Using toilet water to test for pregnancy can yield inaccurate results, including false positive ones. Most likely, the toilet water will return a false negative result. But, can toilet water cause a false positive pregnancy test? The answer is yes, if circumstances are right, the tests on toilet water could also result in a false positive.
Circumstances That Often Lead to a False Positive
Miscarriage or Abortion
If you have recently had a miscarriage or an abortion, the presence of hCG in your body may cause a false positive result. Before taking another pregnancy test, it is best to wait until your body has cleared itself of hCG.
Medications
Some medications, including fertility drugs and hormone treatments, may cause a false positive test result.
Incorrect Use of Pregnancy Kits
While pregnancy kits are pretty simple and straightforward, they can be misused. Ensure you read the instructions carefully before using a test and follow them strictly.
Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions can cause a false positive result, including cancers of the ovary, kidney diseases, UTIs, etc.
Evaporation Line
Evaporation lines are a common cause of false pregnancy tests. These occur when urine dries on the test strip and appears as a faint line. This is not an accurate positive result but rather an evaporation line that can be easily distinguished from a real positive line.
Pregnancy tests are a sure way of knowing whether you are pregnant or not. A positive result from a home pregnancy test is often considered conclusive proof that you are pregnant. However, the results can be misleading when wrongly done, like using toilet water.
Can You Use Pee From the Toilet for a Pregnancy Test?
Can urine from the toilet be used for a pregnancy test? Some people believe this is possible, but it’s highly not recommended.
Pregnancy test kits measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in your urine. hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta and is only present when a woman is pregnant.
Pee from the toilet is diluted with water and may not contain enough hCG to give you an accurate result. This often leads to false negatives and the possibility of missing out on crucial medical care.
Therefore, you should use a clean container and fresh urine to test for hCG.
Tips for Taking a Pregnancy Test Correctly
To get accurate results, it is important that you take a pregnancy test correctly. Here are some tips for doing so:
Read and Follow the Instructions on the Kit
The instructions on the test kit are designed to help you get accurate final results. Different tests have different procedures, so read the instructions carefully and follow them precisely as they are written.
Take Time Before Testing
You might be worried about pregnancy immediately after having unprotected sex. If you are, it is best to wait at least two weeks after missing your periods so as to get accurate results. This will give your body time to produce enough hCG for the test to detect it.
Use the First Morning Urine
The best time to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning; immediately you get out of bed. This will give you accurate results because your urine has been sitting in your bladder all night and is highly concentrated unless you drink something at night or wake up to urinate before morning arrives.
Use a Cup or Any Clean Holding Container
When taking a pregnancy test, it is advisable to use a cup or other clean holding container. This will prevent you from making a mess while attempting to hold the test under your stream. It is easier to dip the stick into the cup and read your results.
Don’t Dip the Test Stick in Urine for Too Long
Pregnancy test kits have instructions on how long you can dip the stick into urine before getting your results. Dipping for too long risks showing an inaccurate result of a false positive as you might be reading the evaporation line.
Do Not Use an Expired Test
Pregnancy tests expire and will lead to false results if used after their expiration date. Use a test that is not expired to get accurate results.
Supplement Home Pregnancy Tests with a Doctor’s Visit
It is always best to use home pregnancy tests in conjunction with a doctor’s visit. Ultrasound and blood tests can provide you with more accurate results.
FAQs
Q. What drugs can cause a false positive pregnancy test?
A. Several drugs can lead to a false positive pregnancy test, including infertility drugs, weight loss drugs, and over-the-counter medications like aspirin.
Q. Does salt water make a pregnancy test positive?
A. No, using salt water will not make a pregnancy test positive. Saltwater has never been used to test for pregnancy, and no scientific evidence supports the idea that it can.
Q. How long does it take for a pregnancy test to show results?
A. For accurate results, it’s advisable to wait 4 to 10 days after a missed period to take a home pregnancy test. This is to give your body enough time to produce hCG that is supposed to show in the test. However, some tests can be faster or slower depending on the brand and type of kit you use.
Q. What can mess up a pregnancy test?
A. A few things can cause your test to give you an incorrect result, including using an expired test, wrong usage of the test, testing on diluted urine, etc.
So, Can Toilet Water Cause a False Positive Pregnancy Test?
As discussed, a pregnancy test is most accurate when it uses urine that has not been contaminated or diluted by other fluids. Pee from the toilet bowl is probably diluted with water and other toilet bowl contents, making it more difficult for the test strip to detect hCG levels. This often leads to false negatives and inaccurate results. To answer the question, can toilet water cause a false positive pregnancy test, the answer is that it will mostly cause a false negative. Therefore, for accurate results, you should collect the urine directly from your body using a clean container such as a cup.
