Negative Pregnancy Test with a Missed Period

It can be very frustrating for a woman to experience a late period and a negative pregnancy test. Whether or not you are trying to conceive, these conflicting results can lead to a great deal of stress, worry and confusion. You want answers quickly: Am I pregnant? If so, why am I getting a negative pregnancy test result? If not, then where is my period?

There are a several possible explanations for the mixed results. In many cases there may be explanations other than pregnancy for why your period is late. There are also possible situations where a missed period is indeed caused by a pregnancy, but you nevertheless receive a negative pregnancy test result.

If you’ve missed a period and are experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms, but your home pregnancy test is negative, you could experiencing a "false negative” pregnancy test. Here are some reasons why:

Miscalculating your period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. So, 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. However, many women do not have a 28-day cycle and even if you do, this does not account for variations in ovulation dates and more importantly the date of implantation. Taking a pregnancy test at the wrong time will yield a negative result.

Home pregnancy test with a low sensitivity. A home pregnancy test will only detect pregnancy when the level of “pregnancy hormone” Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) reaches a certain threshold, and it simply may not be sensitive enough to produce a positive result. Try again with a more sensitive brand. Shop for pregnancy tests here.

Directions weren’t followed properly. Another reason for a “false negative” result is that directions weren’t followed carefully enough to ensure the accuracy of the test. There is a possibility that while using a home pregnancy test strip you either did not dip it well or did not hold it well in your urine stream. This error in technique may give false negative results. It is also essential that you read the test results in the stipulated reaction time. Do not discard a kit until the completed reaction time has elapsed (typically between 5 and 10 minutes). On the other hand, if you let the test sit for too long, the test is invalid.

Early Detection Attempt. Another reason for a false negative pregnancy test could be that you took the test too early. Pregnancy tests vary in how soon they can detect hCG in your urine. It is possible that although an egg may be fertilized, your body has not started secreting enough hCG to register on a test. Your body needs time for the hormone to rise to a high enough level to be detected. Most brands instruct you to wait until the first day of your missed period to conduct the test.

Poor Urine Sample. In some cases, a woman may drink a great deal of fluids before collecting a urine sample, thereby diluting the amount of hCG present in the urine. This could cause a negative result. Avoid drinking a lot of fluids before testing. Also, it’s usually best to use a first morning urine sample. If your schedule prevents this, try to hold your urine for several hours before collecting a sample.

hCG Develops at Different Rates Among Women. Some women can easily discover if they are pregnant well before their missed period, while others may need to wait a bit longer. The amount of hCG in your urine rises each day following the implantation of the fertilized egg in the womb. These rates can vary, and thus produce different results. In addition, in some cases, hCG antibodies in the test will not "bind" as well with the particular hCG hormone composition of a pregnant woman. This can result in receiving a slightly delayed positive result. While this is quite unusual, it may explain many of the complaints about even the most expensive and sensitive test brands causing delayed positives after a missed period.

Problem With the Pregnancy/Ectopic Pregnancy. In rare cases, low or falling hCG levels may indicate a problem or an ectopic pregnancy. If you have missed your period and are experiencing pregnancy symptoms, contact your doctor to take a blood hCG test to determine the cause of the missed period, or an unexplained negative test result.

There may be reasons for having a missed or very late period that have nothing to do with being pregnant. Here are some explanations:

Irregular Cycles. For some women, being late now and then is part of their "normal" pattern. Other factors that can influence a missed period are increased stress, anxiety, or sleeplessness. Long periods of stress or anxiety can affect the balance of reproductive hormones and delay ovulation or the onset of menstruation. Other causes for irregularity are travel and jet-lag, excessive exercise and being overweight or underweight. Of course, if you are on birth control, or have recently discontinued birth control, you may experience missed periods as well. If you have any questions about your medications, talk to your prescribing doctor.

Peri-menopause. Premature menopause can be a cause of a missed period. Only a doctor can accurately diagnose this, although you can test for early menopause at home with an FSH test. Levels indicating high FSH on day three of your cycle may indicate that your body is working overtime to stimulate follicular development. FSH tests may suggest a low ovarian reserve (peri-menopause) requiring a follow up test with your physician.

If you have received a negative test result a day or two after your period is due, it may be caused by one of the explanations above. Retest again in a week, and if you still haven’t gotten your period and your pregnancy test is still negative, consult your doctor. If you receive a negative pregnancy result after fertility treatments, talk to your RE about why the procedure may have failed and what steps to take next.