cause, levels of HCG are often high and you might get a false-positive pregnancy test. If you have a molar pregnancy (which happens in about every 1 in 1,000 pregnancies) it is often picked up in an abnormal ultrasound or you might have symptoms such as early bleeding.
What can cause a positive hCG test?
Read on to learn more about false positives on home pregnancy tests.Chemical pregnancy. It’s possible to have a positive pregnancy test even if you aren’t technically pregnant. … Ectopic pregnancy. … Recent miscarriage or abortion. … User error. … Evaporation lines. … Medications. … Certain medical conditions.7 Causes for a False-Positive Pregnancy Test – Healthline
Can a home pregnancy test give a false positive?
Certain medical conditions Rarely, certain medical conditions can cause a home pregnancy test to give a false positive. These include: A positive at-home pregnancy test result should always be followed up with a doctor’s appointment. Your doctor may give you a urine or blood test to confirm the results and monitor your hCG levels.
Can you have a false positive hCG test after a miscarriage?
It’s possible to have a false-positive test until your hCG levels return to their prepregnancy state. If the miscarriage was spontaneous, it’s also possible that not all of the pregnancy-related tissue was eliminated. This will cause hCG levels to remain elevated.
Can a pregnancy test be wrong if hCG is folded?
A pregnancy test can be wrong if hCG strip is folded. The detector particles bind to each other in a folded hCG strip. Therefore, it will not detect the hCG in the urine. So the pregnancy test results will be false. A pregnancy test could be wrong if it were refrigerated. Pregnancy test kits should not be kept in a refrigerator.
Can I take a pregnancy test after an HCG injection?
If you use a home pregnancy test after an hCG injection, wait 20 days before interpreting the test as positive or negative. The best way to detect a pregnancy after an hCG injection or shot is the hCG beta blood test.