Some infertility medications (medications that are used when a A False Positive Pregnancy Test hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, usually around 10 days after conception, and increases every The presence of any impurities in your urine sample may also cause a false positive pregnancy test. How Medications Can Affect Pregnancy Test Results Set a timer when it is time to wait for the results and read them according to the recommended window of time. The presence of protein in the urine may be due to kidney damage. Methylphenidate is a stimulant medication used to treat ADHD. Anti-epileptic medication can cause false positive results. Urine drug tests look for the presence of specific substances. In such cases, the blood tests and ultrasound are done to confirm pregnancy. A false-positive might happen if you had a pregnancy loss soon after the fertilized egg attached to the uterine lining.You also may get a false-positive if you take a pregnancy test soon after taking fertility medicine that contains HCG . Marin, S.J., et al. A home pregnancy test checks to see if there's HCG in the urine. If you're experiencing cramping but don't get your period, you might be pregnant. Thats more likely to happen with labs that still follow the older, lower thresholds for detecting those substances. Summary: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify false-positive UDSs associated with all clinic formulary medications, as well as common nonprescription When this occurs, sometimes a minor surgical procedure called a dilation and curettage (D and C) is often required to remove the tissue, depending upon your symptoms and how far along the pregnancy was. This is due to the residual level of hCG present in the woman. They may be able to perform a second test thats more specific and accurate. User error, medical conditions, and certain medications can cause false This hormone helps your body maintain the pregnancy. (2020). Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Can Todays drug tests can detect even trace amounts of alcohol, and for longer after exposure. It's important to care for your own needs while you're attending to those of your family. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know, scar tissue or inflammation in the fallopian tube, misshapen fallopian tube or other congenital anomalies, a history of infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), sharp waves of pain in the abdomen, pelvis, shoulder, or neck, light to heavy vaginal spotting or bleeding, antipsychotics, such as clozapine or chlorpromazine, anticonvulsants, like phenobarbital or other barbiturates, Parkinsons disease medications, including. Infertility drugs, for example, can contain synthetic hCG. Seek immediate medical help if you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy. A home pregnancy test has confirmed what you suspected youre pregnant. However, keep in mind that the earlier you take the test, the harder it is for the test to detect hCG. 8 Possible Causes for a False-Positive Pregnancy Test Certain complications with implantation of a fertilized egg such as an ectopic pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, or recent miscarriage may cause a misreading. Rengarajan, A., et al. After completing the five-day course, a "trigger shot" of Pregnyl, Ovidrel, or Novarel may be used to mature eggs and induce ovulation. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 2 Apr 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 17 Apr 2023), ASHP (updated 10 Apr 2023) and others. These drugs include Bromocriptine. Even if your period is late according to your typical cycle, you might have ovulated later in the month. There are a few other medications that may rarely cause false positives. Lastly, this article answers some frequently asked questions about pregnancy tests. MA. Methadone, given to treat heroin addiction, can cause a false positive result on urine pregnancy tests, Cigna states. Follow up with a blood test will give more accurate results. Mayo Clinic: Home Pregnancy Tests: Can You Trust the Results? The same thing could happen even with alcohol-based hand sanitizers if you use them regularly. In addition, she writes content marketing for the healthcare industry because thats where her expertise lies. (1990). What Medications Can Cause a False Positive Pregnancy Test? A pregnancy test in your medical professionals office may use a blood test. Medications that may cause false positives 1. Note:What medications can cause a false positive pregnancy test? Let your medical professional know if you had a spontaneous miscarriage as they may need to assess you. Why Did a Second Line Appear Later on My Pregnancy Test? If youve been looking forward to a positive pregnancy test result, a false-positive is disappointing. Annals of Emergency Medicine. It can cause false positive results for amphetamine or methamphetamine. Last updated on March 15, 2022. It is therefore important to read your results within the time frame mentioned on the kit. Back to School: Simple Ways to Get Ready for the Week. Sometimes, certain medications can affect your result, so what are these medications? Although its rare to experience a false positive pregnancy test, certain factors can make it possible. What can cause a false positive? A second test would need to confirm it. An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency. This includes prescription medications or certain illegal substances. 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. can WebWhat can cause a false urine pregnancy test? If you get a positive result you can almost certainly assume you are pregnant, at which point you should visit your GP to Yee, L.M., et al. But there are a few things you should avoid doing. Journal of the American Medical Association. Testing for pregnancy after IVF. The good news is theyre rare. By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH False-positive interferences of common urine drug screen immunoassays: A review. If the pregnancy test detects a certain level of hCG, it will show a positive result. Then talk to your healthcare provider. Many liquid medications, vanilla extract, and breath-cleaning products often have ethanol, a form of simple grain alcohol. It takes almost one to one-and-a-half months to have a normal level of hCG. What medications can cause false positive pregnancy test? Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. An ectopic pregnancy can be a serious emergency for the pregnant parent if the growing embryo ruptures the fallopian tube causing severe bleeding. HMG is made up of two hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). There are also certain medications taken for infertility that cause elevated hCG without a pregnancy. Quetiapine (Seroquel) is one type of atypical antipsychotic. An ectopic pregnancy is a real pregnancy that will return a positive pregnancy test; however, the pregnancy is nonviable, meaning it cannot result in a live birth. A pregnancy test is done to determine if women are pregnant or not. All Rights Reserved. Some urine drug tests screen for a specific medication and substances. At-home pregnancy tests arent foolproof. Taking trazodone may cause a false positive test result for amphetamine or methamphetamine. This hormone rises when an egg is fertilized. See your medical professional as soon as possible if you suspect an ectopic pregnancy. a recent pregnancy (e.g. False methadone-positive urine drug screens in patients treated with quetiapine. Reputable home pregnancy tests can be highly accurate, but they are not foolproof. Trazodone is an older antidepressant that's not commonly used for depression anymore. In some cases, though, running a second test may not be possible. It can be used to help relieve nausea and vomiting. An evaporation line is the mark left by urine after it evaporates completely from the test. Ovarian Cysts Corpus luteum cysts on the ovaries can cause false positives on pregnancy tests. For instance, a false positive is when a drug test shows the presence of a medication or substance that you aren't actually taking. Sometimes a false positive can be the result of a laboratory error. While the blood test also detects hCG, it is far more accurate than a home urine-based test. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, you may notice symptoms such as severe, sharp pain on one side of your abdomen, vaginal bleeding, or dizziness. 10 Common Questions About Labor and Delivery. Cherwinski, K., et al. A chemicalpregnancy occurs when the embryo is not able to implant. As Dr. Homaifar explains, the following can also cause menstrual irregularities: Stress. Pregnancy Symptoms: 10 Early Signs That You May Be Pregnant, sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009898114003787, ucsfhealth.org/education/conception_how_it_works/, sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352578916300297?via%3Dihub, annlabmed.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.3343/alm.2012.32.2.167, acubalance.ca/blog/what-chemical-pregnancy-did-i-just-have-early-miscarriage-or-false-positive, columbiadoctors.org/treatments-conditions/uterine-anomaly, Weird Early Pregnancy Symptoms No One Tells You About, Cramps but No Period: 7 Early Pregnancy Symptoms, Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Causes of a Negative Pregnancy Test with No Period. Stout, P.R., et al. Read below to learn more about each of these scenarios. It happens when a person does not have COVID-19 but still tests positive for the disease. Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) are in a group of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). For a pregnancy test through blood, you have to visit a clinical setting. Detecting a chemical pregnancy before it miscarries can be emotionally hard. Often, if you test too early, the hCG levels will be below the threshold of detection of many home pregnancy tests. Its probably an evaporation line if the line is completely colorless. Also learn how doctors may monitor someones condition for changes after theyve contracted HIV. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. Patients in medical treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Are they at risk in drug screening?. Act quickly if you experience any of the following symptoms. A chemical pregnancy is a pregnancy, but an unhealthy one that results in an early miscarriage. Can Cause A False Positive Pregnancy Test Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. They may be able to confirm the results by running a second test. Because hCG is the hormone tested by pregnancy test, taking the drug will yield a false positive result in both blood and urine. The earlier after a missed period that you take a home pregnancy test, the harder it is for the test to detect hCG. Home pregnancy tests are a common tool used to find out if youre expecting. Giving birth is as individual as you are, so here are some answers to help set the record straight. Another NSAID, oxaprozin (Daypro), can be used to treat pain from arthritis. Its possible to have a positive pregnancy test even if you arent technically pregnant. Obstetrics & Gynecology. Keep in mind that pregnancy test results are effective for a short while only. Saitman, A., et al. Every person is different, but here are a few top signs. But this is rare. Its estimated that 25-40 percent of pregnancies end as undetected miscarriages. All rights reserved. GoodRx is not offering advice, recommending or endorsing any specific prescription drug, pharmacy or other information on the site. It may also cause a positive result for benzodiazepines. The best thing to do when youve gotten a positive result is to contact your doctor. Its sometimes caused by a chemical pregnancy. (2004). A false-negative is much more likely to occur than a false-positive. Pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood or urine. Some medications may create a false positive pregnancy test result as well. Jensen, C.M., et al. Antinausea medications. What to Do. The embryo isnt viable because theres no place for it to grow or thrive outside of the uterus. Diuretics (water pills) Antihistamines. But research shows this isnt true. The kidney degrades the beta subunits to produce a core fragment. If you read the result after a long time, your urine will dry, leaving evaporation lines on it. Your healthcare provider may request a urine drug test to make sure there arent other substances in your system that could be dangerous when combined with opioids. Logan, B.K., et al. Its also important to use the test when your urine isnt diluted excessively with water. Reduced interference by phenothiazines in amphetamine drug of abuse immunoassays. (2019). Salomons E. (2016). Several other medications can cause false positive urine results. Its every womans worst nightmare: a false positive pregnancy test. Methylphenidate is distinguished from amphetamine in drug-of-abuse testing. The content on Healthgrades does not provide medical advice. As the current pregnancy kits have high sensitivity for hCG hormone, any exogenous hCG administered to the patient may be detected by pregnancy kits. Certain decongestants 4. 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