False positive pregnancy tests can be caused by hormonal treatments, certain cancers, and psychosomatic illnesses. Chemical pregnancies and contaminated testing materials can also lead to inaccurate results. Ultrasound is the most reliable way to confirm pregnancy.
Sometimes a positive pregnancy test does not mean that a woman is or will become pregnant. There are numerous things that can cause so-called false positives or simply inaccurate readings. On the other hand, it should be mentioned that even home pregnancy tests have an accuracy rating of 97% if directions are strictly followed, and things like blood tests in a lab or doctor’s office are considered more accurate.
Most pregnancy tests screen for hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) which are usually only present when you are pregnant. In fact, it is not entirely accurate to say that HCG cannot occur at other times. Hormonal treatments intended to increase fertility may contain high levels of HCG, and the body produces HCG at other times. Certain types of cancers that grow in the uterus or ovaries can cause high levels of HCG and an inaccurate, positive pregnancy test. There have been cases where psychosomatic illnesses such as hysterical pregnancy have potentiated these hormones and this can easily fool a pregnancy test.
Since the female body can produce this hormone at any time, it is conceivable that it does so at times other than pregnancy. Having a sudden rise in HCG levels can also cause early pregnancy-like symptoms such as morning sickness. Unfortunately, these symptoms combined with a positive test can be extremely misleading and be very frustrating to experience when they’re not really an indication of pregnancy.
There are other ways to get a positive pregnancy test. Early testing can lead to the discovery of an extremely early pregnancy that ends in miscarriage, usually before the time when a period may even be missing. This is called a chemical pregnancy. It’s almost the fault of more accurate and earlier testing that women even notice a positive result that would be followed by a negative result later. Before it was common to get tested before a missed period, few women were even aware of these short pregnancies.
Sometimes the presence of other chemicals can disrupt testing. A collection cup could be contaminated with soaps or detergents inside creating a positive pregnancy test. Alternatively, some prescribed medications such as anti-seizure drugs, fluid retention medications, or medications for some degenerative neurological conditions interfere with the tests.
An incorrect testing protocol can also result in a positive pregnancy test. One of the most common causes of a false positive reading on a home test is waiting longer than the stated time to read the test. Usually, the results are only good for a few minutes. Tests may also streak and leave a mark that looks like a positive result, but isn’t.
Ultrasound is one way to confirm an actual pregnancy. In case of a positive test that seems dubious, this is a means of verifying or ruling out the results. Ultrasound scans can usually be done four to six weeks after conception and confirm whether or not a fetus is present.
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