Missed Period But Negative Pregnancy Test? There could be several reasons for it but before that let’s understand the scenario.
An unexpected delayed period can be worrisome. No woman wants to get an unwanted pregnancy.
When a woman wants to get pregnant, the first thing she expects to see after a missed period is a positive pregnancy test. But a missed period but negative pregnancy test can be very shocking and depressing.
But the reality could be different from what she is anticipating. It is very much possible that she is pregnant, but her pregnancy test is not able to detect pregnancy.
Missed period but negative pregnancy test
There are many possibilities for getting a negative pregnancy test after a missed period. If you are pregnant and yet you get a negative pregnancy test, it is a false negative pregnancy test.
A false negative pregnancy test could be because you did not follow the instructions correctly. Every woman is different and so are their bodies.
2 Weeks Past period But negative pregnancy test
If it has been two weeks past period negative pregnancy test, then you must talk to your doctor. Two weeks is a long time!
If you’re sexually active, then it is essential to take a pregnancy test in case you miss your period by a week.
If your sex life has been dormant or you have never had sex then missed period negative pregnancy test is a sign of a disease.
Your doctor can perform ultrasound tests to see the underlying problem. You’ll have to drink lots of water for the ultrasound test to dilate the muscles of the urinary bladder.
How do pregnancy tests work?
After pregnancy, it takes about a week for the body to make up hCG hormone. The hCG levels considered for pregnancy are 25 mIU/mL and beyond. After fertilization the egg implants in the uterus.
Implantation is the first step towards placenta formation. After implantation the placenta produces hCG. Most home pregnancy tests detect this hormone in the urine of the woman taking the test.
Common reasons for a missed period negative pregnancy test
1) Expired pregnancy test or broken pregnancy test
An expired pregnancy test can’t detect pregnancy. Similarly, defective and broken pregnancy tests cannot detect pregnancy because the dye of the pregnancy test is unable to react with urine hCG.
2) Ectopic pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants in the tubes instead of the uterus. This causes extreme pain and might even lead to Hemorrhage. Ectopic pregnancy can give a false negative pregnancy test after a missed period.
3) Not following instructions of pregnancy test
The accuracy of a pregnancy test depends greatly on the user. When a woman taking the pregnancy test doesn’t follow the instructions, she is prone to a false negative result. It is important that you read the pregnancy test instructions carefully before taking a pregnancy test.
4) Low levels of hCG
Some women might take longer than 48 hours for doubling the hCG levels. Ideally, hCG levels double every 48 – 72 hours. If it doesn’t happen, then it will take a longer time to get a positive pregnancy test after a missed period.
5) Dilute urine
A pregnancy test is best done with early morning urine. It is because the early morning urine has a higher concentration of hCG. The pregnancy hormone concentrates overnight in the bladder.
When a woman takes a pregnancy test randomly at any time of the day, her urine doesn’t have enough hCG causing a negative pregnancy test.
6) Stress
Stress releases hormones and factors that suppress the body’s normal functions. A woman can undergo an anovulatory phase if she is under stress.
It is important that you reduce the stress in your life when trying to get pregnant. Stress can delay period for 2 weeks and result in a negative pregnancy test.
7) Perimenopause
Recent studies have shown that women of the age of 20 and 30 are having early menopause. Once a woman undergoes menopause, she stops getting period.
Perimenopause is the stage when the woman’s body limits the amount of female hormones. This is the pre-menopause stage.
8) Endometriosis and Endometrial polyps
The condition called Endometriosis is the invasion of other organs by uterine tissues. Polyps are benign tumors that grow inside the uterus. Such abnormalities of the uterus can delay period and cause negative pregnancy test.
9) Thyroid dysfunction
Thyroid though unrelated to the reproductive system directly has a major role. If a woman’s thyroid gland is not functioning properly, then she may experience late period negative pregnancy test.
10) PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a diseased condition of ovaries. In this disorder undivided cell mass occurs in ovaries causing blockages. It can stop ovulation process. In that case even, when you are not pregnant, you’ll not get period.
Can you have a negative pregnancy test and still be pregnant?
Yes, it is possible that you have a negative pregnancy test and be pregnant. In that case, it’s a false negative result. It can happen because of many reasons.
One of the reasons could be using an expired pregnancy test.
If you don’t handle the pregnancy test following all instructions, then you get negative pregnancy test even when pregnant.
Pregnancy Symptoms But Negative Test?
The early pregnancy symptoms are nausea and missed a period. Other pregnancy symptoms include bloating, heightened sense of smell and vomiting. If you experience such symptoms, then you must take a pregnancy test.
If you have pregnancy symptoms but negative pregnancy test it could be a tubal pregnancy.
Again using an expired pregnancy test can cause false negative pregnancy test.
The most probable cause is that you took the pregnancy test too early. In that case, you can repeat the pregnancy test after a day or two.
When you have missed a period and negative pregnancy test then it is best to consult a doctor. We can tell you the possibilities; only a doctor can diagnose the actual reason behind it.
