How Accurate is an Early Pregnancy Test?
While early pregnancy tests are more than 99 percent accurate, mistakes can happen. A false negative can happen if you fail to properly follow the test instructions, use a diluted urine sample, or perform the test too early in your pregnancy. The most common cause of a false positive result is waiting too long to read the test results, since all types of early pregnancy tests may display an evaporation line outside of the five minute test reaction time. A false positive can also happen if you are taking Novarel, Profasi, Pregnyl, or other fertility medications that contain hCG. If you suspect the results of your early pregnancy test are inaccurate, the best course of action is to call your healthcare provider. He or she can perform a blood hCG test to double-check your hormone levels. A blood test is more sensitive than a urine test, allowing your doctor to more easily determine if you are pregnant.
