Preg Test in ESRD: Going Down the Rabbit Hole?

If you had 5 reproductive age women, all late on their menstrual cycle, who were having unprotected sex, and all have a positive pregnancy test… What would be your diagnosis? The most likely diagnosis would be that there are five pregnancies! Right?! But what if 1 of those patients had end stage renal disease (ESRD), on hemodialysis. Is there anything else to consider? While ruling out pregnancy is priority #1, it is possible that this HCG is a phantom result. This is a slippery slope discussion and one that could easily lead down the rabbit hole. In this podcast, we will highlight this clinical conundrum, based on a real case from our practice, and summarize some fascinating reports from the literature.