Your Period is Late But the Pregnancy Test is Negative – What’s Happening?
When the dreaded Aunt Flo comes knocking, it is time to pack those stunning outfits and wrap yourself in pyjamas with a hot water bag by your side and over a gazillion chocolates.
But what do you do when Aunt Flo is late? Unfortunately, it never feels like good news. The obvious conclusion we all jump to is pregnancy. If you weren’t planning for it, it can come as quite a shock. So, you head over to the nearest medical shop and buy yourself a home pregnancy test. You get down to it and wait patiently, almost expecting the two lines to show up any moment. But they don’t.
You’re relieved at first but then puzzled about the late period. A negative result despite a late period can really put your menntrual health in question, especially when home pregnancy tests promise 98% accuracy. But don’t panic yet; there are reasons for such a hiccup. Let’s have a look at some of the most common ones:
You got your cycle mixed up
The length of a menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman but on average, you will get your period every 28 days. Now, at times, our stress-filled lifestyle gets in the way of this cycle and derails it. The result is a delayed period. For instance, if you’re on any medication, or you’ve started your birth control and missed a dose, your cycle can be ever so slightly affected. Even emergency contraceptive pills tend to delay your period. Factors like these lead to changes in your average cycle so your delayed period might be just that – delayed.
Regularly track your menstrual cycle. The traditional calendar marking is sufficient, or if you need more data regarding your cycle, there are applications that track it from PMS to ovulation, so you’re aware of even minute changes in your cycle.
The test malfunctioned
Check the expiration date on a home pregnancy test before buying it. An expired test will never show you the right result. These tests contain a chemical for detecting hCG levels in urine, a hormone that is released when the embryo implants itself on the uterine wall. This hormone rapidly rises in the first few weeks of your pregnancy, around the time you find yourself worrying about your late period. Like every other chemical, this, too, is prone to expiration which is why you should always check the date of manufacture.
Took the test too early
It’s only natural to take the test as soon as you realise you’re late but sometimes, that’s too soon. It takes approximately 12 days for the egg to implant successfully so it might take an additional week or two for your hCG levels to rise sufficiently for detection. Therefore, it is always advisable to take the test at least a week after your missed period. Wait for other symptoms to kick in, like painful breasts, nausea, or back pain. It’s also possible to get a false negative when your hCG levels are too high which happens when you’re carrying twins or triplets. It’s called the ‘hook effect’ a term for when you’re simply ‘too pregnant’!
Taken the test incorrectly
Even the slightest mistake can cause errors in the results shown by a home pregnancy test. Always read the instructions on the packaging properly before going ahead with the test. Make sure that you take the test early in the morning; that’s when the hCG levels are highest in your body and the test will instantly detect them to give you an accurate result. Also, patience is key. Some tests take more time than others and require you to stand back and wait patiently.
PCOS and other conditions
Even the slightest changes in hormonal levels can cause erratic changes in an otherwise normal cycle. Other than lifestyle changes, medical conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can severely affect women’s health. PCOS is a condition wherein the ovaries are enlarged and contain cysts. This, along with high levels of androgen (male hormone), can cause severe menstrual irregularities. If this is the case, and if you notice symptoms like excessive hair growth, or obesity, it is advisable to see your gynaecologist.
All in all, don’t panic. More often than not, a negative test result in spite of a late period is due to the reasons mentioned above. If you’ve done everything right, and you are absolutely sure it’s not a false negative, then schedule an appointment with the gynaecologist and take it from there.
Also read: Superstitions Around Periods that are Still Haunting Women in India
(Edited by Varsha Roysam)
