How To Confirm Pregnancy?

Posted on Wed, 16 Apr 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 Answered on

Fri, 2 May 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My 35 yo daughter has Graves' disease and has been on medication for for the past year, so her doctor decided she needed to undergo iodine radiation. On Monday, April 7, she had the radioactive iodine uptake in preparation for treatment. Prior to the test, she was given a pregnancy test which was negative. The treatment was scheduled for Monday, April 14, on which day another pregnancy test was done, and it was positive. Knowing that there was no intercourse within previous two weeks, my daughter couldn't believe she was pregnant, so she went to the pharmacy and purchased a home pregnancy test, which was also positive, and suggested 4 weeks pregnant. This morning, April 16, she is hemorrhaging at the rate of a normal period. She is confused and afraid. We are in different cities and she has refused to go to the ER. She is not experiencing any pain. My questions: could the iodine received during the uptake cause a miscarriage? Is it possible that there were two false positive? If there were false positives, should she be concerned about an undiagnosed condition (which is her fear)?

Answered by Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (51 minutes later)

Brief Answer: May be a fals positive pregnancy test Detailed Answer: Hello! Thanks for your query. If she have intercourse not tow weeks previous but 4 weeks previous ,she may have been pregnant. Tow pregnancy test positive and no birth control ,she have chances that she may have been pregnant. I have no information when was last menstrual period to determine her ovulation time and when she have intercourse . There has been evidence suggesting a greater risk of miscarriage as well as birth defects occurring in pregnancies within the first year after radioactive iodine therapy. She can confirm if she was or not pregnant by doing blood test BHCG,is very accurate. This test is positive and if she have miscarriage. If the test is negative she have periods. Please give me LMP and dates of her intercourse. Take care and do not worry

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj