Nokea
A 31-year-old woman believes that she may be pregnant. She took an OTC pregnancy test 1 week ago after missing her period; the
test was positive. During her assessment interview, the nurse enquires about the woman’s last menstrual period and asks whether
she is taking any medications. The woman states that she takes medicine for epilepsy. She has been under considerable stress lately
at work and has not been sleeping well. She also has a history of irregular periods. Her physical examination does not indicate that
she is pregnant. She has an ultrasound scan that reveals she is not pregnant. What is the most likely cause of the false-positive
pregnancy test result?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: She takes anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants can interfere with pregnancy test results by causing false-positive results. Here's a step-by-step rationale:
1. Anticonvulsants, such as phenytoin and phenobarbital, contain hCG-like substances that can cross-react with pregnancy tests, leading to false-positive results.
2. The woman's history of epilepsy medication use suggests that she may be taking anticonvulsants, which could be the reason for the false-positive pregnancy test result.
3. Other choices are incorrect:
A: Taking the test too early is unlikely since a week has passed since the missed period.
C: Fibroid tumors do not typically cause false-positive pregnancy test results.
D: Stress and hormone imbalance could impact menstrual cycles but are less likely to directly affect pregnancy test results.