Pregnancy tests detect the presence of a specific hormone that is produced by a woman's body when she becomes pregnant. This hormone is human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG. While you can rely on the results of most pregnancy tests, there are...
On the average, 0.2 percent of ELISA tests give a false positive HIV test result that are then proven incorrect by a Western Blot test, notes Goaskalice.com, the Columbia University student health website. Autoimmune diseases, recent vaccinations,...
Urinalysis, or UA, tests are typically conducted to screen for illness as well as to check for illegal drugs in your system. Many employers regularly use urinalysis tests to ensure that their employees are clean and sober, which can make the...
A person may be required to take a urine test that screens for illicit drug use for a number of reasons. Some companies request that employees take drug tests to ensure workplace safety. People who have been convicted of drug related crimes are...
Getting a new job, adopting a child or satisfying a probation officer may require a drug test--usually a urine test. People who don't use illegal drugs will usually test negative. But some prescribed and over-the-counter drugs can yield a...
Drug testing is the practice of screening urine or blood samples for the presence of illegal drugs. These screening tests are routinely performed by schools, parents and companies for the purpose of determining if those tested are abusing...
False positive results are uncommon on pregnancy tests; false negatives are much more common. Certain medications can cause a false positive result on blood test or home pregnancy tests. Pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic...
Whether a woman is trying to conceive or would rather not, one of the concerns foremost on her mind around the time of her expected period is whether she's pregnant. While determining pregnancy used to require a trip to the doctor's office and a...
A blood test can be used to check for nicotine. The reasons for this can vary, but nicotine is an indication that a person smokes, which can have a large impact on a person's health. This information can be of interest to insurance agencies and...
Many organizations require drug screening, whether you're applying for a job, seeking child custody or in other situations. According to Laxmaiah Manchikanti, M.D., and colleagues in their article for "Pain Physician," some...
Drug testing has become a way of life in our culture. It is now required with many job applications and for participation in school athletic programs. Testing for marijuana most often consists of a urine test, according to the Centers for Disease...
Glandular fever is a highly contagious illness also known as mononucleosis, or mono. Mononucleosis is also sometimes called the "kissing disease," because it is transmitted by saliva, but it can also be spread by sharing utensils and drinking...
The American Council for Drug Education reports marijuana, also known as THC for its active ingredient of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, as the most commonly used illegal drug. To help increase productivity and fight the war on drugs, many...
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that progressively destroys CD4+ lymphocytes, making the body susceptible to attack by foreign infectious agents and numerous forms of cancer. HIV infection is tested via enzyme-linked...
Home pregnancy tests and blood pregnancy tests taken at a doctor's office measure the presence of the hCG, a hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. According to WomensHealth.gov, home pregnancy tests are highly...
Pregnancy tests measure the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, most commonly called hCG. HCG is produced when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus and appears in the blood and urine of pregnant women as early as 10 days after conception. It...
If you think you have put yourself at risk for HIV, it is important to get tested. The Body states that about 180,000 to 280,000 Americans do not know they are infected. You can go to your doctor, call your local health department or find a...
These days, drug testing is often standard procedure before being hired for a new job. Certain professions, such as health care, utilize them as a pre-hire tool more than others. While the idea of a drug and alcohol test can be worrisome, there's...
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease that affects around 1 to 2 percent of people overall, with the incidence rising to 5 percent in women over age 55, according to rheumatologist Alan Matsumoto, M.D., of Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center....
Although melatonin won't affect the accuracy of a pregnancy test, this hormone can affect the outcome by interfering with fertility. Before you decide to try this supplement, speak with a doctor. Even though your body produces melatonin naturally,...
An elevated HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, usually means that you are pregnant. Pregnancy tests use an elevated level of HCG as a marker because HCG is always present in high levels during the first trimester of a normal pregnancy. The...
Home pregnancy tests, or HPTs, are a popular way for women to find out if they are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests are reasonably priced, less invasive than blood tests and don't require a doctor's visit. Finding out early if you're pregnant is...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Of the more than 1 million persons in the United States living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 21 percent are unaware they are infected." Early testing of individuals who have been exposed...
Positive pregnancy tests don't always indicate that conception has occurred. In some instances, false positives occur completely unrelated to pregnancy. Several medical conditions can cause the production of human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG,...
A gynecological exam alone is not enough to detect cervical cancer or precancerous cells. The cervix, which is the lower, narrower end of the uterus, is where your doctor collects cells for a Pap smear. If detected early, cervical cancer is one of...
C-reactive protein, or CRP, is produced by your liver and normally undetectable in your blood. A level high enough to be detected through a blood test indicates an acute infection or inflammation somewhere in your body. When a high level drops, it...
Systemic lupus erythematosus, often abbreviated to simply lupus, affects at least 1.5 million Americans, the Lupus Foundations of America (LFA) reports. Lupus, an autoimmune disease that attacks organs and joints, affects mostly women of...
If a urine pregnancy test showed a positive result and later, a blood pregnancy test gave a negative result, there are several possible explanations. First, and most likely, the woman was pregnant and the pregnancy ended in early miscarriage. It...
