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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

False positive HIV

5 replies

acupofteamakeseverythingbetter · 15/12/2023 17:02

I posted a thread last week about being called back to have my booking appointment blood test repeated

10 weeks letter for repeat blood test www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/4955817-10-weeks-letter-for-repeat-blood-test

I just wanted to provide an update in case anyone goes through the same thing because I found very little online. Apparently this only happens to around 2 or 3 pregnant women in 1,000 or less than 2% (I can't exactly remember what the doctor said)

My first test for HIV came back as 'reactive' obviously this sent me in to an absolute panic at the thought I may unknowingly have HIV and also could have potentially passed on to my husband and toddler (still breastfeeding my son!) I was an anxious mess waiting for the results and it was a scary time

I thought I was in the clear and that the repeat test must have all been fine because I didn't hear back from anyone to say otherwise. No news is good news as they say!

Anyway after a week and a half I get a call from the midwife telling me my test has come back inconclusive again! I'm at work and trying to hold back the tears and midwife days a HIV doctor will call me. Thankfully she called me within the hour and explained that this is a false positive and that I'm actually negative.

She said there another test they can do which is 100% which tests the virus I think? I had this done this week and that I will get the results in the new year but that I am definitely negative and can continue breastfeeding my son.

I just wanted to share my experience in case any other pregnant women are called back or have a 'reactive' or inconclusive result from their HIV blood test.

It's a really anxious and stressful time waiting for the results. If you're going through this I'm sending you big hugs

OP posts:
Parvule · 15/12/2023 17:04

Gosh what a worrying time for you! I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this.

Deliasdelilahs · 15/12/2023 17:07

Gosh how scary for you. Have they got any explanation as to where the false positive came from? Or is it just one of those things that happen sometimes

acupofteamakeseverythingbetter · 15/12/2023 17:11

@Deliasdelilahs apparently it's just something that can happen. It didn't happen in my first pregnancy either so was shocked. But there something in my blood which reacts with the test and causes the faint positive.

It was an incredibly stressful time. First trimester in itself is worrying anyway without this hanging over my head too!

OP posts:
PinkPlantCase · 15/12/2023 17:42

I read somewhere that the flu jab can cause a false positive in a HIV test.

Have you had one recently?

I am not at all against the flu jab btw and it has nothing to do with HIV, it’s just an oddity of the way they test for HIV.

acupofteamakeseverythingbetter · 15/12/2023 17:46

@PinkPlantCase I had my flu jab 5 weeks before my bloods were taken at my booking appointment so who knows.

The HIV doctor said don't be surprised if I also get a false positive in future too. At least if that does happen I won't be so panicked!

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