When a woman suspects that she may be pregnant, taking a pregnancy test is usually the first step in confirming her suspicions. However, sometimes the results of a pregnancy test can be inaccurate due to a number of factors.

Read on to learn about the most common pregnancy test errors and their causes.

Mistake #1: Taking the Test Too Early

One of the most common mistakes that women make when taking a pregnancy test is taking it too early. If you take a pregnancy test before your period is due, there may not be enough human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine for the test to detect.

This can result in a false negative result. It’s important to wait until your period is at least a day late to take a pregnancy test to ensure the most accurate results.

Mistake #2: Using Expired Tests

It’s important to check the expiration date on your pregnancy test before using it. If you use an expired test, the results may not be accurate.

The chemicals in the test may have degraded over time, which could lead to a false positive or false negative result.

Mistake #3: Drinking Too Much Fluid

If you drink too much fluid before taking a pregnancy test, it can dilute your urine and affect the accuracy of the test. This is because the concentration of hCG in your urine may be too low for the test to detect.

For the most accurate results, try to avoid drinking too much fluid before taking a pregnancy test.

Mistake #4: Misreading the Results

It’s important to read the instructions that come with your pregnancy test carefully to ensure that you understand how to read the results. Misreading the results can lead to confusion and inaccurate results.

Some tests may have faint lines, which can be difficult to interpret. It’s a good idea to take a second test a few days later to confirm the results.

Mistake #5: Using a Test that is Not Sensitive Enough

Some pregnancy tests are more sensitive than others, which means that they can detect lower levels of hCG in the urine. If you use a test that is not sensitive enough, it may not be able to detect a pregnancy until several days after your period is due.

If you suspect that you may be pregnant, it’s a good idea to use a highly sensitive pregnancy test for the most accurate results.

Mistake #6: Using Medications That Interfere with Test Results

Some medications, including fertility treatments and certain medications for anxiety and depression, can interfere with the accuracy of pregnancy test results.

If you are taking any medications, it’s important to talk to your doctor about how they may affect a pregnancy test before taking one.

Mistake #7: Testing at the Wrong Time of Day

Hormone levels can fluctuate throughout the day, which means that testing at different times can affect the accuracy of the results. For example, taking a pregnancy test in the morning may be more accurate than taking one in the afternoon.

It’s a good idea to test at the same time each day for the most reliable results.

Mistake #8: Having an Ectopic Pregnancy

In some cases, a woman may have a positive pregnancy test result but still not be pregnant. This can happen if the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, which is known as an ectopic pregnancy.

In this case, the pregnancy test will detect hCG in the woman’s urine, but an ultrasound will show that there is no pregnancy in the uterus.

Mistake #9: Having a Chemical Pregnancy

A chemical pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus but does not develop properly. This can result in a positive pregnancy test, but the woman will eventually experience a miscarriage.

This can be emotionally difficult for women who have had difficulty conceiving and think that they have finally become pregnant.

Mistake #10: Using a Faulty Test

Sometimes, the problem may not be with the woman or her urine, but with the test itself. It’s important to use a reliable brand of pregnancy test to ensure that the results are accurate.

If you suspect that your test may be faulty, it’s a good idea to take another test a few days later or consult with your doctor.