Some fertility medications may contain human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or similar hormone, which is what pregnancy tests are designed to detect. If it detects the pregnancy hormone from the medication instead of from an actual pregnancy, this can cause a false positive.
What Else Can Skew the Results of a Pregnancy Test?
Miscarriage
At-home pregnancy tests have a reactive strip that will read positive if hCG is detected. However, this pregnancy hormone is still detectable if you have miscarried in the past few days, which can also yield a false positive.
Inaccurate Readings
Pregnancy tests can sometimes give false negative results because they may only detect one type of pregnancy hormone. In contrast, another degraded form of the hormone can be present in the urine, causing the test to miss detecting the actual pregnancy.
It’s crucial to remember that despite marketing claims of 99% accuracy, medical professionals have reported a false negative rate of up to 5%.
User Error
While pregnancy tests are easy to administer, user error can still occur. For example, you may take the test too soon, wait too long to read the results, or use too much urine. To eliminate the possibility of user error, try taking more than one pregnancy test.
Schedule a Free Ultrasound
If you’re displaying signs of early pregnancy, don’t trust the pregnancy test results, or simply want to eliminate any doubts, an ultrasound is a great option.
This vital screening can provide a digital image of your uterus, allowing you to determine whether or not you are pregnant and learn important details. For example, an ultrasound can confirm the pregnancy’s gestational age, letting you know how far along you are.
At the Pregnancy Help Center of West Houston, we offer no-cost ultrasounds and consultations so you can learn about your pregnancy and ask questions in a compassionate, pressure-free environment.
Contact us today to make an appointment!