False Positive Pregnancy Test
What is a False Positive Pregnancy Test?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) pregnancy tests or home pregnancy tests determine pregnancy through the detection of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in a woman's urine. A false positive pregnancy test means that your pregnancy test is positive but you are NOT pregnant. Most women who have a positive pregnancy test are actually pregnant. However, there are a few women who receive a positive pregnancy result from a home pregnancy test are not actually pregnant. One cause of a false positive pregnancy test is simply reading the home pregnancy test incorrectly. Pregnancy tests have specified and individualized instructions and they also differ from one another. Most manufacturers suggest that you read their test after 3 minutes and advise not to read it after 10 minutes. Once you have a negative test after 3-5 minutes throw out the test. Any positive test appearing well after that time is inaccurate and cannot be considered positive.
However, a false positive pregnancy test can also happen after an hCG injection. Doctors recommend that you wait until you have missed a period to take a home pregnancy test. If you cannot wait that long to find out and you know the day you may have conceived, then the earliest you can take a test would be 14 days after possible conception. Home tests are usually 97% accurate when all instructions are followed correctly and the results are read on time. Read more about the reasons why you might get a positive pregnancy test when you are not pregnant.
