It’s possible to have a positive pregnancy test even if you aren’t technically pregnant. This is called a false positive. It’s sometimes caused by a chemical pregnancy. A chemical pregnancy occurs if a fertilized egg, known as the embryo, is unable to implant, or grow, very early on. As its name suggests, a false positive pregnancy test occurs when the test reads positive but you’re NOT actually pregnant. A false negative pregnancy test, on the other hand, means you ARE in fact pregnant even though the test reads negative. How False Positive Pregnancy Results Occur Usually, if you take a pregnancy test within the first two months after abortion, the chances are that you will get a positive pregnancy test result. This is often described as a false positive and the level of the pregnancy hormone (hCG) in your body is still detectable.When you get pregnant, your body produces a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. Home pregnancy tests look for that hormone in your urine. If hCG is present, you should get a positive test result when you pee on a stick.What Medications Can Cause A False Positive Pregnancy Test?Neurological Drugs Anti-psychotics, anti-convulsant, and anti-anxiety medications may cause a false positive test. Examples include diazepam, clozapine, phenobarbital, alprazolam, and chlorpromazine.Anti-Parkinson’s Drugs Anti-Parkinson’s drugs may also affect the results of pregnancy tests. These drugs include Bromocriptine.Diuretics
Table of Contents
What can cause a false-positive pregnancy test?
7 Reasons Your Pregnancy Test Gave A False-PositiveYou 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.7 Reasons Your Pregnancy Test Gave A False-Positive
Are false positives rare in pregnancy tests?
The good news for prospective testers is that the chances of a false positive pregnancy test are very low. So just how common are false positive pregnancy tests then? “False positive pregnancy tests are rare and occur less than 1 percent of the time,” confirms DuMontier.
Can you get a false positive pregnancy test after an abortion?
After an abortion or miscarriage, hCG levels start to go down over the a period of 9-35 days. If you take a pregnancy test within this window, you can get a false-positive result because the test is still detecting the pregnancy hormone and can’t tell that the levels are decreasing.
What causes a positive pregnancy test result?
There are more than a few health conditions that can cause a hormone disbalance and trigger a positive result on a pregnancy test. By far, the most common health issues that do that are urinary tract infections, kidney diseases, and ovarian cysts.
What meds can cause a false positive pregnancy test?
Interestingly, there are certain meds that trigger false-positive pregnancy results. The most common ones are synthetic hCG trigger shots, usually prescribed as fertility meds, which include: As their descriptor suggests, these meds boost a woman’s hCG production.
Can an at-home pregnancy test be wrong?
At-home pregnancy tests are designed to detect hCG in your urine. If you follow the instructions for your at-home pregnancy test, false positive results are rare. If you get a positive pregnancy test result, call your healthcare provider.
