It happens more often than you might think, so if this happens to you, try not to panic. For women who are trying to conceive, a negative pregnancy test result can be heartbreaking, but for women trying to avoid pregnancy the same result will be pleasing.
The reactions are different, yet the questions remain the same: “Why haven’t I started my period?” and “Why is this pregnancy test negative?”
There are numerous possible answers to both of these questions, so let’s break each one down carefully.
Why Haven’t I Started My Period?
When a woman says her period is late, she actually means her ovulation cycle is late, not the menstrual cycle.
If you’ve made changes in your daily routine either physically or emotionally, it can throw off your cycle and cause you to miss a period.
Remember, a simple one- or two-day delay in ovulation can lengthen your cycle. Other reasons could be:
- Stopping or starting the usage of birth control
- Too much stress
- Diet changes
- Increased activity
- Heavy activity
- Irregular monthly cycles
- Anxiety
- Lack of sleep
- Hormone levels
- Traveling
- Illness
- Medication
- Perimenopause or menopause
- Overweight or underweight issues
- Thyroid problems
Why is This Pregnancy Test Negative?
This shows a negative pregnancy test result
First, it’s important to know that different pregnancy tests yield different results at different points in your cycle, and a lot depends on the accuracy of the test you’re taking.
Some tests can determine whether or not you’re pregnant the day after conception, while others require at least a week, and others take up to 10 days after ovulation to provide an accurate result.
Other reasons for a negative pregnancy test could be:
- You tested too early: Pregnancy tests vary in their sensitivity—that is, in how soon they can detect the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine. It’s extremely possible that you may be pregnant, but your body has not yet secreting enough Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) for the test to measure. Your body needs time for the hormone to rise to a high enough level to be detected in a test. Also, try not to drink fluids before testing, as this can lower or dilute the hCG levels. Early morning urine is usually the best
- You didn’t follow the instructions correctly: Closely following the instructions that come with the test you purchase is key. If you don’t follow the instructions on the home pregnancy test correctly, it could yield false or negative results. You must dip it correctly and/or aim correctly onto the stick to obtain accurate results.
- You missed the reaction time: The instructions will tell you to check the results after a certain number of minutes. If you miss this time, either by checking too early or too late, you could get false results. Letting the test sit for too long makes the test invalid.
What Can You Do Next?
The best thing to do if you are truly worried about the situation is to contact your doctor. Some of the tests available over the counter are unreliable. Doctors can administer more accurate pregnancy tests and get to the bottom of whether or not you are pregnant.
Another logical thing to do is to go back to your local drug store and purchase a more sensitive test. You could also wait another day or two and test again. It can take some women a little longer to build up the hCG hormone, even if they are pregnant.