Pregnancy and urinary tract infections are two totally different medical conditions with overlapping symptoms, often engendering much confusion and anxiety. While such changes occur, the urinary system characterises both medical conditions; therefore, the first question in your mind will likely be if a urinary tract infection could cause a false positive pregnancy test.
We will examine the connection between UTIs and pregnancy test results in this blog post. We can clarify this delicate subject and offer comfort to individuals going through these circumstances by knowing the variables that affect test results, the physiological changes connected to pregnancy and UTIs, and the accuracy of at-home pregnancy testing.
How did Pregnancy Tests work?
When a woman is pregnant, her placenta starts to produce the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone naturally. After fertilisation, this hormone may start to produce around 6 days. This special hormone is produced only during the pregnancy of a woman. Your pregnancy kit consists of three parts namely, a urine well, an opening that displays the test result, and a plastic-shielded region containing the tracer antibody. When you pour your urine into the kit, it shows the result as positive or negative. The result is based on the detection of hCG hormone, which is commonly known as pregnancy hormone.
Understanding UTIs
Understanding what a UTI is and its symptoms is necessary before talking about whether it can result in false-positive pregnancy tests. Women frequently get urinary tract infections. Because of their smaller urethras, the majority of women are susceptible to this bacterial infection. Because of the short distance between the urethra and the anal hole, the germs from the digestive system might quickly enter the urinary tract through the narrow urethra.
The Common Symptoms of UIT infection:
When you are affected with a UTI, you may experience these kinds of symptoms as mentioned below:
- Frequent and urgent urinating
- Burning sensation while urinating
- Strong, smelly urine
- Persistent lower abdomen pain and discomfort
- Temperature rises and fever
In severe cases, UTIs may affect your kidneys. You may feel nausea, vomiting, high fever, fatigue, weakness, and blood in your urine. Try to consume more water and urinate frequently. Frequent urination may eliminate the bacteria from your urine. Your healthcare provider may suggest some antibiotics to recover soon.
Many people wonder about the connection between UTI and delayed periods. While a urinary tract infection itself does not directly impact your menstrual cycle, factors like stress, inflammation, and the antibiotics used for treatment may contribute to slight delays or irregularities.
The physical strain of an infection can temporarily disrupt hormone levels, which in turn may affect your cycle.
If you notice persistent irregularities or a significant delay, it’s best to consult your doctor to rule out any underlying health concerns.
Factors that Cause False Positive Pregnancy Tests
Some instances can cause the 1% of false-positive or false-negative pregnancy test results. Knowing these elements can lead to getting accurate outcomes.
Timing:
The result of a pregnancy test is significantly affected by the time when it is taken. Since the amounts of hCG may not have reached detectable levels, a test taken too early can yield a false negative pregnancy test result. It is recommended to wait until 21 days after unprotected intercourse or after missing a period for more accurate results.
Inspect the storage and quality:
Before buying a pregnancy kit, one should check its expiry date. Also, if a pregnancy kit has been kept at very high or low temperatures, the accuracy of a pregnancy test can be compromised.
Appropriate use:
Please ensure that you follow the instructions of the test. Failure to use first-morning pee or failure to wait for the recommended time before interpreting the results may compromise accuracy. In addition, an evaporation line of a test may appear after the recommended time has elapsed, thus indicating a positive result.
Medications and Medical Conditions:
Certain drugs may cause pregnancy test results to be inaccurate, especially when they contain hCG or when they are related to fertility medications. In some cases, even ovarian cysts and certain tumour types secreting the hCG hormone may result in a false-positive pregnancy test.
Other Elements That May Produce Inaccurate Outcomes
There are other situations through which you can still get a false positive test result, depending on your reproductive journey.
Chemical pregnancy
An early miscarriage, which occurs before the fifth week of pregnancy, can be termed a chemical pregnancy. It is too early for an ultrasound but late enough to detect hCG hormones in your body.
Ectopic Pregnancy
A rare and serious condition in which an embryo implants outside the uterus. Such pregnancies can be a serious risk to the mother’s health. This kind of pregnancy cannot be useful for anyone even though your body will continue to produce more hCG hormone.
How UTIs May Influence Test Results?
The accuracy of at-home pregnancy tests is typically unaffected by UTIs. While UTIs are bacterial illnesses that affect the urinary tract and do not directly alter hCG levels, these tests identify the hCG hormone, which is a sign of pregnancy.
Test results, however, may be indirectly impacted by specific UTI-related variables.
UTIs and Over-the-Counter Medications
Pregnancy tests can be harder to interpret when on some UTI drugs, like AZO. These drugs often dye urine orange-red to calm the urinary system, which may make it hard to interpret test results appropriately.
Urinary System Flow Issues
UTIs sometimes cause urine flow problems or soreness. In some cases, too little or too much pee may result from the findings of at-home pregnancy tests since they utilise urine to detect hCG. Excessive urine may dilute the hCG, and there is no chance that a test strip will find it effectively. Insufficient urine, however, may lead to a false negative on the test.
Being too hydrated
Drinking excess water will dilute your urine, although it contributes to the eradication of bacteria and reduced symptoms of UTIs. This diluted urine may not be efficient to provide accurate results.
Steps to Follow for Accurate Testing
If you still doubt whether UTI affects the results of your pregnancy test, continue reading. Technically, a UTI does not cause false readings of an at-home pregnancy test. However, some conditions associated with UTIs may make it more challenging to take or interpret the test. False positives are more commonly linked to other causes than UTIs, such as medications or illnesses.
You are recommended to obtain verification from a health provider when you are considering being pregnant and to get positive results. They are well-equipped with precise testing and reasonable explanations.
For an accurate diagnosis and course of treatment, consult a physician if you suspect a UTI or have recurrent symptoms. Even though false positive pregnancy tests are uncommon, knowing how they operate, using them appropriately, and getting expert assistance can help ease anxiety and confusion.
Conclusion
By reading the above topics, you may understand that UTIs cannot directly impact your pregnancy result. However, some medications or illnesses may interfere with your false positive or negative test results. In simple terms, UTI tests look for the signs of bacterial infections whereas pregnancy tests look for hCG hormones.
