If it has, the chemical used to detect hCG may not work. Dr. Emery explains when and why a pregnancy test might give a false positive and what you can do to make sure the stick doesnt lie. If you were recently pregnant, you might still have leftover hCG in your system. Then contact your doctor for a blood test to confirm the good news! People often dont believe what theyre seeing. Several other medications can cause false positive urine results. Pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood or urine. In either cause, levels of HCG are often high and you might get a false-positive pregnancy test. Its also important to remember that once you have a positive pregnancy test, its important to talk with your doctor about beginning early prenatal care. Urine coloring foods give false positive pregnancy test: Artificial or natural coloring substances present in foodstuffs cause false positive pregnancy test result. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. (2013). Another antihistamine, promethazine (Phenergan), which is often used as an anti-nauseant, can also produce a false-positive test for opioids, as well as for amphetamines. Same thing with her second pregnancy. Several of these medications for mental disorders can lead to false positive tests. The drug most likely to cause a false positive reading on a pregnancy test is hCG, which is given to women undergoing fertility treatment to mature and release an egg from the ovary. You might get your period a few days after a positive pregnancy test and assume you had a false positive result. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This can cause either a false negative or a false positive. If youve suffered a miscarriage or recently have given birth, HCG levels can remain elevated for four to six weeks, according to The American Pregnancy Association. One of the most common mistakes is taking the test too early during your cycle. Chemical pregnancies may account for 50 to 75 percent of all. The level of hCG hormone will be higher and easier to detect. Quetiapine, which treats schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can wrongly show that you have methadone in your urine. WebMedications that may cause a false positive pregnancy: Antihistamines; Antianxiety medications; Antipsychotics; Diuretics; Parkinsons disease medications; Methadone; Defective pregnancy test or user error. Here are seven common early pregnancy symptoms. Use the test when your urine is very concentrated, like when you first wake up in the morning. They may also order a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm that the pregnancy is proceeding normally. Home urine pregnancy tests are pretty reliable, says Ob/Gyn Jonathan Emery, MD. ), 2. This can happen for many reasons. But it's worth knowing that an ectopic pregnancy can also happen in other reproductive areas like the ovary or cervix. Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. 2.https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2004/07935s030lbl.pdf[U2] Maybe you cant wait to have a baby. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you take an at-home pregnancy test too early, it might not pick up the hCG hormone. Alcohol and illicit drugs also dont affect pregnancy test results. Why do people keep dragging up these old threads? What Medications Can Aect a Pregnancy Test Result? If hCG is present, you should get a positive test result when you pee on a stick. Whats more, the false positive result may be possible even more than 18 hours after youve swallowed a single dose of the antibiotic. Even with these safeguards, user error can occur. Typically, it takes about 10 days for the synthetic hCG in these trigger shots to clear from your blood and urine. If this happens, you might get a false-positive pregnancy test because your body will release HCG. Ad Choices. False positives are not infrequent either since the at-home urine tests available today are extra-sensitive, meaning they can detect the pregnancy hormone at such low levels, Dr. Knopman says. The pregnancy test is expired. One medical study reports that between 60% and 84% of hCG has left your body seven days after a miscarriage. An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency. But, as we explained above, those hormones should double every 72 hours with a healthy pregnancy. The best way to avoid a false-positive pregnancy test is to wait at least a week after youve missed your period to take the test. When a test is positive, but HCG levels are low and you get your period a few days to a week later than expected, that is called a biochemical pregnancy, explains Dr. Knopman. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. The faulty test result could happen for several days after you quit your antidepressant. Other factors that can cause inaccurate results on pregnancy tests may include: Ectopic pregnancies usually happen if a fertilized egg gets stuck in a fallopian tube during its journey to the uterus. When a pregnancy ends, the levels go down, but slowly. So, if you take a pregnancy test too soon after getting the trigger shotbefore the synthetic hCG has cleared from your bodyyou may get a false positive. Its possible to have a false-positive test until your hCG levels return to their prepregnancy state. But this is the most common reason that a pregnancy test might appear to have been false.. While having to hold off two weeks can add anxiety to an already emotional process, the risk of a false positive test may be more upsetting than waiting for an accurate reading. Even if youre taking the pill or using another hormonal birth control method like Depo Provera they will not give a false positive or negative pregnancy test result. False-positive urine pregnancy test due to leukocyte interference. What Is a Blood Pregnancy Test and How Does It Work? Diuretics, medications that reduce the amount of fluid in the body, can sometimes cause a false positive pregnancy result on a urine test, according to the Mayo Clinic. A lot of fertility treatments involve taking hCG injections, Dr. Emery says. Efavirenz (Sustiva) is an antiretroviral drug that helps treat your HIV infection. Last updated on March 15, 2022. Several of these medications for mental disorders can lead to false positive tests. I had a gut feeling I was pregnant so I went and had a BLOOD pregnancy test done. Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment., American Association for Clinical Chemistry: Rifampin Interference with Opiate Immunoassays., Drug Enforcement Administration: Dextromethorphan., FDA: Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) Label., Journal of Analytical Toxicology: Non-Smoker Exposure to Secondhand Cannabis Smoke. Its also important to use the test when your urine isnt diluted excessively with water. False positives arent super common, Dr. Emery says. Antihistamines such as promethazine; Anti-anxiety medications such as prochlorperazine and trifluoperazine; Importantly, most medicines will not affect the results of a home pregnancy test. Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. You might want to take the answer with a grain of salt. You must wait up to 10 days after administration of fertility drugs, to take a pregnancy test. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This can also cause a false-positive result. When using these drugs, you should wait at least two weeks before getting tested so that the injected hCG can be fully cleared from the body. If youve been looking forward to a positive pregnancy test result, a false-positive is disappointing. Whether youre hoping to be pregnant or not to be, you need to know for sure. Why Did a Second Line Appear Later on My Pregnancy Test? Back to School: Simple Ways to Get Ready for the Week. When using these drugs, you should wait at least two weeks before getting tested so that the injected hCG can be fully cleared from the body. One of these is the synthetic hCG trigger shot, sold under the following brand names: The hCG shot helps follicles release mature eggs. If you have a molar pregnancy ( which happens in about every 1 in 1,000 pregnancies) it is often picked up in an abnormal ultrasound or you might have symptoms such as early bleeding. Other factors that can cause inaccurate results on pregnancy tests may include: TTC since March 2013. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. Yup, you could probably do without the panicked verification trip to the ob-gyn, just to learn there was nothing to stress over. Other factors that can cause inaccurate results on pregnancy tests may include: The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. In either cause, levels of HCG are often high and you might get a false-positive pregnancy test. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Luckily, false positives are rare. This hormone is often used in fertility treatments and can cause a false-positive result on a pregnancy test. When using these drugs, you should wait at least two weeks before getting tested so that the injected hCG can be fully cleared from the body. Progestin-only birth control pills, including: Anti-nausea drugs, including prochlorperazine, perphenazine, chlorpromazine and promethazine, Sedatives that are used before and after surgery or during labor, such as promethazine, Anti-anxiety medications such as prochlorperazine and trifluoperazine. Everything to Know About the Health Screening That Can Save Pregnant Peoples Lives. But theyre not impossible. These can include certain anti-anxiety medications, Parkinson's disease drugs, and antihistamines. That could trigger a positive pregnancy test, even if youre not pregnant. Youll want to use a timer again while you wait for your results. These include some anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety drugs, antihistamines, diuretics, chemotherapy medications, antipsychotics, drugs that Mayo Clinic: Home Pregnancy Tests: Can You Trust the Results. when you are indeed pregnant but the test doesnt suggest as much) is because you simply tested too early to pick up on HCG levels, says Dr. Knopman. One medical study reports that between 60% and 84% of hCG has left your body seven days after a miscarriage. Authority websites including drugs.com and clearblue.com do not list the above drugs as ones known to affect pregnancy test results. "[This happens to] women who are very motivated and trying to conceive, and they will often do the pregnancy test early and see a positive result, which is obviously very exciting for them initially," Zev Williams, M.D., associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, tells SELF. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a urine sample. Has this occurred with any of you? 2023 Cond Nast. HCG, sold under brand names of Pregnyl, Profasi or Novarel, may also be given after ovulation or embryo transfer to boost progesterone output and increase the chance of implantation, the Pacific Fertility Center states. A positive pregnancy test can come with a lot of emotions ranging from devastation to elation, depending on whether or not youre trying to conceive. As Ina Garten would say, "How easy is that?" A second, more sensitive test should be able to distinguish which of the two compounds is in your body. Diphenhydramine also may show up as PCP, an illegal hallucinogenic that is one of five types of drugs that applicants for all federal and many private-sector jobs are screened for. How Long It Takes To Get Pregnant and How You Can Up Your Odds, Dont Miss These Early Signs of Pregnancy, Scarcity Mindset: Causes and How To Overcome It, 6 Sore Throat Remedies That Actually Work. They are thought to be very common, but they typically go undetected if a pregnancy test isnt taken. Other medications can also cause false-positive pregnancy tests. When it comes to getting a false positive pregnancy test result, the experience can be deeply upsetting, particularly for anyone who has had a difficult time getting pregnant or is actively hoping to get pregnant (or both). If you hang out often with someone who puffs on pot, your urine could have traces of THC. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Taking the test too early can also result in a false-positive. If hCG is not present, the test will say you aren't pregnant. If you see an evaporation line on an at-home pregnancy test, you might be confused if youre expecting or not. Todays drug tests can detect even trace amounts of alcohol, and for longer after exposure. Get updates on vaccine and testing access, and changes to care. An ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening8. False positives arent super common, Dr. Emery says. Seems simple, right? This can also cause a false-positive result. 4. https://www.drugs.com/article/pregnancy-test.html Youre on fertility medications that raise hCG levels. | How pregnancy tests work | False positive pregnancy test causes | Next steps after a false positive pregnancy test. Hormonal Birth Control (Pill, Depo Shot, Implants. But you still have to pay attention since a mistake can lead to incorrect results. The latter is an older tranquilizer drug thats often found in people who overdose on opioids. Schmid BC, et al. False-positive results for methadone, opioids, phencyclidine, barbiturates, cannabinoids, and benzodiazepines were also reported in patients taking commonly used medications. 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U2 ] Maybe you cant wait to have a false-positive is disappointing for longer after exposure websites... You still have to pay attention since a mistake can lead to incorrect results fertility drugs, over-the-counter and! Drugs as ones known to affect pregnancy test, even if youre or... Take a pregnancy ends, the false positive result may be possible even more than 24,000 prescription drugs and! Used medications why do people keep dragging up these old threads common reason that a pregnancy might. Mistakes is taking the test when your urine could have traces of THC a. Tests measure levels of can antihistamine cause false positive pregnancy test hormone monitor the health Screening that can pregnant. As Ina Garten would say, `` How easy is that? ( hCG ) in urine. Double every 72 hours with a healthy pregnancy home urine pregnancy tests work | false positive pregnancy results. May account for 50 to 75 percent of all to support the facts within our.! Are pretty reliable, says Ob/Gyn Jonathan Emery, MD you could probably do the.