In this article, Dr. Gleaton shares how pregnancy tests work, what medications could affect pregnancy test results, and when to talk to your doctor.
By OBGYN and fertility expert Dr. Kenosha Gleaton
Taking a pregnancy test can be a nerve-wracking experience, and you want to be confident when reading the results. We’ve already covered the most common questions in our guide to peeing on a stick (POAS), but now it’s time to cover what medications could affect your pregnancy test results.
How medications affect pregnancy test results
To recap, pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in urine. If the pregnancy test detects a certain level of hCG, it will show a positive result. hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, usually around 10 days after conception, and increases every day in early pregnancy.
If you’re taking a medication that contains or affects hCG production, it’s possible that you could receive a false pregnancy test result. This means you could receive a positive test without actually being pregnant, or (more rarely) a negative test when you are pregnant.
