Reasons For A Missed Period And Negative Pregnancy Test Result
Susana has worked extensively with pregnant women and families. She runs a pregnancy website and a pregnancy support group on Facebook.
Reasons for a negative pregnancy test result
Do you feel sure that you’re pregnant but ended up with one or more negative pregnancy test results and still no period? You’re not alonegetting a negative test with a missed period is more common than you might think.
Many women become concerned about the reasons for a negative test when they feel sure they are pregnant.
For instance, that a medication they’re taking could affect the pregnancy test resultwhich is extremely rare but not impossible. .
Often the answer as to why a pregnancy test is negative is more obvious.
While home pregnancy tests have improved over the years and are an extremely accurate predictor of pregnancy, there have still been many instances of a test giving a false negative result.
You Are Pregnant With Twins Or Triplets
Carrying two or more babies causes a woman to produce very high levels of hCG and at-home pregnancy tests may not be able to detect it because there’s actually too much. This is known as the “high-dose hook effect.”
Dr. Gronowski explains that hCG tests work by forming a “sandwich” with two antibodies as the “bread” and the hCG molecule as the “meat.” When the hCG concentration is too high, it saturates both antibodies, and there are so many molecules that the antibodies can’t form a sandwich, resulting in a negative pregnancy result.
Some women report positive results after diluting their urine with water, however, a blood test at the doctor’s office is a better option for accuracy.
Other Symptoms Of Pregnancy
There are other symptoms of early pregnancy you might experience, including:
- Youre bleeding, but only slightly. For some women, an early symptom of pregnancy is spotting. Its called implantation bleeding, and it happens about 10 to 14 days after conception when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. This kind of bleeding doesnt last long, and it usually happens around the time youd normally have a period. This can be misleading. The difference is that implantation bleeding isnt typically as heavy as menstrual bleeding.
- Youre having mood swings. If youre feeling particularly emotional or find yourself bursting into tears, it can be a result of pregnancy hormones.
- Youre constipated. Its not comfortable, but a sluggish digestive system is another hormone-related issue that some women experience during pregnancy.
- Youre experiencing backaches. While lower back pain can be a problem for the length of a pregnancy, some women notice it very early on.
- You need to use the bathroom more frequently. Somewhere between six to eight weeks after conceiving, you may find that you have an increased need to urinate, but dont feel any pain or urgency.
While all of these symptoms can be signs of early pregnancy, they can also mean something else altogether. The reverse is also true: You may have none of these symptoms, but be pregnant.
A missed period can also be unrelated to a pregnancy. It could be due to:
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A Missed Period And Light Bleeding
A missed period is probably the most well-known pregnancy symptom, and the one that most often prompts women to take a pregnancy test. If your period is late or doesnt come at all, you may be pregnant.
But newly pregnant womenone-third to be exactmay have whats called implantation bleeding, or bleeding that is lighter, shorter and spottier than a regular period. When you become pregnant, the fertilized egg latches on to the uterus lining and embeds itself, which initiates the pregnancy. The movement may cause light bleeding a few days before your period is supposed to start. And while the amount differs from woman to woman, implantation bleeding is typically pinkish or dark brown in color. It will likely occur for a few days to a few weeks.
Brown recommends that all women track their menstrual cycle, especially if they are trying to get pregnant. You can use a regular calendar, or one of many phone apps. These apps can help you see what a normal menstrual cycle looks like for you, including how long it is and how heavy your period is. They can also anticipate your period and ovulation days for the months to follow, says Brown. I think this is really helpful for patients who are trying to get pregnant. It can help them track when theyre most fertile.
Symptoms Of A Late Period And Pregnancy
The symptoms of a late period will be obvious to many women who menstruate regularly. If you were expecting your period, and it doesnt begin, youll know its late. Not all periods arrive like clockwork, and its very normal for periods to occur on a slightly different schedule. Pregnancy isnt the only thing that can cause a late or skipped period. But if youre wondering whether your missing period might mean youre pregnant, you can look for other early symptoms of pregnancy. During the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, many women experience:
1. Fatigue
During the first trimester , your body produces large amounts of a hormone called progesterone. This can make you feel sleepy. Even during the first week after conception, you may feel more tired than usual.
2. Spotting
Implantation bleeding is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. It is very light bleeding, often called spotting, that happens as a result of the fertilized egg implanting to the uterine wall. Implantation is usually 6 to 12 days after conception, or the moment the egg is fertilized by a sperm.
Some women also have mild abdominal cramps during implantation. Other women dont notice any symptoms with implantation.
3. Breast Changes
You may see changes in your breasts as early as 1 to 2 weeks after conception. Your breasts may be swollen and tender to the touch. You may have soreness or a feeling of fullness in your breasts.
4. Headaches
5. Missed Period
6. Nausea
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Pregnancy Care Center Offers Compassion And Answers
You dont have to continue worrying about whats happening with your body. Pregnancy Care Clinic offers no-cost services to help you get the answers you deserve.
We can save you money by providing you with a medical-grade pregnancy test. If your test is negative, we are happy to repeat it for you. However, if your next pregnancy test is also negative with no period or if you have signs indicating a medical issue, we will recommend additional follow-up.
If your pregnancy test is positive, we can walk with you step-by-step, so you are empowered to make an informed pregnancy decision. This may include a limited ultrasound, education, and information about your options for an unexpected pregnancy.
Our licensed healthcare providers at Pregnancy Care Clinic are compassionate and skilled. You can visit us with confidence, knowing that you will never be judged here. So contact us for your confidential appointment today.
Resources:
Mayo Clinic Staff. . Home pregnancy tests: Can you trust the results? Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/home-pregnancy-tests/art-20047940.
Cleveland Clinic Staff. . Pregnancy tests. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9703-pregnancy-tests.
How To Know If You Are Pregnant
In order for you to be more certain that the symptoms you have mean that you are pregnant, its important to pay attention to your ovulation, as then you will be able to check the probability of having had ovulation and fertilization by the sperm.
In addition, to know if your symptoms are pregnancy-related, its important that you visit a gynecologist and do tests that identify the beta-HCG hormone, as HCG levels are higher in pregnancy.
You can also do a pregnancy test you can buy at a drugstore, but be sure to only do it from the first day after the period is late, through a urine sample. If the result is negative but you keep having pregnancy symptoms, we recommend that you do the test again after three and five days, as different pregnancy tests have different levels of sensitivity.
Usually, a doctor will recommend a blood test to confirm a pregnancy, as it can indicate whether the woman is pregnant and what pregnancy week she is on, according to the beta-HCG levels that circulate in the blood. This test can be done 12 days after the fertile period, even before the period comes.
To find out what the fertile period is, and thus know when it is possible to do a blood test, just insert the data in the calculator below:
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You Have An Ectopic Pregnancy That Delays The Production Of Hgc
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than the uterus , which delays the production of hCG hormones and causes severe pain in the lower abdomen or to one side.
This condition is quite rare and occurs in only 1 out of 40 pregnancies, but it is very dangerous and must be diagnosed early to prevent life-threatening consequences.
What It Feels Like
Either a total aversion to coffee or feeling sick, shaky or nauseous after consuming it.
I love coffee. Not in a Gilmore Girls way where it’s a lifestyle choice, but I mean, I need a cup or two to get me going each morning which is why I was horrified to find myself suddenly disgusted by coffee one winter morning after my husband had left for work. “Hmmm” I thought, “That’s weird.” And it was weird. A weird early sign that I was about to get my BFP.
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Negative Pregnancy Tests While Pregnant
Many women can be misled by a negative pregnancy test when they are, in fact, pregnant. These tests, in general, arent as accurate as wed like to believe .
When you use a home pregnancy test, what its searching for is hCG, a hormone your body produces during pregnancy. For a positive test, the amount of hCG needs to be detectable, so if you havent produced enough, youll see a negative result.
Negative Pregnancy Test Even After A Missed Period
Since most pregnancy tests claim to detect early signs of pregnancy with even the slightest hCG amounts, it may seem impossible to test negative after missing your period. However, while these early detection tests work for most people, every woman is different, and the quantity of the pregnancy hormone hCG doubles every 2 to 3 days.
So, the short answer is yes, its absolutely possible to record a negative result after missing your period, even if you are pregnant!
It is possible you are testing too early still, or your pregnancy has a unique condition. There are various reasons for a false negative pregnancy test, even after missing your period.
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The Truth About False Negatives
Depending on when you took the test, you could get a false negative result. Home pregnancy tests arent always perfectly accurate especially if you take them too soon after your missed period. Different brands of tests have different guidelines about timing.
Even if the test you bought claims to be accurate on the first day of a missed period, youre better off waiting at least one more day. Your body needs to have a high enough level of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin for the test to detect.
Early in pregnancy, HCG levels double every few days. Since your ovulation date could be slightly different each month, it may take a week or two after conception to get a reliable pregnancy test result.
Wait several days, and if you still dont get your period, take the test again. Its best to take a pregnancy test first thing in the morning, before your urine has been diluted with fluids from food and water.
If the second or third test is negative, its time to look at other potential causes of your missed period. Amenorrhea can happen for many reasons, and you may need to see a healthcare provider to get things back on track.
Here are eight possible reasons for a missed period and a negative pregnancy test.
What Do Implantation Cramps Feel Like
The sensation is different from person to person, but in most cases, they feel like mild cramps, usually dull and aching, or light twinges. Some people also describe feeling a prickling, tingling, or pulling sensation. The sensations may come and go or last for one to two days before disappearing.
Usually, the sensations can be felt in the lower back, lower abdomen, or even the pelvic area. Although only one of your ovaries releases an egg, the cramping is caused by its implantation in the uterusso you can expect to feel it more in the middle of your body than just on one side.
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Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and other tissues that form a sling across the pelvis, which holds together the vagina, uterus, bladder, rectum, and other pelvic organs, according to the NLM. Just like any other part of your body, your pelvic floor can become weak or injured, particularly after pregnancy and childbirth, and cause symptoms such as pelvic pain, lower back pain, and the feeling of pelvic pressure or fullness that are akin to those during your period.
The standout difference from menstruation pain? If you can feel a bulge inside the vagina or, in more extreme cases, you can organs start to push out of the vaginal opening, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , then you are probably dealing with pelvic floor muscular problems.
Other symptoms include pain during sex, burning feeling in the vagina and while peeing, leaking urine when you cough, laugh, or exercise, and leaking stool or hard time making it to the bathroom in time. To determine whats going on, ACOG says that your health care provide will typically conduct vaginal and rectal exams in which you may be asked to cough or strain to see if you leak.
Food And Odor Aversions Or Cravings
Aversions to certain foods or odors are caused by your bodys hormonal changes during the first trimester of pregnancy. You may start to despise the way your favorite dinner smells or tastes, or, on the flip side, you may crave certain snacks, meals, beverages or food combinations.
When it comes to cravings or aversions, listen to your body. Its okay to occasionally indulge in late-night ice cream runsjust don’t overdo it. Talk to your OBGYN if youre unable to stomach major food groups like vegetables or whole grains. The two of you can discuss foods that can easily be substituted in.
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