Contents:
- Medical Video: Reasons for False Positive Pregnancy Test
- Causes of false positive results (false positive)
- 1. Chemical pregnancy
- 2. Too late to see results
- 3. There are chemicals that interfere
- 4. There is a steam line appearing
- Causes of false negative results (false negative)
- 1. Take the test too early
- 2. Too soon to see the test results
- 3. Using urine that is too liquid
Medical Video: Reasons for False Positive Pregnancy Test
Have you ever heard the term false positive or false negative when using a pregnancy test kit (test pack) at home? Sometimes the pregnancy test we use becomes a misinterpretation. Even though the pregnancy test with urine has an accuracy of 97%, a result error might occur. Actually you are pregnant, but a pregnancy test indicates that you are not pregnant, or vice versa.
Sometimes we find things like that, it is annoying, so it would be nice if you test it twice or more, or if you need to see a doctor to confirm the results.
Causes of false positive results (false positive)
This may be rare, but it can happen to you. A pregnancy test shows that you are positively pregnant, even though you are actually not pregnant. This is what is called as false positive.
False positives it might happen to you which can be caused by:
1. Chemical pregnancy
About 25% of pregnancies end in a chemical pregnancy or commonly known as an early miscarriage. This happens when your pregnancy disappears shortly after the fertilized egg by the sperm attaches to the uterine wall (implantation). Because the pregnancy test is now more sensitive, so you can detect your pregnancy at a very early stage. Your pregnancy test can detect that you are pregnant, even though your prospective baby has died before developing.
2. Too late to see results
Using a pregnancy test that is not in accordance with the instructions can also make the results shown by the pregnancy test go wrong. You must follow the instructions for using the pregnancy test correctly. In the package there must be a clue how long you have to wait until the results come out. If you read the results in the past time exceeding the instructions given, the results may be incorrect.
3. There are chemicals that interfere
Chemicals from drugs can interfere with the results of pregnancy tests, for example methadone. In addition, if you are undergoing fertility treatment and taking fertility drugs that contain HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), this can also interfere with test results. This HCG hormone triggers you to release the egg. Taking a home pregnancy test not long after you take a fertility drug containing HCG can make a pregnancy test show positive results even though you are not pregnant. Wait 14 days until the HCG levels in your body are completely gone, then you can do a home pregnancy test.
4. There is a steam line appearing
Some pregnancy test kits leave a steam line on the device because the urine passes through the result area. This steam line is usually very faint and grayish in the result area on a pregnancy test kit. Some women consider the results positive because there is this steam line, even though the color of the line is different from the color of the line it should be (according to instructions).
Causes of false negative results (false negative)
Contrary to false positive, false negative shows a negative pregnancy test, even though you are actually pregnant. This can happen, which is caused by:
1. Take the test too early
The earlier you do a pregnancy test at home after you experience menstruation late, the more difficult it is for a pregnancy test to detect HCG that marks you are pregnant. A home pregnancy test is a qualitative test that measures the presence or absence of the HCG hormone in the urine. You should do a pregnancy test one week after you arrive late in the month. At this time, the level of HCG in your urine can already be detected by a pregnancy test kit. If you can't wait to find out if you are pregnant or not, you should visit your doctor for a more accurate examination.
2. Too soon to see the test results
Seeing test results that are too fast (not according to the instructions in the packaging) can also cause you to misinterpret. A pregnancy test requires enough time to show the results to you. We recommend that you do not rush, wait until the results really come out. Follow the instructions on the packaging and don't forget to always check the expiration date of the pregnancy test.
3. Using urine that is too liquid
The pregnancy test that you use at home uses urine as a medium to detect pregnancy. If your urine is too runny, it will make it difficult for the pregnancy test to detect the presence of HCG in the urine. It's best to use your morning urine for a more accurate test result because morning urine has the highest concentration.
If you feel you are experiencing symptoms that indicate that you are pregnant, but a pregnancy test kit shows different things or vice versa, you should immediately visit your doctor and do a blood test to confirm your pregnancy.
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