Reasons For Late Periods
As a quick reference list, the following are the reasons for late periods:
These 15 reasons for a late period have only one reason for getting a positive pregnancy test. So if you get late period negative pregnancy test it is normal!
Only 1/15 cases of late-period give a positive pregnancy test. Pregnancy is the only reason for late period positive pregnancy test.
Rest all will give late period negative pregnancy test.
When Is The Best Time To Do A Pregnancy Test
hCG doubles about every 48 hours in early pregnancy, so a home pregnancy test that is negative on Monday could very likely be positive on Wednesday. However, if it’s positive with first-morning urine, later on in the day, when the urine is more diluted, it could test negative. It is also important to remember that despite the advances in urine home pregnancy tests, blood tests are still the best at detecting early pregnancy.
The timing of a positive pregnancy test depends on implantation. If you are pregnant, a urine pregnancy test is not expected to be positive until 3-4 days after implantation , which is about 10 days after ovulation/fertilization, and 4 days before the next period. About 51% of pregnant women have a positive pregnancy test two days before their next expected period.
What Is A Late Period
If your period is late or youre wondering if youre pregnant, the days can tick by rather slowly. How long do you have to wait before taking a pregnancy test? The instructions on home pregnancy tests often talk about your missed period. What do they mean?
In the world of pregnancy testing, a missed period means you expected your menstrual bleeding to have started yesterday, and it still has not started. The day of your expected period depends on what your normal menstrual cycle looks like and when your last period started.
The menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of your period to the day before your next period starts. The average cycle is 28 days, with a pattern that looks something like this:
Some womens menstrual cycles last the same number of days every month. These women can accurately predict the day their period will start. Other women have a menstrual cycle that is a little different each month. Your period is still considered regular as long as it comes every 24 to 38 days.
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Negative Pregnancy Test But No Period
Absolutely! It is not uncommon for a woman to get a negative test result, when she is indeed pregnant, even when testing after her period is due.
The biggest reason for getting a negative test result is miscalculating your period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. If you are fortunate enough to have a regular 28-day cycle, you would count 28 days from the start of your last menstrual cycle to determine when your next period is due. The problem with this method is two-fold. One, many women do not have a 28-day cycle and two, this does not account for variations in ovulation dates and, more importantly, the date of implantation.
Diagnosis And Tests For A Late Period And Pregnancy
Home pregnancy tests check your urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin that is only present when youre pregnant. The body starts making hCG at implantation, and many home pregnancy tests can detect hCG around the day of your expected period.
However, it is common to get a false negative in the first few days after a missed period. The amount of hCG in your body increases daily in early pregnancy. If you test too early, there might not be enough hCG for a positive test. Testing one week after a missed period is most likely to give you accurate results.
If youve had two home pregnancy tests come back negative and still think youre pregnant, check with your doctor. They can order a blood test that looks for the same hormone but can detect it earlier in the pregnancy. Blood tests can give accurate results as soon as 6 to 8 days after ovulation.
If your pregnancy tests come back negative, but you still havent had a period, talk to your doctor to determine what might be the cause and if any additional tests or treatment are needed. If youre trying to conceive, your doctor can perform additional tests or make other suggestions.
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Diseases Such As Pcod
Diseases of ovary such as ovarian cancer or PCOD affect the normal functions of ovaries. So due to cysts or benign tumors ovaries wont be able to ovulate and hence you wont get your periods.
For those of you who dont know the reason for getting periods, the bleeding is due to sloughing off the vaginal lining. This vaginal lining is for implantation of the embryo if the egg and sperm fertilize.
In cases of PCOD and other illness, you wont be able to get pregnant too. Hence when you are suffering PCOD, you will get a late period and negative pregnancy test.
Other Causes For A Pregnancy Test To Not Detect Pregnancy
Other causes for a negative test include diluted urine, expired test, improper testing, and ectopic pregnancy. If you have received a negative test result a day or two after your period is due, it may be as simple as testing too early. Retest again in a week, and if the test is still negative, consult your doctor.
Are you pregnant? Find out your due date with JM’s Due Date Calculator.
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My Pregnancy Test Says I Am Not Pregnant Could I Still Be Pregnant
Yes, it is possible you could still be pregnant. It’s possible to be pregnant and to have a pregnancy test show that you are not pregnant.
The accuracy of home pregnancy test results varies from woman to woman because:
- Each woman ovulates at a different time in her menstrual cycle.
- The fertilized egg can implant in a woman’s uterus at different times.
- Sometimes women get false-negative results when they test too early in the pregnancy. False negative means the test says you are not pregnant when you are.
- Problems with the pregnancy can affect the amount of hCG in the urine.
If a test says you are not pregnant, take another pregnancy test in a few days. If you are pregnant, your hCG levels should double every 48 hours.1 If you think you are pregnant but more tests say you are not, call your doctor.
What If I Can’t Tell Whether My Pregnancy Test Is Positive Or Negative
Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether the test is positive or negative. The line may be faint, or you may worry whether you peed too much or too little on the stick.
No matter how faint the line or plus sign, if you see it, you are most likely pregnant. The faintness of the line can mean you are early in your pregnancy and your hCG levels are still low.
Also, the pregnancy test should have a control line that tells you whether the test was done correctly. If the control line is blank, then the test did not work and you should take another test.
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Youre Not Pregnant But Medication Is Or A Medical Condition Is Affecting Your Menstrual Cycle
Some medication can change or suppress your usual menstrual cycle.
These include:
- Hormonal birth control, including oral birth control and the hormonal IUD
- Anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen
- Tranexamic acid
- Some herbal remedies, such as St Johns Wort
If youre unsure whether your cycle is being affected by medication youre taking, make an appointment to talk to your doctor about it.
A number of clinical conditions may also change the rhythm of your cycle, or prevent you from having a period.
Among these are Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Endometriosis thyroid issues Uterine Fibroids Diabetes and eating disorders.
If you have a medical condition which affects your menstrual cycle, or you think you might have one, its a good idea to discuss any questions or concerns you have about your periods or fertility with your doctor.
It can be difficult to get those conversations going, but your physician is there to help and should be able to offer the support you need.
If You Dont Want To Be Pregnant And Just Want Your Period Back Then Call Carafem
We talk with you about your options, and can oftentimes make next-day appointments. If you decide that you dont want to be pregnant , then were happy to guide you through the process of a calm, educational, and non-judgmental abortion experience.
Our appointments are about an hour-long, and you spend the entire time with a knowledgeable and compassionate clinician who can answer your questions and assist you, every step of the way. And bonus well even talk about birth control options so that you can determine the best method for your life! If you choose to have an abortion, then your period may return as soon as two weeks after your appointment.
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Home Pregnancy Test With A Low Sensitivity
A home pregnancy test will only detect pregnancy when the level of pregnancy hormone,also known as human chorionic gonadotropin ,reaches a certain threshold, and it simply may not be sensitive enough to produce a positive result. Certain brands state that they can detect lower thresholds of hCG depending on how soon you are taking the pregnancy test after the missed period, it may be worth trying again with a more sensitive brand, ensuring you are using the first morning urine for your test .
Whats The Difference Between Home Pregnancy Tests And The Tests At A Doctors Office
The main hormone you are testing for is human chorionic gonadotropin , which is detectable in blood or urine. The concentration of hCG doubles every 29 to 53 hours during the first 30 days after implantation of a viable, intrauterine pregnancy a slower rise in concentration of hCG is suggestive of an abnormal pregnancy or early miscarriage .
The âpee on a stickâ type of home test measures whether your hCG passes a threshold amount, and gives you a positive or negative answer. These tests often give a negative result if the test is done too early after a missed period.
If you do a home pregnancy test and get a negative resultâââbut you still donât get your period one week laterâââthen itâs a good idea to follow-up with another test.
Healthcare providers often offer both urine tests and blood tests for hCG. The urine test offered is very similar to a home pregnancy test, but the results tend to be more accurate due to reduced error. A blood test will give you a precise count of your hCG levels. Because the blood needs to be analyzed by a lab, you will need to wait longer to find out the results.
As the blood test gives more detailed results, it is possible to detect things such as an ectopic pregnancy or an early miscarriage.
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What If My Period Is Late And Pregnancy Tests Are Negative
If your period is late yet your pregnancy test keeps coming back negative, youre not aloneDr. Price notes that this happens very frequently, as there are a number of reasons for late periods that have nothing to do with a potential pregnancy.
Some women do not always ovulate on a perfectly regular basis, he says. And if you dont ovulate, then youre going to not have a period or will be late on your period.
However, if irregular periods are a routine occurrence, then this could signal an underlying issue. If its a chronic occurrence, women that just have irregular periods, there are several medical disorders that can cause that, says Dr. Price.
This could include disorders such as thyroid conditions and polycystic ovary syndrome . Aside from medical disorders, factors like stress, excessive exercise and a low body weight can also cause someone to miss their period.
Negative Pregnancy Test 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 HCG in her body doubles every 2 to 3 days.
So, the short answer is yes, its possible to record a negative pregnancy test result after missing your period even if you are pregnant!
If your pregnancy test is negative but youve missed your period, you may be testing too early, 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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You Are Pregnant But You Took The Test Too Early
Pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone hCG. If you are pretty sure you are pregnant because you’ve been experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms but have a negative test result, one of the most common reasons is that you have taken the pregnancy test too early, and your body has not produced enough hCG hormone for the test to detect it.
Missed Period But Negative Pregnancy Test
Have you ever been certain you were pregnant only to be crushed by a negative test?
Youre not alone. Weve been there too and understand the disappointment that follows. Somehow its a little easier to handle a negative test result when you were expecting it to be negative.
But is it still possible to be pregnant when your pregnancy test result is negative?
The pregnant body can be a mysterious thing, baffling even the most reliable tests. If you missed your period but still got a negative pregnancy test result, this is what you should know.
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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.
Could It Be Menopause
OK, this ones probably pretty unlikely as the average age for periods ending due to menopause is around 50.
However, in extreme cases, missed or erratic periods can begin as early as a womans 30s or as late as her 60s.
Wed say this probably isnt one to think on too much – unless youve missed loads of periods, completely abnormally, or you have a family history of early menopause.
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You Are On Girls Pill
Taking contraceptive pills can block your period for weeks or months.
If you are not sure why are on pills, ask your doctor about the mode of action and side effects you may experience.
Its not abnormal not to have period for weeks and months on contraceptives. Seasonale brands can stop period for about 4 months. This implies you only have period four times in a year.
Your Ovaries Aren’t Working Properly
Sometimes, the ovaries simply fail to work. Which really does suck. Especially when you dont know why.
Fortunately, if this ends up being the case, there are drugs that can help give your ovaries a boost like Clomid and Metformin.
These drugs are only available on prescription, and are usually thought of as the first step to other fertility treatments.
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What Are The Different Types Of Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests check for the hCG hormone in two ways:
- Urine test. This type of pregnancy test can be done at home or at a doctor’s office.
- Blood test. This type of pregnancy test can only be done at a doctor’s office. It takes longer than a urine test to get results, but it can detect a pregnancy earlier than a urine test . Your doctor may use one or both types of blood tests:
- A quantitative blood test that measures the exact amount of hCG in your blood. It can find even tiny amounts of hCG. It can also tell you and your doctor how many weeks you are pregnant.
- A qualitative hCG blood test checks to see whether the pregnancy hormone is present or not. The qualitative hCG blood test is about as accurate as a urine test.
So Am I Pregnant Or Not
It is possible to miss a period and not be pregnant.
But its also possible to have a negative pregnancy test but no period when you are pregnant.
Pregnancy hormones and the tests that detect them are delicate and easily affected by a variety of factors.
Whether youre trying to get pregnant or not, dont panic.
Take a deep breath.
Take another pregnancy test a few days after the first one if you can manage to wait.
And if youre still unsure, head to the doctor to get a conclusive answer.
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