False-positive pregnancy tests following enterocystoplasty

• Published in: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Vol. 119; no. 3; pp. 366 - 368
• Main Authors: Nakhal, RS, Wood, D, Woodhouse, C, Creighton, SM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2012; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Bladder; Bladder exstrophy; Bladder Exstrophy - surgery; Case management; Children & youth; Diagnostic tests; enterocyctoplasty; Epispadias - surgery; false positive; False Positive Reactions; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; pregnancy test; Pregnancy Tests - methods; spina bifida; Surgery; Transition to Adult Care; Urinary Bladder - abnormalities; Urinary Bladder - surgery; Urogenital Abnormalities - surgery; Urologic Surgical Procedures; False pregnancy; Exploration; False positive; Obstetrics; Gynecology
• ISSN: 1470-0328; 1471-0528
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03031.x

Please cite this paper as: Nakhal R, Wood D, Woodhouse C, Creighton S. False‐positive pregnancy tests following enterocystoplasty. BJOG 2011; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471‐0528.2011.03031.x. People with major congenital urological or neurological malformations invariably require bladder reconstruction with enterocystoplasty in early childhood. The improvement of the surgical management of these children has reflected significantly on their life expectancy. As a result, more young people with enterocystoplasty are being transitioned to adolescent clinics where they receive the usual counselling about sexual health and pregnancy risks. However, the possibility of false‐positive urinary pregnancy tests in these young women remains an overlooked but essential message. The lack of awareness about this fact can result in significant patient anxiety and the potential for unnecessary interventions as exemplified by the three cases we have encountered.