Can pregnancy tests be wrong and how often does this happen?

With a delay of menstruation, a modern woman is in a hurry to turn to special express tests, which are designed to confirm or deny the fact of pregnancy. However, statistics show that 25% of girls and women do not trust the full 100% result shown. Can pregnancy tests be wrong? How often does this happen? How to find out about the fact of pregnancy with the greatest accuracy? We will deal with all this further.

The principle of the tests

All pregnancy tests, despite the variety, cost and principle of operation, are based on the same thing. They determine the presence in the urine of hCG - human chorionic gonadotropin. This hormone begins to be produced in the body of a woman on the 7-10th day of the development of a fertilized egg. For the correct test reaction, the presence of hCG in the urine in a volume equal to 20-25 mIU / ml is necessary. After a week of pregnancy, the amount of such a hormone begins to double every 2-3 days.

Can pregnancy tests be wrong? It is believed that with great accuracy they are able to determine the position of a woman in the first days of menstruation delay. How does the device work? The test contains special substances that, by detecting the hormone, visually react to it. For example, the appearance of a colored bar or a certain text on the screen.

Types of tests

To find out if the Clearblue pregnancy test is wrong , for example, let's look at the main types of such products and their features.

Now, let's decide on the test errors and identify their causes.

Error statistics

According to the information available to gynecologists, it can be judged that a pregnancy test may show an incorrect result in 1-3% of cases. Manufacturers of such products estimate the error of their products at 1-5%.

The most common causes of an erroneous result are as follows:

• Expired test.
• The production technology of the drug, factory defect is violated.
• Ectopic pregnancy.
• Use of stale urine.
• Short term.
• Use after a recent abortion or miscarriage.
• The woman had diseases of the reproductive system.
  

False negative

Finding out whether pregnancy tests can be wrong, girls and women worry: is it likely that a false negative will be shown? Yes, it exists. And the test error is more characteristic for the following cases:

• Conception happened shortly before the planned start of menstruation. The hCG hormone has not yet managed to accumulate in the amount necessary for its detection in the body.
• Pregnancy is more than 12 weeks. During this period, chorionic gonadotropin already ceases to be produced.
• Can pregnancy tests be wrong? Yes, with an ectopic form, as well as with the threat of a miscarriage. There is a high probability of error in a frozen pregnancy.
• A woman is diagnosed with diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys.
• Excessive fluid intake. If you drink too much water, then the concentration of hCG in the urine decreases, which can cause a false negative result. Therefore, experts advise to use less fluid and temporarily abandon diuretics before performing the procedure. This is especially true for women who use the test in the early stages of pregnancy.
• Another important tip is to carry out the procedure most preferably in the morning to avoid mistakes. Even if the package says that the test is highly sensitive and the time of its use does not matter.

Can a pregnancy test strip be wrong? Yes, and this is characteristic of the early stages. The greatest amount of hCG to establish the fact of pregnancy accumulates in the body only by the 3rd week of embryo development.

False positive

Can two pregnancy tests be wrong, show a false positive result? Yes, and this probability exists. As a rule, this is observed in the following cases:

• The woman took drugs containing hCG. Most often, these are means that stimulate ovulation - "Profazi", "Rotten" and others. Even if you have completed treatment using such drugs, the high level of hCG in your body will remain for another 2 weeks.
• Removing an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and abortion. In such cases, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin does not immediately normalize, remaining for some time in high positions.
• The test was carried out 2-3 weeks after the birth of the baby.
• Tumor processes in the body. With this condition, it is also very likely that the test will show a false positive result.
• A woman is diagnosed with an ovarian cyst.
• The patient is affected by a gestational trophoblastic tumor - a pathology in which malignant tumors appear in the placental tissue.

Miscellaneous results

Can several pregnancy tests be wrong? It also happens that the first shows its presence, and the second already denies it. But this is not a mistake.

Most likely, before you is the fact of pregnancy, frozen at a very short time. In this case, a miscarriage occurs like normal menstruation, only with a slight delay.

Electronic test operation

At the beginning of the article, we identified inkjet digital tests as the most sensitive. But can they be wrong?

such devices give a result 3 minutes after contact with a stream or a drop of urine. Typically, a “+” or “-” is displayed on the screen. Either the inscription "Pregnancy is" or "There is no pregnancy."

Manufacturers are advised to test using their devices, not only with a delay, but also a few days before the expected menstruation. Based on this, statistics are collected:

• Pregnancy was confirmed 4 days before the onset of menstruation - 51%.
• Pregnancy confirmed in 3 days - 82%.
• For 2 days - 90%.
• For 1 day - 95%.

How to avoid a mistake?

Are pregnancy tests often wrong? In most cases, they still show the correct result, which justifies the popularity of such products in the market.

There are cases when a false result can be easily avoided. To do this, you need to pay attention to only a few points:

• Shelf life. An expired test is likely to show an incorrect result.
• Quality, packaging integrity. Feel free to ask the pharmacy for a test certificate. In addition, make sure its packaging is intact. You need to print the test immediately before using it.
• Storage conditions. Highly sensitive substances are responsible for the accuracy of the result. Accordingly, they require special storage conditions, which can not be provided at all points of sale where such tests are sold. From this it is advisable to buy them at the pharmacy.
• Failure to follow instructions. Can a digital pregnancy test be wrong? Yes, if you use it, ignoring the manufacturer's instructions.
• Stale urine. Some erroneous indicators can be attributed to this factor.
  

The most true result

So can cheap pregnancy tests be wrong? Yes, because the price directly affects the sensitivity of the device, as we have already set above. However, gynecologists do not advise you to abandon this quick and convenient method.

As a rule, test errors are single. Even an experienced specialist can count in his practice only a few cases where such drugs failed. If the test is carried out according to the instructions, there is no doubt about its quality, and in your body there are no reasons that affect the result, in 99% of cases you can trust it.

However, it must be remembered that only ultrasound of the uterus can reliably prove the fact of pregnancy in the present. However, a specialist can see a fruit egg with this method only after a weekly absence of menstruation.

If there was a delay ...

So that you do not have doubts about the reliability of the results of a pregnancy test, we advise you to carry out the procedure according to this scheme:

1. The first test is carried out on a 1-2 day delay.
2. If its result turned out to be negative, the procedure is repeated after 3 days (in case the menstruation has not started). If the result is positive, you should consult a gynecologist.
3. If the test showed a negative result, then it is repeated after another 3 days. If he again showed the absence of pregnancy, and the woman’s menstruation did not start, then she should contact a specialist as soon as possible.

Thus, there is a small, but still the likelihood that any pregnancy test can show you a false positive or negative result. Therefore, always take care of the quality of the product, the integrity of its packaging, and proper use. Do not use the test if your body condition can cause a mistake. We also recommend using products of different types and manufacturers to get a more objective result.