At first, it was harmless, but on closer look, several other TikTok users began to believe this claim as it continued to generate conversation.
With the username irewolegodwin and about 334.8k followers, this viral video came with a series of claims concerning the use of Pregnancy Test ( PT) strips.
His claims were pointing to one single thing- that a pregnancy test strip does not reveal the pregnancy status of a woman, but rather that the strip can still be positive even when a person is not pregnant.
Could this be true?
“If you put soap or bleach, it is going to read positive; they know, we don’t know. If you put too much urine, it is going to read positive; they know, we don’t know. E get some kind medicine wey you go use, even you as a man, if you piss dia, e go read positive”[sic]. These were the exact words of this Nigerian TikToker, wherein he made the claims.
In the video posted on January 31, 2025, he has gathered 48.1k likes, 1843 comments, 6133 shares and 4490 saves.
This Nigerian TikToker went on to add that even male urine can make a pregnancy test strip show positive.
We broke down the claims as follows
- If one makes use of Coke or soda on the strip, it would read positively
- If one makes use of soap or bleach, the strip would read positive
- If excess urine is used for the test, it would read positive.
- A man’s urine would read positive
How Does a Pregnancy Test Strip Work?
A pregnancy test strip works by detecting the level of hcg ( Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in the user’s urine.
This hcg is the hormone produced by the placenta after a fertilised egg attaches to the Uterine lining.
According to its use, if the pregnancy test strip shows two red lines, the user is positive, and if it reads a single red line, the user is negative.
When does the PT Strip Show Positive or Negative?
A pregnancy test strip is positive when the urine of a pregnant person comes in contact with it and it shows two red lines.
A pregnancy test strip is negative when the urine of a pregnant person comes in contact with it and it shows a single red line.
If the pregnancy test strip doesn’t read any line or shows a line towards the tips immersed in urine, it is If the PT Strip doesn’t read any line or shows a line towards the tips immersed in urine, it is Invalid..
ROUNDCHECK Findings
Having established what a Pregnancy test strip is and how it can be either positive or negative. We delve into a practical verification process to debunk this claim.
Verification Process
This researcher bought samples of unused Pregnancy Test Strips for the sole purpose of experimenting with them using the claims by the Nigerian Tiktoker.
We dipped them into three liquid substances: Coke, Soap and Urine.
The pregnancy test strip dipped into Coke and soap came out negative, and the one dipped into excess urine came out invalid.
- Can Coke/ Soda Make a PT Strip read Positive?
Soda consists of water, flavourings, sugar or artificial sweetener, additives like Citric Acid amongst others, making it impossible for it to contain hcg. Practical checks, in which the result can be found below, emphasise that it is impossible.
The pregnancy test strip, when dipped into a certain amount of soda, showed negative.
This dispels the claim by the Tiktoker that a Pregnancy test strip shows positive when dipped into soda.
- Can Soap And Bleach Make a Pregnancy Test Strip Show Positive
Soap is made up of the following composition: Sodium Silicate, Soda Ash, Sodium Sulphate, Beizeme Sulphate, amongst others.
This researcher dipped a sample of an unused Pregnancy test strip in soap to test if the result would show positive, as the Tiktoker had claimed.
Practical checks, in which the result can be found below, show the impossibility of this claim, as the Pregnancy Test Strip, when dipped into a soap solution, showed negative.
Further research showed that the composition of soap can not make pregnancy-related test strips positive.
- Can Using Too Much Urine Make a PT Strip Read Positive
Practical checks on the authenticity of this claim show that the result obtained from the pregnancy test strip would be invalid. This is because the quantity of urine would make it possible for the strip to accurately determine the level of hcg in the urine.
Experts provide insights
In an interview with ROUNDCHECK, Dr. Charles Emuchay, a medical laboratory scientist with over 20 years of experience, clarified that pregnancy test strips detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), not antibodies, as commonly misunderstood. “The hormone that the test detects is hCG, and it begins to appear in the blood and urine after a fertilised egg implants in the uterus,” he said
According to him, hCG detection through blood (serum) is often possible within the first week after a missed period, and is more sensitive than urine testing. Urine-based tests typically pick up the hormone from the second week onward, when the concentration has increased.
“This is why early clinical tests often rely on serum hCG for higher accuracy,” he said.
Dr. Emuchay emphasised that hCG levels may remain in the body for weeks, even in situations when a pregnancy ends, either through miscarriage or abortion.
“So even after the pregnancy has been terminated, the hormone doesn’t disappear immediately. It can remain for up to a month or more, which can lead to a false positive result,” he noted.
Dr. Emuchay added that in rare situations, a positive pregnancy test result could be caused by non-pregnancy-related conditions such as
- Hormonal imbalances that elevate hCG levels in the blood.
- Tumours, including certain cancers, can produce hormones that mimic hCG.
- Molar pregnancies (Hydatidiform mole), a condition where abnormal tissue grows in the uterus and causes extremely high hCG levels far above what is found in pregnancies
Dr. Emuchay said such cases can be distinguished using dilution tests. “With a molar pregnancy, even when we dilute the sample heavily, it still tests positive. That’s a key way to differentiate it from a normal pregnancy.”
On viral claims that substances like soda, detergent can cause false positives on pregnancy strips, Dr. Emuchay declared them false.
“That’s not scientific. In the lab, we follow standard operating procedures (SOPs). Anything done outside the SOP is considered unreliable and invalid. Results from unapproved methods have no place in professional practice,” Dr. Emuchay explained.
To further understand how test strips work and why misuse can lead to confusion, ROUNDCHECK also spoke with Adebayo Ayomide, another medical laboratory scientist.
Ayomide explained that hCG is produced only after implantation and is the key element that pregnancy test strips are designed to detect. She emphasised that serum testing is preferred by medical professionals because it is precise, and can be detected earlier, compared to urine.
“Blood tests can detect hCG as early as six days after fertilisation. That’s why hospitals rely on them for more accurate and early diagnosis,” she said.
Ayomide also listed several factors that can interfere with a pregnancy test strip by especially when done at home. They are:
- Unclean or contaminated collection containers, such as cups with soap residue or traces of disinfectants.
- Chemical interference, including certain household substances that may alter the chemical balance in the test.
- Bacterial contamination can affect urine pH and lead to inaccurate results.
- Improper timing, such as reading results too early or too late.
- Expired or poorly stored test kits can degrade the chemical reagents and yield false outcomes.
“There are also certain medical conditions, like some tumours that can produce hCG and trick the test into showing a false positive”, she added. “But these are rare, and proper laboratory evaluation can rule them out.”
Verdict
The above-mentioned claims are INCORRECT.
It is important that the above-mentioned claim is fact-checked as it speaks on a sensitive health issue, which is pregnancy. Misinformation, such as using coke, soap or excess urine, can cause confusion and decision-making based on fake information.
It arms the public with ample information towards making informed decisions, prevents the spread of myths and most importantly, retains the confidence in public health workers and services.
Tips on How to Effectively Use a PT Strip
- Use the first morning urine
- Avoid excess fluid intake before testing to prevent the dilution of hCG level.
- Follow the instructions carefully
- Consult results for professional confirmation from a healthcare professional