Modern home pregnancy tests (which use a urine sample to detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG, a hormone produced during pregnancy) are very reliable. So, most of the time, getting a negative result on a pregnancy test means that you are probably not pregnant. But there are a few situations in which a false negative can happen. For example, very early in pregnancy, you may get a negative pregnancy test result if you test in the afternoon. Show
If you do get a negative pregnancy test result but still think you may be pregnant, test a few days later and/or contact your doctor for guidance. Learn more about situations in which you may be pregnant but get a negative pregnancy test. Testing Too EarlyPregnancy tests will always be more accurate if you wait until your period is late before testing. Even a test marketed as giving an early answer can give you a false negative if you test before your menstrual period is due. For example, say that you tend to have a typical, 28-day menstrual cycle. You're more likely to get an accurate reading from a pregnancy test if you wait until you haven't had a period for at least 29 days. To be extra safe, you might even consider waiting until day 36, since menstrual cycles in adult women can be anywhere from 21 to 35 days long. Menstrual cycles in young teens can even be as long as 45 days. When you become pregnant, your level of hCG tends to double every two to three days in the early weeks of gestation. If you test for pregnancy too early, your level of hCG may be so low that it's undetectable by an at-home pregnancy test. Not Conducting the Test ProperlyIf you make a mistake while using the test, such as not using enough urine on the test stick or not waiting long enough to see a result, you may get an incorrect result. But usually, if the control line shows up, that means your test result is accurate. Testing Late in the DayIn very early pregnancy, it is possible (but not common) that drinking a lot of water during the day and testing in the afternoon or evening could affect the accuracy of the test. When urine is diluted, it can be harder for some pregnancy tests to determine whether hCG is present. However, research suggests that highly sensitive pregnancy tests should stand the challenge of diluted urine. To be safe, test earlier in the morning to avoid any confusion. Negative Test After Positive TestIf you get a negative pregnancy test after having previously had a positive test result, you may be having a miscarriage—especially if you are also having abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding and if you notice the loss of any pregnancy symptoms (such as fatigue, nausea, and sore breasts). There is a chance that one of the issues above might be affecting the accuracy of your second pregnancy test if you are still in very early pregnancy. When in doubt, call your doctor's office for advice. A Word From VerywellIf your period is late but your pregnancy test is negative, there are a number of possible explanations. Call your doctor if you believe that you are pregnant. They may perform a blood test, which can detect not just the presence of hCG, but the amount. Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
By Krissi Danielsson Thanks for your feedback! Home pregnancy tests are a common tool used to find out if you’re expecting. Most at-home pregnancy tests are dipsticks that are placed in a urine stream. The stick is then able to detect human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a hormone produced during early pregnancy. Some pregnancy tests detect hCG very early in pregnancy. Reputable home pregnancy tests can be highly accurate, but they are not foolproof. False-positive and false-negative tests can occur for a variety of reasons. It’s also important to remember that once you have a positive pregnancy test, it’s important to talk with your doctor about beginning early prenatal care. Read on to learn more about false positives on home pregnancy tests. It’s possible to have a positive pregnancy test even if you aren’t technically pregnant. This is called a false positive. It’s sometimes caused by a chemical pregnancy. A chemical pregnancy occurs if a fertilized egg, known as the embryo, is unable to implant, or grow, very early on. This can happen for many reasons. Some causes of chemical pregnancies are unknown. They are thought to be very common, but they typically go undetected if a pregnancy test isn’t taken. These early test results, when wrong, can be emotionally draining. For that reason, it’s recommended you wait until 1 week after you expected your period to start to use an at-home pregnancy test. Sometimes a fertilized egg can implant itself outside of the main cavity of the uterus, which causes an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is a serious medical emergency and must be addressed immediately. Ectopic pregnancies usually happen if a fertilized egg gets stuck in a fallopian tube during its journey to the uterus. This type of ectopic pregnancy is also known as a tubal pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy can just happen, but risk factors include:
Ectopic pregnancies can also occur in the cervix, ovary, or abdominal cavity. An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency. It can’t continue to become a normal pregnancy and it can be damaging to the woman if left untreated.. The embryo isn’t viable because there’s no place for it to grow or thrive outside of the uterus. Extreme blood loss or loss of the reproductive organs can occur. Bleeding and pain in early pregnancy need to be evaluated by a medical professional immediately. The embryo will still produce hCG, even though it has implanted in the wrong place. That can cause a false-positive reading on an at-home pregnancy test. Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include:
Seek immediate medical help if you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy. You may continue to test positive for pregnancy following the loss of a pregnancy, either through miscarriage or abortion. During pregnancy, the hCG levels continue to rise, in general doubling every few days, and peaking at around 10 weeks. This is before the placenta is formed and functional around week 12. The hormone can remain in your blood and urine for up to 6 weeks following the end of the pregnancy. It’s possible to have a false-positive test until your hCG levels return to their prepregnancy state. If the miscarriage was spontaneous, it’s also possible that not all the pregnancy-related tissue was eliminated. This can cause hCG levels to remain elevated, among other more worrisome symptoms such as ongoing bleeding or fever. An ultrasound is generally needed to determine if an intrauterine pregnancy is identified, lost, or if there is a fetus without cardiac activity. When this occurs, sometimes a minor surgical procedure called a dilation and curettage (D and C) is often required to remove the tissue, depending upon your symptoms and how far along the pregnancy was. At-home pregnancy tests aren’t foolproof. It’s important to follow package directions exactly. Check the expiration date before using the test. Even with these safeguards, user error can occur. One of the most common mistakes is taking the test too early during your cycle. This can cause either a false negative or a false positive It’s also important to use the test when your urine isn’t diluted excessively with water. Use the test when your urine is very concentrated, like when you first wake up in the morning. Leaving the dipstick in your urine stream for the exact amount of time allotted is also important. Consider setting a timer on a stopwatch or your phone. That can help you track how long the dipstick has been in your urine stream. You’ll want to use a timer again while you wait for your results. Checking your results during the result time frame is also important. Sometimes an evaporation line can be mistaken for a positive pregnancy test. Some at-home tests show two lines when hCG is detected and one line when hCG isn’t detected. The lines are usually a bright color, such as pink, red, or blue. Sometimes, a faint-colored second line will appear. This line may represent an early pregnancy, or it may be an evaporation line. It’s probably an evaporation line if the line is completely colorless. Evaporation lines may show up on a test you view after your urine has evaporated completely. Sometimes they’re caused by hormonal levels that don’t represent pregnancy. The best way to try and prevent being confused by an evaporation line is to follow the test’s timing directions exactly as they’re given. If you’re trying to become pregnant under a doctor’s care, you may be taking fertility medications. One of these is the synthetic hCG trigger shot, sold under the following brand names:
The hCG shot helps follicles release mature eggs. It may cause a false-positive reading on an at-home pregnancy test, particularly if the test is taken too early. Other medications can also cause false-positive pregnancy tests. They include but aren’t limited to:
A positive at-home pregnancy test result should always be followed up with a doctor’s appointment. Your doctor may give you a urine or blood test to confirm the results and monitor your hCG levels. They may also order a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm that the pregnancy is proceeding normally. A follow-up ultrasound may be needed after about 1 week — if it’s early — to verify the results. If you’ve received a false positive, your doctor’s visit will determine that. Depending on your situation, it might be a relief to find out you’re not pregnant. But if you were excited by your early results, it can be very upsetting. Remember that false positives do happen and are not an indication that you cannot become pregnant in the future. If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for 12 months, you might want to consider having an infertility evaluation or working with an infertility specialist. Women ages 35 and older who have been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for 6 months are recommended to seek an infertility evaluation. There are support groups where you can find inspiration and obtain knowledge from women who have been through the same thing. Working one-on-one with a therapist, family member, or trusted friend can also be beneficial. Can you still be pregnant if the doctor's urine test is negative?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.
Is a doctor's urine pregnancy test more accurate than a home test?The pregnancy tests you get at the drugstore work 99 out of 100 times. They're just as accurate as a urine pregnancy test that you'd get at a doctor's office. Pregnancy tests work by checking your urine (pee) for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Your body only makes this hormone if you're pregnant.
What can cause a falseAs for what can cause a negative pregnancy test, there are a few potential explanations.. Testing Too Early. False negative pregnancy tests are “almost always” caused by timing, meaning the user is testing too soon, according to Dr. ... . Diluted Urine. ... . Too Much or Fragmented hCG Hormone.. Can a positive pregnancy test from the doctor be wrong?Certain Medications
Some medications may create a false positive pregnancy test result as well. These include some anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety drugs, antihistamines, diuretics, chemotherapy medications, antipsychotics, drugs that treat Parkinson's disease, and methadone.
|
Positive at home pregnancy test but negative at doctor
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 pauex Inc.
