When Should You See A Gynaecologist For Irregular Period
If you are under the age of 45 and have had regular periods up to this point but they suddenly become irregular, you may want to consult with your gynecologist to determine the cause of the problem. If you have your period less frequently than every 21 days or more frequently than every 35 days. In the event that your periods are unusually long and extend for more than a week.
How Are Irregular Periods Treated
If irregular periods are bothering you or making it difficult for you to conceive, speak to your doctor to find out if theres a way to get them back on track. It could be as easy as lowering your stress levels or cutting back on intense exercising .
If your irregular periods are hormone-related, your doctor may suggest treating an underlying thyroid condition or using hormone therapies like birth control pills or certain types of IUDs that regulate your menstrual cycle. If youre trying to get pregnant, sometimes getting on the right birth control for a little while can get your cycle back on track so that its easier to tell when youre ovulating, which is a big step in helping you conceive, although this may not be successful.
If none of those work and youre trying to get pregnant, your doctor may prescribe a fertility drug like letrozole , clomiphene or injectable fertility meds to induce ovulation, but you should have a complete fertility evaluation before starting any of these drugs.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When Youre Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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How To Use A Home Pregnancy Test
Buy your pregnancy test from a trusted seller and check that the expiry date has not passed.
Carefully follow the instructionsâââthese can vary depending on the brand. A 1993 study of pregnant women found that only a third of users complied with all test kit instructions. The incidence of false-negative results in this study was 1 in 4 .
You can do a urine test at any time of the day, because hCG production does not change throughout the day .
If you drink large quantities of water or other fluids during the day, you might want to do the test first thing in the morning, as the accuracy of the test can be affected if the urine sample is extremely diluted .
Whether your home test is positive or negative, itâs wise to confirm the results with a healthcare provider, if you can. Home tests are not as sensitive as those done in a healthcare providerâs office, and thereâs also more chance for human error.
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
If you are unsure about the results of a home test or want to verify the results, then visit a healthcare provider. You can get confidential urine or blood testing at most providers and clinics. If you are transgender, there are many organizations worldwide that can help you to find a trans-friendly ob/gyn.
If youâve had a negative pregnancy test and you havenât had a period in more than 90 days, make an appointment to see a healthcare provider. Tell them about your previous periods, cycle length and heaviness, and any other symptoms you have noticed. They may want to run a few tests to check if your cycle is being affected by another health condition.
When Should You Take A Pregnancy Test With Irregular Periods
Discovering that you are pregnant is a thrilling experience that brings both excitement and joy. The most common indicator of pregnancy is a missed period, but what if your periods are irregular, to begin with. Let us discover all about irregular periods and when should you take a pregnancy test if you have irregular periods.
Menstruation, or periods as we know them, is a routine exercised by a female’s body that anticipates a pregnancy every month, from menarche to menopause. Most women have a menstrual cycle that’s 28 days long . If the periods are less than 24 days or more than 38 days apart and the duration of the cycle keeps changing, they are termed irregular.
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How To Tell If Your Period Is Late
Many people have irregular menstrual cycles, either longer or shorter than others. Sometimes its hard to remember the exact date of your last period and when to expect your next period. Between 10% and 20% of pregnant people get a negative pregnancy test because they test too early.
Tracking your cycle can help you know a few things: when you ovulated, the first day of your last period, when to expect your next period, and a general idea of the length of your cycle.
What Can Cause A Delayed Period
If your period is delayed and a pregnancy test confirms a negative result, you are advised to repeat the test in a few days. If the second test is still negative even when your period is still late, likelihood of pregnancy is low. There are many factors that can influence your cycle and cause a delayed period when you are not pregnant.
Some causes of a delayed period are:
- Excess stress and anxiety
- Practicing intense physical exercise for a long time
- Thyroid problems
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How Do Pregnancy Tests Work
All pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in the urine or blood. This hormone is present only when a woman is pregnant. If the pregnancy test detects hCG, it will say you are pregnant.
hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about 10 days after conception .1 The amount of hCG builds up quickly in your body with each passing day you are pregnant.
So if you take a home pregnancy test too soon after implantation, your hCG level may not be high enough to detect the pregnancy. If the test says you are not pregnant, take another pregnancy test in a few days.
Is There A Difference Between Pregnancy Tests
If youve ever looked at the pregnancy tests available at the store, youll likely have noticed that there are lots to choose from. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed. However, generally, pregnancy tests can be split into early pregnancy tests and standard pregnancy tests.
Standard pregnancy tests are urine tests that can detect human chorionic gonadotropin . This is the first indication that you might be pregnant.
Its recommended that you wait until the first day of your missed period or at least 21 days after youve had unprotected sex before you take one. Waiting might feel impossible, but this allows your body to produce high enough levels of hCG to be detected by the test so that your result is more likely to be accurate.
Early pregnancy tests are more sensitive to hCG. They may be able to give you a positive result before youve missed your period.
Early pregnancy tests are urine tests that can detect very low levels of urinary pregnancy levels , some as early as five days before a missed period, says Dr. Jones.
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When To Test If You Have Very Irregular Periods
littlemissmischief · 22/01/2008 19:26
I think i might be pg but not sure when to test as i can go 6 months without a period or have 2 in one week. Does anybody know when is the best time to test when you have no period date to go by?Thanks
daisy26 · 22/01/2008 20:16
my periods were very irregular but every now and then I had to do a test and they were always negative-then 3 years down the line had 3 positives-cor 6 months that’s a long time. To keep your mind at rest I would do one the if it’s negative you can rule that option out
Tangle · 22/01/2008 22:22
From what I remember, sperm can survive inside you for about 5 days but an egg for less than 1. If the egg is fertilised then it will take about 6 to 12 days to implant. It’ll then take a few more days for sufficient hCG to be produced to give a positive pregnancy test .So, you could get a positive test as early as 8 days after sex, but it could be as long as 19 days and if you don’t want to take lots of tests you might want to wait it out. Have you looked into any of the fertility awareness things? If you could get a handle on when you ovulate then you’d narrow down the times when you could be pregnant – which might save you quite a lot of tests. Good luck
hannahjb · 23/01/2008 07:51
When Should I Take A Pregnancy Test
You should wait to take a pregnancy test until the week after your missed period for the most accurate result. If you dont want to wait until youve missed your period, you should wait at least one to two weeks after you had sex. If you are pregnant, your body needs time to develop detectable levels of HCG.
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Brand Name Versus Generic Pregnancy Tests
Home pregnancy tests, both brand name and generic, are very accurate at detecting the HCG hormone and any positive result, even a faint line, can be considered positive. HCG is only produced by a pregnancy any positive result indicates a pregnancy.
You dont need a serum pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy. Both urine and blood detect HCG, although the blood test is more sensitive and can detect HCG levels at much lower levels than a urine test. In certain situations, your doctor may want to perform a blood HCG test but its not typically needed to confirm a pregnancy.
Although most tests advertise 99% accuracy, the ability of a particular brand to detect HCG at levels less than 50 ml may vary. Some brands may be better able to detect lower levels of HCG than others. If your HCG level is more than 50 ml, which is the detection rate of most tests, even generic tests will detect a pregnancy accurately.
Watch For Pregnancy Symptoms
Women are good at knowing when they are pregnant, even if they don’t have regular periods. If you have pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness, nausea, enhanced sense of smell, or fatigue and you have had unprotected sex, it’s a good idea to keep checking a pregnancy test weekly until you get a period.
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Ovulation Predictor Kits And Irregular Periods
Ovulation generally occurs midway in your cycle. If you have a typical 28-day cycle, youd ovulate about day 14. But when your periods are irregular, predicting ovulation and timing intercourse to up pregnancy chances can be difficult.
Ovulation predictor kits are fairly accurate at detecting a surge in luteinizing hormone, which triggers ovulation. And while theyre easy to use, requiring just a quick pass through your urine stream, they can get expensive, especially when youre testing for days or weeks on end.
If you have irregular periods, you may want to wait to use an ovulation predictor kit until you observe other signs of ovulation. Some things to look for:
Irregular Periods And Pregnancy
Its not uncommon for women to have menstrual cycles that vary in length. One month it might be 28 days which is considered average and the next month it could be 31 days, and the next 27. Thats normal.
Menstrual cycles are considered irregular when they fall outside the normal range. The Office on Womens Health reports that an irregular menstrual cycle is one thats shorter than 21 days or longer than 35.
When counting the days in your cycle, the first day of bleeding is day one, and the last day of the cycle is the first day of bleeding in your next cycle.
Its possible to become pregnant when you have an irregular menstrual cycle, but you may find it difficult. If youre unsure about the length of your cycle from month to month, it can be difficult to know when youre ovulating.
Timing intercourse around ovulation can increase your chances for pregnancy since youll need to have sex during your fertile window to conceive. Your fertile window refers to a few days before ovulation and the day you ovulate.
An irregular menstrual cycle may also be a sign of irregular ovulation. You may not ovulate every month or you may ovulate at different times from month to month.
Read on to learn more about irregular periods and pregnancy.
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When To Take An Early Pregnancy Test
As weve seen, taking a standard pregnancy test can be a little bit of a waiting game. However, youll have the reassurance of knowing that theyre more accurate than early tests, so it could be worth the wait.
If you think that you may be pregnant or youre trying to conceive, you might decide the wait is too long and consider taking an early pregnancy test. The good news is that you can take a specially designed early pregnancy test five days before you expect your period. If youre not exactly sure when that is, you can track your cycle using an app like Flo to work out when to take one.
If the test comes back positive, reach out to your health care provider and follow it up with a standard pregnancy test either on the first day of your missed period or 21 days after youve had unprotected sex.
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When Should I Call My Doctor About A New Pregnancy
If youve missed your period and gotten a positive pregnancy test, your next step will be to call your healthcare provider for your first appointment. While scheduling, your provider may ask if you have already started taking a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid. Prenatal vitamins are important in early pregnancy because they help in the development of your babys neural tube. The neural tube will become your babys brain and spine. Many healthcare providers recommend that anyone who could become pregnant take folic acid at all times.
If youre planning a pregnancy, a preconception appointment with your healthcare provider is a good place to start. A preconception appointment is especially important if you take medication for a chronic illness or have other medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure or lupus.
During this appointment, your provider will discuss any current medical conditions, as well as your general health before pregnancy. This appointment is meant to get you into the best place for a new pregnancy.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/26/2022.
References
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Expired Or Mishandled Test
This may be the rarest cause, however it is possible that a pregnancy test has expired and no longer functioning properly. When a test is not used vy its valid date, the presence of HCG may not be detected, resulting a negative test.
It is very important to check the expiration date on the package before using it. Additionally, if pregnancy tests are not stored properly, even though they are within the expiry date, they may not give an accurate result. For those reasons, if you suspect that the test is not reporting the correct result, you should complete another one.
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When To See Your Doctor
Although home tests can detect a pregnancy, it gives no information as to viability. Its important to make an appointment with your doctor to confirm your pregnancy and to detect a fetal heart rate through an ultrasound . If you have a positive pregnancy test, your obstetrician can provide information about warning signs of an abnormal or worrisome pregnancy and can advise you on when to make an appointment to confirm your pregnancy.
When To Take A Pregnancy Test With Irregular Periods
Counting 36 days from the beginning of your most recent menstrual cycle or four weeks from the most recent time you had sex will help you determine if your cycles are regular or irregular. If you are pregnant, your levels of hCG should be high enough at this stage to allow for the diagnosis of pregnancy if they are not already.
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