Methadone. 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. Lelievre, B., et al. Quetiapine, which treats schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can wrongly show that you have methadone in your urine. Diphenhydramine may cause a false positive result for some opioids and opiates. What Can Cause a False Pregnancy Test? Taking antibiotics wont make your pregnancy test positive, but if youre on fertility medications, containing hCG (these are given by injection) you may get a false Several factors, including pollution of the sample or wrong operations of the doctor, can even affect the result of a pregnancy test performed on blood. Chemical pregnancies are common but typically go unnoticed as the egg passes during menstruation. Consider setting a timer on a stopwatch or your phone. This includes prescription medications or certain illegal substances. False positive results are uncommon on pregnancy tests; false negatives are much more common. 11 /11. A chemical pregnancy is a pregnancy, but an unhealthy one that results in an early miscarriage. Can medications Verywell Family's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Parkinsons disease medications. But this is rare. Goldstein J, et al. Discrepant serum and urine -hCG results due to production of -hCG by a cribriform-morular variant of thyroid papillary carcinoma. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. False-Positive Pregnancy Test: 7 Possible Causes WebWhat can cause a false urine pregnancy test? A recent miscarriage or abortion, certain medications, and several other conditions may cause a false-positive result. But more often, certain medications are the cause of a false positive result. For instance, some tests require leaving the dipstick in the urine stream for a specific amount of time. Rogers, S.C., et al. False methadone-positive urine drug screens in patients treated with quetiapine. 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. Its possible to have a positive pregnancy test even if you arent technically pregnant. In such cases, the pregnancy test kit may give false-positive results. False Positive Pregnancy Test Healthgrades Can Help. after miscarriage, recent birth or termination) some rare ovarian cysts. Pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood or urine. It can cause false positive results for amphetamine or methamphetamine. These medications can sometimes cause a false-positive on your pregnancy test. Logan, B.K., et al. Acta Clinica Belgica. False-positive urine pregnancy test due to leukocyte interference. False-positive TDxFLx urine amphetamine/metamphetamine II assay from ofloxacin. You already know the answer, but you should also know that many other factors can also affect your pregnancy result. This is called a false positive. All the best, masso. Pediatric Emergency Care. This hormone helps your body maintain the pregnancy. I. Urine Screening and Confirmation Results., MassachusettsMedical Society: Urine Abstinence Testing And Incidental Alcohol Exposure., Mayo Clinic: Urine Drug Screening: Practical Guide for Clinicians., National Center for Biotechnology Information: Investigation of interference by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in urine tests for abused drugs, False positive urine drug screens from quinine in tonic water, Cardiac Complications of Unwitting Co-injection of Quinine/Quinidine with Heroin in an Intravenous Drug User, The dextromethorphan defense: dextromethorphan and the opioid screen, A positive cannabinoids workplace drug test following the ingestion of commercially available hemp seed oil, Efavirenz use may cause false positive result for marijuana, Urine opiate screening: false-positive result with levofloxacin, An Overview of Clinical Pharmacology of Ibuprofen., National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens: What is Hemp?, National Institute on Drug Abuse: Misuse of Prescription Drugs, Benzodiazepines and Opioids., Operation Supplement Safety: Weight-Loss Prescription Drugs: Phentermine., Pharmacokinetics in Psychiatry and Neurology: Urine drug screens: Considerations for the psychiatric pharmacist., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Clinical Drug Testing in Primary Care, Methadone., The Brookings Institution: The Farm Bill, hemp legalization and the status of CBD: An explainer., U.S. National Library of Medicine: Drug Testing, Quinine, Diphenhydramine, Dextromethorphan, Efavirenz, Amphetamine, Sertraline., University of Florida: Germ-killing sanitizers could have effect on alcohol tests., American Alliance Drug Testing: SAMSHA Guidelines -- Mandatory Federal Workplace Drug Testing Guidelines., Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions Blog: Cannabidiol and drug tests.. Often, if you test too early, the hCG levels will be below the threshold of detection of many home pregnancy tests. If you drink it, you may want to stop a couple of days before your drug test. This is called a false-positive. Obstetrics & Gynecology. Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. All rights reserved. Your drug screen could become positive for methadone or PCP with large doses of tramadol. These five important signs will help you decide. Not cleaning the cup that comes with certain pregnancy test kits can also cause contamination of the urine sample and affect your results. False-positive interferences of common urine drug screen immunoassays: A review. Its also important to use the test when your urine isnt diluted excessively with water. Some anti-anxiety medications. A follow-up ultrasound may be needed after about 1 week if its early to verify the results. One hundred false-positive amphetamine specimens characterized by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. You will likely notice that you continue to have vaginal bleeding. Note:What medications can cause a false positive pregnancy test? Can Cause a False Positive Drug Test Many urine drug tests test for the following medications and substances: THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, an active ingredient in cannabis, Prescription opiates and opioids like oxycodone (Roxicodone, Oxycontin), hydrocodone, and morphine (MS Contin), Illegal opiates and opioids (like heroin), Amphetamines (like prescription amphetamines like Adderall and illegal methamphetamine), Barbiturates (like phenobarbital, butalbital), Benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). What Is a Blood Pregnancy Test and How Does It Work? If your miscarriage was spontaneous, tissue might remain in the uterus. Reputable home pregnancy tests can be highly accurate, but they are not foolproof. Therefore, you need to ensure that you are not using faulty or expired pregnancy kits to get accurate results. Anti-epileptic medication can cause false positive results. Dextromethorphan is the main ingredient in many OTC cough suppressants. 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. (2001). How Many Days After Missed Period Pregnancy Test Is Positive. Casey, E.R., et al. British Medical Journal. When youre pregnant, hCG levels rise quickly and peak at about 10 weeks. If youre undergoing fertility treatments to become pregnant, you may be getting hCG injections to stimulate ovulation. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 3. If you read the result after a long time, your urine will dry, leaving evaporation lines on it. The condition in which an embryo is present at a place other than uterus such as the cervix or fallopian tube is termed as ectopic pregnancy. Used for sinus and nasal congestion, pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) may cause false positive test results for amphetamine or methamphetamine. Get updates on vaccine and testing access, and changes to care. 4 Causes of a False Positive Pregnancy Test | OhioHealth The stick is then able to detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a hormone produced during early pregnancy. Can You Measure hCG Levels in Your Urine? In this scenario, the pregnancy test gives accurate results. There are also certain medications taken for infertility that cause elevated hCG without a pregnancy. If youve taken dextromethorphan, a urine test may show positive for PCP. The level of hCG hormone will be higher and easier to detect. Some antiseizure drugs. How Soon Can You Take a Pregnancy Test After IVF? This can happen for many reasons. Examples include: Venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) are part of a group of antidepressant medications called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). If the urine is too diluted, it may not give an accurate response. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. Rohit Jain is an IPR Specialist and Medical Content Writing Expert. If youre taking fertility medications, reach out Rollins, D.E., et al. But chances are very low that youll have enough THC to trigger the positive result in the screens used by the federal government and many private employers. When done appropriately, the pregnancy tests provide accurate results in the majority of the cases. Can You Take a Pregnancy Test GoodRx provides no warranty for any information. Discover the best time to be tested for HIV. This may be due to various factors. What is the most common cause of false positive hCG results? Pregnancy Test Evaporation Lines: What Are They? If it has, the chemical used to detect hCG may not work. Female age-related fertility decline. Checking your results during the result time frame is also important. Learn about potential problems associated with rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy, including triggers, preeclampsia, premature birth, and low birth, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Even with these safeguards, user error can occur. But on a drug screen, it can make you seem to have used marijuana. False-Positive Pregnancy Test: Causes and Probability The Medical Conditions That Cause a False Positive A False Positive Pregnancy Test Immunochromatographic tests: False-positive results for methadone and phencyclidine after acute poisoning with tramadol and dextropropoxyphene. This line may represent an early pregnancy, or it may be an evaporation line. False-positive urine phencyclidine immunoassay screen result caused by interference by tramadol and its metabolites. Some infertility medications (medications that are used when a Using an expired kit can cause false positives. They are thought to be very common, but they typically go undetected if a pregnancy test isnt taken. It can be extremely upsetting to receive a false positive pregnancy test result, especially if youve had trouble getting pregnant or are actively trying to get pregnant (or both). Antidepressants, decongestants, and dextromethorphan (an ingredient in Robitussin, Delsym) are examples of medications that can cause false positive results. Jao H-F, et al. Blood may occur in urine due to various conditions such as cystitis. 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 . Methylphenidate is a stimulant medication used to treat ADHD. Recent abortion or miscarriage may lead to false-positive results. These drugs include Bromocriptine. 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. However, there are rare circumstances when you may get a false positive. Heres how to tell. LSD. Theyre also common during mental health evaluations. The demands of parenting can leave you less time to manage your depression. As mentioned above, a pregnancy test is used by (2004). Rapid fluctuations in body weight (either loss or gain) Eating disorders. During early pregnancy, the amount of HCG in blood and urine rises quickly doubling every Keep in mind that pregnancy test results are effective for a short while only. HMG is made up of two hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). What Can Cause a False Positive Drug Test - WebMD To avoid confusion, you may want to alert the lab or the clinic beforehand that youre on efavirenz. (1990). Possible to Get a False Pregnancy Test One of these is the synthetic hCG trigger shot, sold under the following brand names: The hCG shot helps follicles release mature eggs. (n.d.). She also practices and has a devoted lifelong interest in preventive medicine. False Can Pregnancy Test Guide - Drugs.com By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Theyre not foolproof, however. Select one or more newsletters to continue. One of the most common mistakes is taking the test too early during your cycle. Several other medications can cause false positive urine results. To recap, pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in urine. (2015). 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. Phenergan, a medication used to treat nausea and allergic reactions, can also give false positive results. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. But research shows this isnt true. WebAt-home pregnancy tests are pretty damn accurate, right? Methylphenidate is distinguished from amphetamine in drug-of-abuse testing. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The following drugs are synthetic hCG injections which will cause a pregnancy test to appear positive: It is a good idea to wait at least 7-14 days after your last injection before taking a pregnancy test. On rare occasions, the pituitary can create HCG even when no disorder or tumor is present. This is called a false-positive. Enter your email to sign up. The faulty test result could happen for several days after you quit your antidepressant. All Rights Reserved. Be sure to read the directions for your pregnancy test and follow them according to the manufacturers recommendations. Memory usage: 65600.0KB. This can cause hCG levels to remain elevated, among other more worrisome symptoms such as ongoing bleeding or fever. A registered nurse with more than 25 years of experience in oncology, labor/delivery, neonatal intensive care, infertility and ophthalmology, Sharon Perkins has also coauthored and edited numerous health books for the Wiley "Dummies" series. WebMedical Conditions. Follow up with a blood test will give more accurate results. You can mistake an evaporation line for a false positive pregnancy test. If you are pregnant and you wait another two days before testing again, the levels should double again, increasing your chance of an accurate reading. If you're experiencing cramping but don't get your period, you might be pregnant. The following situations can cause a false pregnancy test (either positive or negative): testing too early, using the pregnancy test incorrectly, or being on certain medications or having certain medical conditions.. This may lead to a false-positive pregnancy test. The most common type of drug test is a urine test. All rights reserved. If you think youve had a false positive on a urine drug test, consider whether any medications you take could be responsible. This is a rare one, but some medical conditions such as certain kinds of cancer, chronic kidney disease, as well as problems with your ovaries could cause the body to have increased levels of HCG and potentially lead to a false-positive 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 confirm the news, and then you can spend the next nine or so months cooking your human child (psst: read up on which celebs are currently expecting).pregnant, at which Apart from the normal pregnancy, tests for hCG levels also provide important information related to aborted pregnancy, pathological pregnancy and other serious medical conditions including extra-uterine malignancies and choriocarcinoma. The latter is an older tranquilizer drug thats often found in people who overdose on opioids. 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. The medication can cause a false-positive result if you take the test too soon after a missed period. Several of these medications for mental disorders can lead to false positive tests. These include labetalol (Trandate), doxylamine (Unisom), and tramadol (Ultram). By providing your email address, you agree to receive emails containing coupons, refill reminders and promotional messages from GoodRx. If you get a positive result you can almost certainly assume you are pregnant, at which point you should visit your GP to confirm the news, and then you can spend the next nine or so months cooking your human child (psst: read up on which celebs are currently expecting).pregnant, at which 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. What Medications Can Cause A False Positive Pregnancy Test? Doxylamine is an OTC medication that may help people struggling to fall asleep at night. Working one-on-one with a therapist, family member, or trusted friend can also be beneficial. Is the stick always right? Bupropion (Wellbutrin XL, Wellbutrin SR) may lead to false positive results for amphetamine or methamphetamine. Inaccurate hCG Levels. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that can help treat allergies, itching, and cold symptoms. Summary: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify false-positive UDSs associated with all clinic formulary medications, as well as common nonprescription A drug test can detect the presence of certain medications and substances. Pregnancy test kits detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that starts to rise when a sperm fertilizes an egg. A home pregnancy test has confirmed what you suspected youre pregnant. Key takeaways: Home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate when used correctly. Depending on when and how much youve taken CBD, its possible for your urine to show evidence of marijuana in your body. Usually, you will have a heavy period soon after your period is normally due. The following drugs are synthetic hCG injections which will cause a This increases HCG in your body. What Medications Can Cause A False Positive Pregnancy Test? In rare circumstances, the hCG hormone may be present in the body when a woman is not pregnant and may lead to a pregnancy test false positive result. PCOS and Pregnancy Tests: How to Detect Pregnancy with When a pregnancy ends, the levels go down, but slowly. It could cause you to test positive for opioids (specifically methadone). Methadone, given to treat heroin addiction, can cause a false positive result on urine pregnancy tests, Cigna states. If you've taken a pregnancy test and believe that a negative result is wrong, the best thing to do is wait for at least two days and test again. Other medications which may cause a false positive pregnancy test result are progestin-only birth control pills and some antipsychotics, antihistamines, Why Did a Second Line Appear Later on My Pregnancy Test? Purpose: The implications of potential false-positive urine drug screen (UDS) results for patients receiving commonly prescribed medications were evaluated. Many sources state that methylphenidate can cause false positive results for amphetamines. 5 Foods to Avoid When You Have Depression, How to Ensure Your Doctor Understands Your Migraine Severity. Some sensitive tests may be accurate even before you miss a period. You need to read the instructions mentioned on the kit carefully before taking a test. The embryo will still produce hCG, even though it has implanted in the wrong place. The results of a confirmation test are much less likely to show false positive results. Thats most likely to happen right after youre exposed to the smoke. Saitman, A., et al. Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. This type of pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants in an area outside the uterus. Salomons E. (2016). Interpreting Faint Lines on a Pregnancy Test. Common hMG medications include Menopur, Pergonal, and Repronex.. False Positive Pregnancy Test: Chances and Causes Various medical conditions such as extra-uterine malignancies, pituitary disorders, ovarian cysts, and choriocarcinoma may lead to false-positive results. If the pregnancy test detects a certain level of hCG, it will show a positive result. This is a rare one, but some medical conditions such as certain kinds of cancer, chronic Some reports have also shown that diphenhydramine may turn a drug test positive for PCP. These medications usually wont interfere with your drug screens. But on drug screens, it can show up as methadone, which helps people quit heroin or other opiates and can be addictive. You can use an at-home pregnancy test on the first day of a missed period. HCG hormone is secreted by the embryo even when it is not present in the uterus. A second test would need to confirm it. 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. Following are the medications that may lead to a false positive pregnancy test; Anti-psychotics, anti-convulsant, and anti-anxiety medications may cause a false positive test. Ly, B.T., et al. If you take a pregnancy test during this period, you may still have high HCG in your system, leading to a false positive result. It also discusses which tests are more accurate and how early you can take them. Unfortunately, inaccurate results on drug tests can happen. But how does this happen? Antipsychotics often used to treat schizophrenia, such as perphenazine, prochlorperazine, Alikhan M, et al. What can cause a false positive? They may also order a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm that the pregnancy is proceeding normally. masso 10 March 2023. If you see an evaporation line on an at-home pregnancy test, you might be confused if youre expecting or not. https://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Pregnancy_Test_False_Positives All the best, +0 Related topics keppra, pregnancy Further information Keppra uses and safety info Keppra information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details) Side effects of Keppra Their results are considered reliable, especially when you wait for at least a week after you miss your period to use one. These early test results, when wrong, can be emotionally draining. It is rare but possible to have a false-positive pregnancy test.