Is there such a thing as a false positive pregnancy test? We looked at all the facts so you can focus on your little blue lines.
Home pregnancy tests can be helpful for those who are trying to find out if they are pregnant or not. The test measures the levels of hCG in your urine. This hormone (hCG) is produced in large quantities when a woman is pregnant, as it is needed for the formation and growth of new cells. Thankfully, pregnancy tests are accurate up to 97% of the time.
But for that other 3%, it’s important to understand what’s going on. A “false positive pregnancy test” is when the test tells you that you are pregnant, but you really aren’t. There are a number of things that could cause the pregnancy test to detect the signs of pregnancy, including:
- Chemical pregnancy — There is a very real chance that you actually were pregnant when you took the test. The body begins producing the hCG hormone early on in the pregnancy, so it’s usually detectable right away. But what happens if you get your period a few days after finding out the pregnancy test is positive? This is an early miscarriage, something called a “chemical pregnancy”. Technically, you were pregnant, so your body started to produce all the hormones and chemicals. However, due to a number of factors, the pregnancy didn’t properly “take”, resulting in a miscarriage–marked by a heavy period. It’s estimated that 25 to 40% of pregnancies go undetected, as they are mainly chemical pregnancies.
READ MORE: She Didn’t Know She Was Pregnant Until She Gave Birth
- Faulty pregnancy test –– It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to make mistakes, despite all of their attempts to prevent and correct problems. If you aren’t certain that you’re pregnant, do some research on the company and the accuracy of their tests. You may find that there are a number of complaints regarding the brand of tests you are using, citing problems or inaccuracies. Or, if the test is expired, it may no longer work properly. If you didn’t follow the instructions carefully, it may not work either. It’s a shame for a woman to experience a false positive pregnancy test for this reason, but it can happen.
- Recent miscarriage –– If you have recently had a miscarriage, your body will still be producing the hCG that was needed to grow the life in your body. It takes a while for your body to stop producing the hormone, so you may be producing enough hCG that the pregnancy test will pick it up. The hCG can stay in your bloodstream for a number of weeks after the miscarriage, or until your next period.
- Tumors –– It’s not common for a tumor to be the cause of your false positive pregnancy test, but it has been known to happen. There are certain ovarian germ cell tumors that can cause your body to start producing hCG, which will make the pregnancy test believe that you are pregnant. Gestational trophoblastic disease could also be the cause of the problem, as this condition is causing the cells that normally form the placenta in your body to produce tumor cells instead. These tumor cells produce hCG, thus causing the false positive.
- Medications –– If you are getting hCG injections for fertility or medical purposes, the presence of the hormone can cause your body to believe that you are pregnant. Methadone can also affect the accuracy of the pregnancy test.
