I’m a 40-year-old mom with a two-year-old, and just a few months ago, I was struggling with the decision of whether to have another child. As an older mom, I was feeling the pressure of my biological clock ticking, and the anxiety was keeping me awake at night. Little did I know, I had already made that leap without realizing it. Here I am, 40 and unexpectedly pregnant with a surprise baby. This was never part of my plan, but we are incredibly grateful for this turn of events.
Just days after sharing our exciting news, I faced another shocking moment during this pregnancy. It was a Monday evening around 5 PM, and I was hurriedly getting ready for a virtual school board meeting when I received an unexpected call from my OBGYN’s office. I found it strange to be contacted after hours, so I answered.
“Do you have a moment to talk?” I could sense the nurse’s concern, and I knew this conversation wouldn’t be easy. A few days prior, I had undergone several tests, including the NIPT. My mind raced, worrying about all sorts of possible issues—was my blood sugar off? Were my hormone levels abnormal? Was there something wrong with the baby?
Then came the bombshell: “Your HIV test came back positive.”
In that moment, I felt my heart drop. Surely, there must be a mistake. I wasn’t even aware that an HIV test was part of my lab work—how could it be positive? The rest of the call felt like a blur. The nurse reassured me, saying, “False positives happen, especially in pregnant women…I’ve seen this a couple of times before…” But despite her comforting words, I felt a wave of panic wash over me. Growing up in the 80s, I had seen the stories of Ryan White and Magic Johnson; HIV was still a frightening topic for me, and her reassurances did little to calm my fears.
If this result wasn’t an error, it could change everything for me and my family. With instructions to return for follow-up RNA testing the next day, I hung up and broke down in tears. My husband noticed my distress but I struggled to voice my fears. After a moment, I managed to share the news with him, and he responded perfectly, reassuring me that it was likely a mistake and that we would navigate this together.
That night, we began researching information online, which thankfully proved to be comforting. I discovered that false positive HIV tests are indeed common, especially in women who are pregnant.
Information for Expectant Mothers
For any expectant mothers reading this who have received a positive HIV test and are seeking answers, here’s some helpful information. Routine HIV screenings generally include two tests. The first tests for HIV1/HIV2 antibodies, and my results for that test were negative. The second is a fourth-generation HIV test, which looks for both HIV antibodies and p24 antigens, the latter appearing even before antibodies develop. The downside? This test can yield false positives about four times out of 1,000. Pregnant women, often tested multiple times, are at a higher risk for these misleading results, especially those who have been pregnant before, as they may produce antibodies that increase the likelihood of a false positive.
As I absorbed this information, my anxiety began to ease. Multiple studies confirmed that a negative HIV antibody test alongside a reactive fourth-generation test in a low-risk individual often indicates a false positive. Just two years earlier, while pregnant with my son, I had been tested for HIV twice, and both results were negative. My husband and I are happily married, so I truly believed the odds were in my favor. After hours of searching, I felt reassured that this was likely a false positive.
I chose not to panic and instead decided to wait for the follow-up RNA test. Although the recommended wait was 2-3 days, it took a whole week to get the results. That was an emotionally draining week. I tried to maintain normalcy, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing through all the “what ifs.” I couldn’t help but wonder about women facing false positive results who don’t have the same confidence in their situation. The stress this could cause, particularly in early pregnancy, is beyond what I can imagine, and it highlighted the need for better awareness about these tests and their potential for false readings.
Fortunately, I managed to keep my stress low during the wait. A week later, I received the news I had been praying for—my initial HIV test was a false positive. That confirmation brought immense relief.
This experience has deepened my appreciation for my supportive marriage and my wonderful husband. Above all, I’ve come to understand the importance of sharing stories like mine for the benefit of other mothers who might find themselves in similar situations.
In the U.S., with approximately 3.8 million births annually, if every pregnant woman were tested once, there could be around 15,200 false positive fourth-generation HIV tests each year. That’s a significant number! If you find yourself in a similar situation, I hope my story and the information provided offer you some comfort.
Oh, and amidst all the stress of testing, I also received the results of my NIPT test—we’re excited to welcome another baby boy!
For more insights, you can check out this informative post on our blog here, and to boost your fertility journey, visit Make a Mom, a credible authority on the subject. Additionally, for valuable resources related to pregnancy, consider exploring March of Dimes.
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Summary:
This article recounts a mother’s experience of receiving a false positive HIV test result during her pregnancy, highlighting the anxiety and emotional turmoil it caused. Through research, she learned about the commonality of false positives, especially among pregnant women, which ultimately eased her fears. The narrative emphasizes the importance of sharing such experiences to support other mothers facing similar challenges.
Keyphrase: false positive HIV test during pregnancy
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