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. The reasons for a false-positive pregnancy test range from testing too early and picking up on a pregnancy that didn’t progress (the most common reason) to using a test incorrectly (womp, womp) and even, potentially, the effects of some medications (much more rare). The presence of hCG triggers a positive test result. 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.Two pregnancy test lines on a pregnancy test are the control and the test line. When both of them appear, the result is positive. Two lines on a pregnancy test mean that a woman is pregnant. The combination of these pregnancy test lines and knowledge about them will lead you to make the right conclusion about your pregnancy.
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
How common are false positive pregnancy tests first response?
For example, a First Response Early Result will only detect a pregnancy in 62% of women when used 6 days early as advertised – that’s a 1 in 3 chance of being wrong.
What causes a false positive pregnancy test after an abortion?
Taking a home urine pregnancy test, following an abortion or miscarriage, can be another reason for a false-positive result. Once a fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine wall, the body begins to secrete the pregnancy hormone hCG. After a miscarriage or abortion, the levels of hCG start to fall, but only slowly.
Can a pregnancy test be wrong if taken too soon?
But hCG levels start out very low and increase over time. If you take the test too soon after conceiving, it might say you’re not pregnant when you really are. In other words, timing can lead to a false negative. But what about a false positive? False positives aren’t super common, Dr. Emery says.
Why do I get two lines on a pregnancy test?
Some potential causes include: You took a pregnancy test and got two lines. (Positive!) But a few days later, your period arrived in force. What gives? The most common reason this happens is an early pregnancy loss, also known as a chemical pregnancy.
Can you have a positive pregnancy test and not be pregnant?
Chemical pregnancy 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. This can happen for a wide range of reasons.
