Being a woman, it’s difficult to make these tough decisions, especially the decision to terminate the pregnancy. It takes a lot of courage to come to this decision. While abortion is considered taboo, it is the most freeing choice a woman can make.
There are two methods of abortion: medical abortion and surgical abortion. Surgical abortion uses suction and medical abortion is done with the help of abortion pills.
The most common method among these two is the medical abortion process, which is quite popular in the US. Medical abortion involves using abortion pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol to end the pregnancy in the early stages.
Once you go through these abortion methods, there are chances that you might still get a positive pregnancy test even two weeks after abortion. Why do you think this happens? Let us know.
Why Does a Pregnancy Test Read Positive after an Abortion?
After an abortion, you can still have high hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels. This hormone is released during pregnancy and can stay in your body for some time after abortion.
It may take more or less time for the hCG levels to become stable or entirely vanish depending on the person’s body type and can determined by several factors, including the type of abortion, gestational age, and the individual’s overall health.
Let’s discuss the factors in detail:
- Type of Abortion: It depends on which type of abortion it was. If it was a miscarriage, which happens without any medical interruption, the amount of time the hCG remains in your body differs from person to person.
If it was a medical abortion where you take the abortion pills, Mifepristone and Misoprostol, it can take longer for hCG to leave your body, which can give you a positive pregnancy test. You should visit your healthcare provider to ensure that the abortion is complete and hCG levels are decreasing.
If you had a surgical abortion, where they use suction to empty the uterus, the hCG levels can come down sooner. However, it’s better to seek guidance from your healthcare provider.
- Gestational Age: If you were too far along in the pregnancy, the hCG levels will take time to come down and you will get a false positive after abortion. It is better to check with your healthcare provider, who can confirm the abortion is complete.
- Overall Individual Health: If your overall health is good, it will take less time to reduce the hCG levels. It can vary depending on the overall health and metabolism. The condition of the endocrine system, as well as the effectiveness of the liver and kidneys, can all affect how rapidly hormones are removed.
It can be stressful if the pregnancy test comes back positive. Before you start to panic, visit a medical professional. Check if the abortion procedure was a success and discuss the concerns you may have about the recovery.
When to Take a Pregnancy Test after an Abortion?
You should wait for at least 4 to 6 weeks after abortion because the hCG levels are almost down by that time and you can get a negative pregnancy test. Some women can get a negative pregnancy sooner and some later. Take a blood test or do a urine test to confirm the abortion is successful.