{
  "id": 12206245,
  "title": "Health Canada warns of possible false positives in pregnancy test recall",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/health-canada-warns-of-possible-false-positives-in-pregnancy-test",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-05T18:18:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news-globalnews",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12088082/pregnancy-test-recall-false-positives-health-canada/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Health Canada has issued a safety notice and recall for HCG one-step pregnancy tests manufactured by Innovacon Inc. due to potential false positive results. The issue arises when the product detects low levels of HCG below the established sensitivity threshold, leading to incorrect positive outcomes in individuals who are not pregnant. The agency emphasized that the package insert will be updated to acknowledge that low HCG levels can occur during perimenopause, urging customers to consider this fact when interpreting the test results.\n\nThe rapid response tests are designed for early pregnancy detection by identifying human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in urine, a hormone produced by the placenta after a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. HCG levels typically double every two to three days during early pregnancy. Waiting a day or two after a missed period to take the test increases the likelihood of a positive result, as the Mayo Clinic explains.\n\nSeveral factors can affect the accuracy of home pregnancy tests, including false positives. A false positive may occur if a miscarriage happens shortly after the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining or if a person takes a pregnancy test shortly after using fertility medicine containing HCG. The Mayo Clinic highlights that elevated HCG levels can also result from ovarian issues or menopause, contributing to false positive test results. Irregular menstrual cycles can further complicate the interpretation of pregnancy test outcomes, as they make it difficult to predict when a period should begin.\n\nHome pregnancy tests vary in sensitivity, with more sensitive tests requiring lower HCG levels in urine to produce a positive result. However, false negatives are more likely when individuals take the test too early. The most accurate results typically occur on the first day after a missed period. Recalls of pregnancy tests in Canada have occurred previously due to unreliable results or packaging issues.",
  "summary": "Rapid response tests are used for the early detection of pregnancy by determining the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in urine.",
  "key_points": [
    "Health Canada recalls HCG one-step pregnancy tests due to false positives.",
    "Tests may detect low HCG levels during perimenopause or fertility medicine use.",
    "Recalls aim to update package inserts on interpreting test results."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Health Canada warns of possible false positives in pregnancy test recall",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/health-canada-warns-of-possible-false-positives-in-pregnancy-test-12211164",
        "published": "2026-10-05T18:18:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Canada closely following reports of plague in Russia, health minister says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/canada-closely-following-reports-of-plague-in-russia-health-minister",
        "published": "2026-10-05T18:37:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}