“Can a home pregnancy test show a wrong reading?”
I took a home pregnancy test which showed a negative pregnancy result, but I am having all the symptoms of pregnancy. Can the home pregnancy test show a wrong reading? Should I see a doctor?
18 Answers
Yes, it is possible for a home pregnancy test to show a false negative result if it is taken too early. If you do not get your period, I would encourage you to repeat a test in four to seven days. Additionally, there are many other reasons a woman may miss her period. If your period is one week late, or if you are having any other symptoms, I would encourage you to follow up with your gynecologist. Best wishes!
Depending upon the brand and the expiration date, a home pregnancy test can be incorrect. It is always best to have a home pregnancy test confirmed by your physician's exam and investigation.
Yes it can have a different answer than you expect. It can be negative if you are too early and the hormone level is not high enough to be detected. Your doctor can draw a blood level.
Home pregnancy tests these days are pretty accurate and are able to pick up really low amounts of hormone levels too, that being said sometimes you can get a falsely negative test if you had taken it too early or if it was just a faulty set. So please see your obgyn to get a blood test
A home pregnancy test can give a false reading. It also may be a very early pregnancy. I would see a physician and have a BHCG (a blood pregnancy test). This test is more accurate than the urine test. Best of luck to you if it turns out you are pregnant.
Dear patient,
According to their manufacturers, Home Pregnancy Tests (HPTs), when properly used, are accurate in 99 percent of the time. These tests measure the amount of a pregnancy associated hormone, called hCG, in your urine. The so-called "immunometric assay" they use requires the presence of certain amount of hCG in the urine to show a positive result. Most HTPs are set to show a positive result when urine hCG level reaches a minimum of 5.5 milli-international units/milliliter. In a normal, singleton
pregnancy this occurs before the time of the expected period. HPTs are the so-called "Qualitative" pregnancy tests which give you a yes or no answer. You may remember the one line (NO) and the two lines (YES) set up in the little window on your kit?
Alternatively, there are Quantitative blood pregnancy tests which are more sensitive and can detect as low as 1-2 milli-int. units of the so-called "beta fraction" of the hCG hormone. These tests are done at the doctor's office.
When a pregnancy test becomes positive depends on multiple factors, most importantly on cycle length, timing of the ovulation and the sensitivity of the hCG assay used.
My suggestion to you is to see your doctor in one week and ask for a Beta hCG blood pregnancy test. Next day you will know not only if you are pregnant or not, but also how many days you are from your conception.
Best of luck,
Dr. Miklos Toth
According to their manufacturers, Home Pregnancy Tests (HPTs), when properly used, are accurate in 99 percent of the time. These tests measure the amount of a pregnancy associated hormone, called hCG, in your urine. The so-called "immunometric assay" they use requires the presence of certain amount of hCG in the urine to show a positive result. Most HTPs are set to show a positive result when urine hCG level reaches a minimum of 5.5 milli-international units/milliliter. In a normal, singleton
pregnancy this occurs before the time of the expected period. HPTs are the so-called "Qualitative" pregnancy tests which give you a yes or no answer. You may remember the one line (NO) and the two lines (YES) set up in the little window on your kit?
Alternatively, there are Quantitative blood pregnancy tests which are more sensitive and can detect as low as 1-2 milli-int. units of the so-called "beta fraction" of the hCG hormone. These tests are done at the doctor's office.
When a pregnancy test becomes positive depends on multiple factors, most importantly on cycle length, timing of the ovulation and the sensitivity of the hCG assay used.
My suggestion to you is to see your doctor in one week and ask for a Beta hCG blood pregnancy test. Next day you will know not only if you are pregnant or not, but also how many days you are from your conception.
Best of luck,
Dr. Miklos Toth
Dear Inquirer,
It is not often wrong, but it can be. If you are in doubt, get a serum pregnancy test. These do not have a false negative.
Best Regards,
Nancy Salisbury, M.D., FACOG
It is not often wrong, but it can be. If you are in doubt, get a serum pregnancy test. These do not have a false negative.
Best Regards,
Nancy Salisbury, M.D., FACOG
Good afternoon,
Home pregnancy tests are good, but they are not great. I recommend going into your doctor's office for a blood test to confirm or rule out a pregnancy definitively.
Don't waste your money on a lot of different home pregnancy tests, they may read different results and just confuse the whole thing, call your MD and ask for a confirmation of pregnancy in their office. Good luck and please take your prenatal vitamins.
Sincerely,
Richard T. Burke, MD
Home pregnancy tests are good, but they are not great. I recommend going into your doctor's office for a blood test to confirm or rule out a pregnancy definitively.
Don't waste your money on a lot of different home pregnancy tests, they may read different results and just confuse the whole thing, call your MD and ask for a confirmation of pregnancy in their office. Good luck and please take your prenatal vitamins.
Sincerely,
Richard T. Burke, MD
Brandon M. Lingenfelter
OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist)
It is possible for the sticks to be inaccurate. I would recommend a blood test for pregnancy if you are having symptoms.
Do blood test which is more accurate and see a gynecologist.
Yes some tests are not very sensitive - you should go see a doctor.
Yes, there can be an error. A blood pregnancy test is more accurate.
Home pregnancy tests are usually pretty accurate. Make sure it is a new kit that hasn’t been on the shelf or in a cabinet for years and always use a first morning urine that is highly concentrated in hormones, especially if you are only a few days missing your regular period.
Yes, sometimes.
No lab test, including home tests are 100% accurate. You should see your gynecologist.
Maybe the reagent on the test strip is old. Try again in a week with a new testing product.
A home pregnancy test could definitely show an incorrect reading. If you feel pregnant, you should see your doctor to confirm what is going on.
The home pregnancy test may yield false negative results for a variety of reasons. In doubt, always see a professional. Yes, your doctor will evaluate your individual case and help clarify the cause of your symptoms.
