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Pregnancy tests are the most reliable way to tell if you’re pregnant.
If you use pregnancy tests at the right time and follow the instructions, they boast an accuracy rate of over 98%.
Most of the foods and drinks we consume daily have little to no impact on whether home pregnancy tests show an accurate result.
But, there’s a common question that arises: can alcohol affect a pregnancy test?
Let’s explore how drinking alcohol might indirectly affect a pregnancy test. Plus, we’ll talk about what you need to know to get a reliable result.
Key takeaways
- Alcohol doesn’t directly affect a pregnancy test result. That’s because it doesn’t change human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in your body.
- But drinking can indirectly affect a pregnancy test result. That’s because drinking can lead to dehydration and dilute urine.
- Alcohol’s indirect effect on a test is especially true in early pregnancy when hCG levels are low.
- For the most reliable results, use first morning urine. Also, avoid drinking excessive fluids before testing.
- A positive test after drinking is almost always accurate. Stop drinking alcohol immediately to avoid risks to the developing baby.
- Avoid all alcohol while pregnant for a healthy pregnancy.
How does a pregnancy test work?
To understand why things outside the body could mess with a pregnancy test, first let’s talk about how these tests actually work.
These tests detect a specific hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, or hCG.
The placenta produces this hCG hormone shortly after the embryo implants in the uterine wall. And Human Chorionic Gonadotropin levels rapidly increase in early pregnancy. This makes it a reliable marker for confirming pregnancy.
Most pregnancy tests you can buy over the counter feature two lines. One is a control line, the other is a test line.
The control line serves as an indicator that the test is working correctly. It should always appear.
The test line is the one that actually detects the presence of hCG in your urine. Some digital pregnancy tests display a “positive” symbol or a smiley face to show a positive test.
Know more: How Long After Implantation Does hCG Rise?
Positive vs. negative test
For a positive pregnancy test, the test line must be visible.
Even a faint line is considered positive. This means that hCG has been detected above a certain threshold.
For a test to be positive, the test needs to detect at least 20 mIU/mL of hCG in your urine.
If it picks up less than 5 mIU/mL, then the test will show up as negative.
Test Result | hCG Levels in mIU/mL |
Positive (pregnant) | >20 mIU/mL |
Negative (not pregnant) | <5 mIU/mL |
But what if your test result is unclear? Your healthcare provider may suggest you take another test in about a week to give more time for hCG levels to rise.
A blood test can detect even lower levels of hCG than an at-home pregnancy test. So, in some cases, your doctor might recommend a blood test for more definitive answers.
Know more: Pregnancy Test Progression: What Should It Look Like?
Can alcohol affect the result of a pregnancy test?
The short answer to the question, “Can alcohol affect a pregnancy test?” is no, alcohol does not directly alter human chorionic gonadotropin levels in your body. Therefore, consuming alcohol won’t directly interfere with the chemical reaction of the test. And it won’t directly cause a false positive result or a misleading negative result.
However, alcohol can affect your results indirectly.
It does this thanks to alcohol’s diuretic effect.
Alcohol dehydrates the body, leading you to drink many other liquids to replenish.
Consuming too much fluid, especially right before a pregnancy test, can dilute your urine. This dilution can lower the hCG concentration in your urine. And that can make it harder for an at-home test to detect this hormone.
This is especially true at the start of pregnancy when hCG levels are still relatively low.
This could, in turn, increase the possibility of a false negative result. This means the test says you’re not pregnant when you actually are.
Know more: Delayed Period & Negative Pregnancy Test | A Guide
So ideally, wait until at least 12-14 Days Past Ovulation (DPO) before taking a pregnancy test. This allows your urine hCG levels to increase sufficiently and minimizes the chances of a negative pregnancy test.
Not sure how many Days Past Ovulation (DPO) you are? Use the Inito fertility monitor to track. Inito measures all four fertility hormones on a single test strip, helping you predict and confirm ovulation. It tells you how many DPO you are, making it easy to keep track of your TTC journey. It also pairs with the Inito app, where you can log your symptoms and correlate them with your hormone trends easily.
What to do if you get a positive result after drinking?
If you take a pregnancy test and it’s positive, you want to take the time to acknowledge the positive result. This is true even if you’re been drinking alcohol.
Alcohol doesn’t cause a false positive result. And there’s nothing you can do about the alcohol you’ve already consumed.
But what can you do? Stop drinking immediately upon getting a positive test.
Medical professionals strictly say to avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy.
Alcohol during pregnancy has serious consequences for the developing fetus. They include birth defects and developmental disabilities, collectively called fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASDs).
Drinking during pregnancy is also associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, like:
Fetal development is particularly vulnerable during the first weeks of pregnancy. This is often the time before people even realize they’re pregnant.
If you’ve consumed alcohol accidentally before knowing you were pregnant, try not to panic. Small amounts of alcohol at the beginning of pregnancy are unlikely to cause serious harm. You do want to abstain from alcohol completely from the moment you get a positive test result, though.
And be sure to consult with your healthcare provider. They can answer any alcohol and pregnancy questions you might have. They’ll also monitor your pregnancy to ensure the best outcome.
What other factors can affect pregnancy test results?
The indirect effect of alcohol consumption and its potential to dilute urine isn’t the only thing to look out for.
Here are some other factors that can affect a pregnancy test.
Factor | Practice | How does it help? |
Hydration | Use FMU and avoid drinking lots of water before testing | Prevents the dilution of urine, which can lead to inaccurate hCG level readings |
Test timing | Wait until the first day of the missed period to test | Allows hCG levels in urine to increase and avoid incorrect negatives |
Instructions | Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for testing | Avoids incorrect negatives from reading results too early. |
Expiration date | Don’t use expired tests | Ensures accurate results |
Test brand | Use the same brand if taking multiple tests | Brands can vary in sensitivity, dye used, manufacturing processes, etc. |
Other medications/fertility treatments | Wait at least 2 weeks after your trigger shot to test | These treatments can affect results and give you a false positive pregnancy test |
Know more: Know What Not To Do Before a Pregnancy Test
FAQs
Alcohol can indirectly prevent pregnancy by hampering your fertility.
Research shows that consuming alcohol can affect fertility in men and women. And it can reduce the chances of conceiving over time.
For women, it can change hormone levels and affect ovulation. For men, it can affect sperm quality.
Know more: Effect of Alcohol on Sperm
If you’re not using your FMU, you want to try and hold your urine for at least 3-4 hours before taking a pregnancy test.
This allows time for the hCG to concentrate in your urine, making it easier for the test to detect if hCG is present.
Also, avoid drinking a lot of fluid before testing. It can dilute your urine.
The best time to take a pregnancy test is in the morning, using your FMU.
Why? Because hCG is most concentrated in your urine first thing in the morning. This is especially true during the beginning of pregnancy when hCG levels are still low.
If you can’t test in the morning, make sure your urine has been in your bladder for at least 3-4 hours.
Know more: Can You Take a Pregnancy Test At Night?
This depends on the brand of test you’re using.
Most tests have a control line that shows the test is working.
A positive test result looks like one of the following:
- A second line appearing in the test window
- A plus sign
- The word “pregnant” on a digital test
Even a faint second line usually indicates a positive test. It means hCG has been detected.
If you’re unsure about a faint line, test again in a few days.
The first thing you want to do after a positive test? Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. This is to confirm the pregnancy with a blood test and discuss next steps.
You should also:
- Start taking prenatal vitamins
- Stop alcohol altogether
- Stop smoking and other harmful substances
- Start to make healthy lifestyle choices (diet,
- exercise, mental health, etc.)
False negative pregnancy tests are a lot more common than false positives.
A false negative result can happen if you test too early, before hCG has had time to build up. They can also happen if your urine is diluted or if you’re using the test incorrectly.
If you get a negative, but think you’re pregnant, wait a few days and test again. This time, try to do it with FMU.
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