I have recently found out that I was pregnant, and decided to get tested for STD’s. I’ve had the same partner for over 2 years, so I was not worried about testing positive for anything, until my doctor called me. They said I needed to come in and give another specimen because the first HIV Test was positive and they needed to do more tests that will take almost 4 weeks for results. It has only been a few days and my husband I are losing our minds. Do you have suggestions and what are the chances the test is wrong?
Take a few deep breaths, there is a good chance everything is just fine. Although this is not something that happens all of the time, it does happen. You could have had the positive HIV test because you are HIV positive, but this could also turn out to be a classic false positive.
Unfortunately, determining the cause of a false positive is not an exact science, however there are certain situations common with false positives. It seems that situations that create an increase in antibody presence, such as pregnancy or a recent vaccination, can also increase the possibility of a false positive.
It is not uncommon for someone that is pregnant, or recently pregnant to have a positive HIV ELISA test. Of course, if the person is actually HIV negative, the secondary HIV test, called the western blot will be negative.
If you do not want to wait 4 weeks for your final test results, you can get tested privately and get quick HIV test results. Some people may consider taking the HIV DNA PCR because it is not antibody dependant and therefore useful in clarifying confusing issues about false positives. Follow the link below for qualified testing providers.
