If it's way too far from your expected period date, you won't have enough pregnancy hormone in your urine yet to trigger a positive result on the test. The easiest solution here is to simply wait a few days, or even all the way until you're past due for your period (hard to do, we know!).
If you feel as though you're pregnant but got a negative home pregnancy test result, your symptoms could be down to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or you may have taken the test too early.
Is it possible to be pregnant and get a negative pregnancy test result? Yes, it is possible. Getting a negative result doesn't mean you're not pregnant, it may just mean your hCG levels are not high enough for the test to detect the hormone in your urine.
Medical conditions like uterine tumors, menopause or cancer can cause changes in a person's hormone levels. These hormonal changes can mimic pregnancy symptoms like missed periods, fatigue or weight gain. Healthcare providers may want to rule out these medical conditions before diagnosing pseudocyesis.
hCG is a hormone produced by your placenta when you are pregnant. It appears shortly after the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. If you are pregnant, this hormone increases very rapidly. If you have a 28 day menstrual cycle, you can detect hCG in your urine 12-15 days after ovulation.
HCG is detectable in urine at around 12 to 14 days after conception, when you're around 4 weeks pregnant. (The most common way to calculate your pregnancy due date is from the first day of your last menstrual period, which is typically two weeks before conception.)
An early pregnancy test can read positive as soon as 11-15 days after conception, 1 day after a missed period. However, more accurate results can be obtained 2 days after a missed period. A home pregnancy test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced in a pregnant woman.
Rising levels of progesterone during PMS can cause symptoms that mimic pregnancy to a T, whether it's tender breasts, a ravenous appetite, mild cramping, moodiness and fatigue, spotting, or even nausea.
However, other elements or events can trigger a phantom pregnancy. Physical problems or psychological problems may be involved. The loss of a child, a miscarriage, a voluntary termination of pregnancy, an inability to conceive children, family problems or a period of intense stress can cause such symptoms.
High levels of stress or anxiety can cause irregular menstrual periods, which can sometimes be mistaken as a symptom of pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting, heightened sensitivity to smells, breast soreness, fatigue, frequent urination, constipation—these may be signs that you are “pregnant”.
Your hCG won't be high enough to detect until six days after conception. If you took the test too early, then the test will read negative even if you are pregnant.
Most pregnancy tests include instructions that encourage you to wait at least one week between a negative test and taking another pregnancy test. This is to allow time for your body to build up enough hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) to be detected in your urine.
Pregnancy tests are designed to detect hCG, but an initial negative may occur if you take the test before your body has had enough time to reach adequate hCG levels. At this stage, hCG doubles roughly every 48 hours. You may get a different result if you wait a couple of days before trying again.
Lower abdominal pain is normal during pregnancy and is most common between 18 and 24 weeks. Your growing uterus is pulling and straining the muscles that support it. You may feel sharp pains or just a mild pulling sensation. It often occurs when you cough, sneeze, stand up, sit down, roll over, or during sex.
There may be many different reasons for a negative pregnancy test after a missed period. You may be dealing with an undiagnosed medical condition, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, or it could be a lifestyle issue, such as extreme stress.
Although it is rare, pseudocyesis (“false pregnancy” or “phantom pregnancy”) is a serious emotional and psychological condition. Psychological factors trick the body into believing that it's pregnant.
Things like missing your period, sore or tender breasts, feeling more tired and nausea (morning sickness) are common symptoms of early pregnancy. Some people have symptoms of pregnancy before they miss their period. Take an at-home pregnancy test if you think you might be pregnant.
RU-486 blocks a hormone that your body needs to continue a pregnancy. It works best when you use it with another medication called misoprostol, which causes bleeding to empty your uterus. The RU-486 abortion pill is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy.
In the early days of your pregnancy, when hCG levels are still increasing, your first morning urine will offer you the greatest chance of having sufficient hCG levels built up for a positive pregnancy test.
Some women do notice signs and symptoms that implantation has occurred. Signs may include light bleeding, cramping, nausea, bloating, sore breasts, headaches, mood swings, and possibly a change in basal body temperature. But — and here's the frustrating part — many of these signs are very similar to PMS.
Lastly: sometimes twin or higher order multiple pregnancies, in which levels of hCG are very high, can cause a false negative pregnancy test. This is called the high-dose hook effect. 4 It's unusual, but possible. if you miss a period and have pregnancy symptoms, see your doctor.
Even if a complication associated with low hCG levels occurs, such as a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, this does not mean that someone will be unable to get pregnant again or that their fertility is compromised. A successful pregnancy is still possible with low hCG levels.
An hCG level of less than 5 mIU/mL is considered negative for pregnancy, and anything above 25 mIU/mL is considered positive for pregnancy.
The First Response Early Result wand test can detect the pregnancy hormone hCG at lower levels than most home pregnancy tests, so it's a good choice for anyone who wants to test before they've missed a period.