I’m a doctor and here’s why you should never eat the ‘pill’ inside a pregnancy test
TAKING a pregnancy test can be nerve wracking.
Waiting for the result can feel like torture and most of the time, the test gets thrown away – especially if it’s not the result you want.
But some TikTokers have been deconstructing the tests and finding a small pill inside the device with some claiming it’s a ‘plan b’ pill – which is a brand name for the morning after pill.
One doctor has now warned social media users to not follow the trend and said you should never consume the pill inside, which usually sits above the result strip.
Dr Karan Rajan said: “Do not eat the tablets you find in a pregnancy test, they are not a ‘plan b’ or an emergency contraceptive pill.
“They are a desiccant tablet used to absorb and hold moisture to extend the shelf life of a pregnancy test, similar to the little silicon packages you find in shoes and bags.
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“They are toxic for human consumption and will not prevent a pregnancy.
“Do not eat them and if you do, go and see a doctor”.
Pregnancy tests work by checking your pee for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin.
Your body will only have this hormone if you’re pregnant and in a urine test, a reactive piece of paper detects the hormone.
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Experts at popular pregnancy test company ClearBlue previously had to issue a warning to people to not eat the pill inside the tests.
They said: “We are aware of videos circulating about Clearblue pregnancy tests and the tablet found inside.
“Clearblue pregnancy tests do NOT contain Plan B. All our tests contain a small desiccant tablet which is included to absorb moisture and should not be eaten.”
TESTING TIMES
Women only show a positive pregnancy test result usually between eight and 14 days after they’ve conceived, according to the NHS.
At that point a morning after pill would be ineffective, as the NHS says they only work a a maximum of five days after having unprotected sex.
The morning after pill works around 98 per cent of the time, which is about the same as the contraceptive pill or condoms.
But for the two per cent who it fails, it is often a surprise.
Timing, your weight and any medication you are on can all be factors which stop it from working.
You need to take the morning after pill as soon as you realise you might need it.
Ideally it should be taken within three to five days, but the sooner you take it the more effective it’ll be.
However there are times in your menstrual cycle when it won’t work.
The effectiveness of the morning after pill might also be reduced if a woman has a high body mass index.
This is because it makes it harder to work out a precise estimate for the pill.
Guidance says the effectiveness of oral emergency contraception could be reduced if a woman weighs over 70kg, about 11 stone.
If you are taking these drugs, they may interact with it and stop it working effectively.
- the herbal medicine St John’s Wort
- some medicines used to treat epilepsy, HIV or tuberculosis (TB)
- medicine to make your stomach less acidic, such as omeprazole
- some less commonly used antibiotics (rifampicin and rifabutin)
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