Taking a home pregnancy test is one of the easiest, fastest and cheapest ways to test for pregnancy, but does a home pregnancy test make mistakes? In the article that follows, you can learn the answer to the query.
A home pregnancy test works by testing the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin through urine, which increases in concentration during pregnancy, and a home pregnancy test is the fastest way to get a pregnancy test result, as it takes place within a few minutes, but does a home pregnancy test make mistakes? Learn more about that in the sentences that follow:
Does a home pregnancy test make mistakes?
A home pregnancy test is an accurate method, but the answer to the question, is a home pregnancy test wrong? Yes, it can miss and give either a false positive or false negative result.
And we can get a false positive on a home pregnancy test for a number of reasons, the most notable of which are as follows:
- chemical pregnancy
A chemical pregnancy, which happens when the fertilised egg is unable to implant or grows too early, is sometimes the cause of a positive result on a home pregnancy test even though pregnancy has not actually occurred.
Though it frequently goes unnoticed without a pregnancy test, this condition is very common.
- Ectopic pregnancy
Sometimes the fertilized egg can implant itself outside the main cavity of the uterus, which leads to an ectopic pregnancy, and it is considered a serious medical emergency and must be treated immediately, as it may cause great harm to the woman. Because the foetus cannot develop or grow outside of the uterus, it is not viable.
Usually, ectopic pregnancies occur if the fertilized egg gets stuck in the fallopian tube during its passage to the uterus. Another name for it is a tubal pregnancy. Among the most prominent risk factors for an ectopic pregnancy are the following:
- The presence of inflammation in the fallopian tube.
- Abnormalities in the fallopian tubes.
- Having a previous history of infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization.
As a result, even though it was implanted in the wrong location, the foetus continues to produce the hormone chorionic gonadotropin, which causes a false positive result on a home pregnancy test.
- abortion
Does the home pregnancy test make mistakes, to continue the previous question's response? The pregnancy hormone can remain in the blood and urine for up to 6 weeks after the end of pregnancy, resulting in a false positive pregnancy test result until pregnancy hormone levels return to pre-pregnancy levels.
To determine whether an intrauterine pregnancy is defined or missed or whether there is a foetus without cardiac activity, an ultrasound is typically required.
- evaporation lines
The evaporation line and the line for a positive pregnancy test might be mistaken for one another. Some home tests show two lines when the pregnancy hormone is detected and one line when it is not detected, and the lines are often of a bright color, such as: pink, red, or blue.
A second, more subtle line can be seen on some home testers. This line may represent early pregnancy, or it may be the evaporation line.
Evaporation lines may appear in some of the tests after the urine has completely evaporated and are caused by hormonal levels that do not represent pregnancy. The instructions that come with the home pregnancy test specify a waiting period that must be followed.
- Error when using
Adding to a response Can a home pregnancy test be inaccurate? The instructions that came with your home pregnancy test should be carefully followed, and before using the test, make sure to check the expiration date. Home pregnancy tests are not error-proof.
However, there are a number of reasons why a test result could be incorrect, the most significant of which are:
- early-cycle pregnancy testing that results in a false negative or false positive.
- Use the test after consuming a lot of liquids and water.
- Use the test when it is convenient for you, preferably right after you wake up; in areas with high urine concentrations.
It is advised to wait until one week after you anticipate your period to use a home pregnancy test because the emotional toll of these early test results when they are incorrect can be great.
Conditions that may cause a false positive pregnancy result
Some uncommon conditions, such as the following, can result in high levels of the pregnancy hormone and a false-positive pregnancy test:
- Polycystic ovaries.
- Kidney disease.
- types of cancer.
- hormone-related disorders, particularly in perimenopausal or perimenopausal women.
- tumours in the placenta's cellular structure.
This is how we respond to the query: Is the home pregnancy test inaccurate?
Tips for using the test correctly
Here are some advice on how to take a home pregnancy test with less error:
- test for pregnancy as soon as you wake up.
- After applying urine to a pregnancy test, do not wait too long.
- Do not read a pregnancy test result too soon.
- Make sure the at-home pregnancy test is accurate.
- Before performing a home pregnancy test, avoid consuming large amounts of water and other liquids.
- Prior to taking a pregnancy test, give yourself at least a week to get your period.