Are you expecting? Do you have confusion about last night drinking may give a false negative result after a missed period? Are you hesitating about can alcohol affect a pregnancy test?
I understand it’s very baffling!
I guess you have already searched and read many blogs and websites to know the reality which may step up your confusion one stair. Some say that alcohol impacts the pregnancy test while others say no impact. Confusion grows higher if it is your first pregnancy.
A trained healthcare professional or a sufferer can tell you what the exact scenario is. Calling your healthcare provider is the best way to consult. But knowing from a sufferer or experienced people is the quickest way.
CAN ALCOHOL AFFECT A PREGNANCY TEST- TRUE EXPERIENCE
I am the mother of a princess. I have gone through the same confusion about a fifteen months ago. We are planning for a baby and have intimated according to our plan. I am not very alcoholic but I drink irregularly while my mood swings.
I have drunk many pegs that night before taking my pregnancy test in the morning. On the morning, can you believe, I can’t pie because of the fear can alcohol affect a pregnancy test.
I was so stupid!
I have tested my morning urine using the test kit. I think it might be pregnancy tests clear blue but fortunately, it was positive. I become more confused and start thinking it might be a false positive pregnancy test result.
I can’t hold my nerve anymore!
I have called my nurse friend about my confusion. After listening completely, she makes me relaxed, advise me to take a laboratory pregnancy test on the same day, and tells me to visit her.
After getting the laboratory pregnancy test I go to meet her. I can still remember, it was a Monday afternoon. She was laughing loudly for the morning event.
After a while, she gives me some ideas which make me relaxed. She makes me clear about the pregnancy test, drug in pregnancy, and alcohol pregnancy warning, etc.
Pregnancy Test- What, How, and When
She tells that we bear a misconception from childhood that alcohol has an impact on the pregnancy test. It may cause false negative or positive result even if I don’t have any early symptoms of pregnancy.
She understands I don’t know how the pregnancy test kit acts to confirm my pregnancy. Therefore she tells the exact procedure of how the test kit works.
She tells that the urine of each pregnant women contains a particular type of hormone which is Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG).
HCG is an essential hormone to indicate you are pregnant. This hormone comes into your urine just after few days of fertilization. It is a trustworthy pregnancy marker and provides highly accurate results.
The first-morning pie contains the largest concentration of HCG. Therefore, the strip or mid-stream test is more accurate in the morning.
In a strip kit testing, you have to dip the test kit into a small container of urine while in the mid-stream test you have to hold the strip in the urine’s steam.
The package of the strip contains the user instruction which indicates the time to contact with the urine. Most of the test kits have a minimum exposure time of 60 seconds to give an accurate result.
You also find another instruction about color bands of the kits after exposure, which is the main indicator of positive or negative results. A strong line along with a faded line indicates positive result while the single strong line indicates the negative result. Most of the physician recommend a repeat pregnancy test using the kit within the next 24-48 hours using the morning first pie.
Moreover, she has explained the suitable time to make a successful test. 20mIU HCG is the minimum requirement for showing the positive pregnancy test result. After a week of ovulation, the HCG level of urine becomes susceptible to the test.
If you are pregnant, within 10 days the HCG level goes up to 25mIU and probably 100mIU within two weeks of ovulation. The Alcohol in urine or blood does not have an impact on HCG making process and reactions do not involve the alcohol anywhere.
She also tells that according to the US FDA, the HCG test kit provides 99% accuracy in giving the correct result. Most often in a very early step, the ultrasound test or the hormonal laboratory test results do not provide the right result.
If you are having the other symptoms of pregnancy but the early test results give a negative result, you should wait at least a week and repeat the test. Expectedly, you will get a pleasing result. Even then, you get a negative result, you should consult with a physician.
INTERFERENCE OF PREGNANCY TEST RESULT
Neither the alcohol nor the drugs can interfere with the pregnancy test results unless the drug contains HCG hormone. The drugs can be prescription or OTC to increase the HCG level in urine. These are not very common drugs. It has special uses in the treatment of infertility.
Moreover, there is another physiological situation which shows an increased level of HCG. It is just after any miscarriage when the body does not stop producing the HCG. This situation is also famous as a chemical pregnancy.
The consultation of my friend makes me relaxed and help me to get out of the confusion of “Can Alcohol Affect a Pregnancy Test”.
Good Advice From A Friend About Alcoholism In Pregnancy Test
Although she tells me about no impact of alcohol in a pregnancy test, she reminds the severe impacts on the fetus. One of the major problem for you is the sign of false labor. Your fetus may have some severe life-threatening problems due to your alcoholism. The most common diseases are-
- Alcoholic syndrome
- Partial Alcoholic Syndrome
- Neurodevelopmental Disorder
- Birth Defect
- Still Birth
- Hyperactive
- Impaired orientation and reasoning
- Mental disability
HOW MUCH ALCOHOL I CAN INTAKE?
After understanding all the facts easily, I become more confident. I have asked my friend about how much amount, I can drink as my mood swings randomly.
She refers from the US Surgeons recommendation that avoids drinking alcohol in pregnancy to have a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby.
However, there are few sources who claim that 5 or more pegs at a time can be very much severe for your fetus. You can have an early labor pain or miscarriage even in the third trimester.
She advised me to forget drinking for at least the next 9 months at least. I am a bit casual in following the advice. However, after having a quick flash of blood like menstruation, I dare to touch the alcohol anymore.
CONCLUDING THE DISCUSSION
Based on my true story I have shared my untold story in my early days of pregnancy. During that time I learn many important things.
I believe my story helps you to understand that there is no impact of alcohol on the pregnancy test result because the result depends on the HCG hormone. Alcohol does not impact on the HCG hormone synthesis. So it is a misconception that the alcohol can affect a pregnancy test.
However, the expert physicians recommend avoiding alcohol because it creates anomalies to the fetus. Pregnant women are also affected after drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol is risky for both fetus and women.