When The Home Pregnancy Tests Are Wrong

Pregnancy test

Mariposa

Posted 10 years 9 months ago

I know that home tests get more accurate each and every year, but please keep in mind that they're not foolproof... at least not yet. I had a false negative test on the pregnancy I lost and it's haunted me ever since. "Negative test result, so the nausea must be something else".... at least that seemed reasonable at the time. (Cycle had never been regular, so that wasn't a factor in my case.) I have always wondered if things would have turned out differently had the test indicated a pregnancy... I surely would have gone right to the doctor and started getting medical care... so I'm thinking it may have indeed made a difference. 🙁

False negatives are actually much more common than false positives. Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever heard anyone telling a false positive story.

There are a few reasons for false negative readings.... one being taking the test too early... which wasn't the reason in my case. Another reason is simply a flawed test.

All this to say that if you feel you're pregnant and get a negative reading, take another test in a week or so or have a doctor do a test. It's very important.

thash1979

Posted 10 years 8 months ago

I have been in this situation. With my first child, the test came up negative. This was about 14 years ago, and technology has came a long way, but back then when I was at my OB, they only gave me that general stick test in the urine. Needless to say, after about 4 weeks, I knew the test was wrong. With my second child, my hubby and I ended up going to the store and buying 3 different tests and taking them all at the same time, just so we could get a good answer before making a doctor's appointment! Now tests have the actual "yes" or "no" on them or "pregnant" or "not pregnant" rather than those silly lines that sometimes you are like "is that a second line"??? Testing has came a long way considering what they test stripes were like a decade ago.

darkchild

Posted 10 years 7 months ago

I think technology has come a long way even though test strips have never failed me; I still go in for a blood pregnancy test when my suspicions were high.

Test stripes are becoming out dated these days.

kaka135

Posted 10 years 7 months ago

@Mariposa Sorry for what you have gone through.

I remember when I suspected I was pregnant with my first child, I went to the clinic and checked it out. I was quite surprise when the doctor only gave me the pregnancy test stick that I could just buy from the pharmacy. The doctor said it's 99% accurate, and that's what they use to test as well. I went to the gynaecologist after I have confirmed with the pregnancy.

So, for my second and third child, I just bought the pregnancy test stick to confirm I am pregnant, then after some time, I went to gynaecologist to have the ultrasound scan to check on my babies as well.

Though I know the pregnancy test can be quite accurate, I still do not 100% believe in it. I'd like to have the ultrasound scan to confirm there's a baby.

Reply to discussion