It can be beyond nerve-racking to be late for your period. Your first thought is probably that you’re pregnant. Yet, a pregnancy test yields negative results.
This makes you feel both stressed and confused. However, there are quite a few reasons that you can be late and have a negative pregnancy test.
In this article
A Negative Pregnancy Test Might Mean You’re Not Pregnant
If you’ve never been late on your period before, it can be baffling that you would be late and not be pregnant. However, there are quite a few reasons that you could be late on your period.
Being pregnant is only one of many reasons that you wouldn’t be late.
New Birth Control Can Make You Miss A Period
It’s relatively common for new birth control to mess up your cycle. Some people might have a lighter period. Others might spot for a couple of days, yet never have what they would consider a normal period. Then there are those that might skip their period altogether.
Some birth control methods, such as the Depo shot, are known for making you miss periods. If you are on this as a birth control method, take an accurate pregnancy test again in a week.
If it’s still negative, you can trust that it’s due to your birth control.
Stress Can Make You Skip A Period
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Think about what has been going on lately. Have you been doing a lot more than usual? If you’ve been running errands non-stop, it can put physical stress on your body. This can be a lot to deal with and can have an impact on your period.
Mental stress is also known for causing a late or missed period and a negative pregnancy test. If you’ve been on edge lately, this could be the reason behind your missed/late period.
Being anxious, nervous, or going through an emotional time can make you overwhelmed mentally. This can also result in you not having a period.
Illness Can Cause Missed Period
If you’ve been sick lately, that can be the reason why you missed a period but had a negative pregnancy test. This could be a common cold.
For some women, it has to be a more serious illness that results in a fever. Every woman is different. If you’ve been sick lately, it could be why your period was a no show, though.
Changing Your Schedule Can Make You Late
If you’ve suddenly switched from a first shift job to a third shift job, it can knock your internal clock off balance.
Not only will your days and nights be mixed up, everything seems to get confused. This can make you late, or even miss a period or two completely until your body adjusts to the new schedule.
Breastfeeding Can Lead To Missed Period Negative Test
If you’re breastfeeding, you can expect your period to be messed up. Some women don’t have a period at all while they are breastfeeding.
Other women may have a light period or an irregular one. You more than likely won’t see it regulate itself out for months still.
A False Negative Pregnancy Test
If there is no reason for you to be late, or miss a period, there’s a chance that you may have wound up with a false negative pregnancy test.
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These tests are designed to detect a hormone that your body produces when it is pregnant called hCG. Every so often, you can get a false negative pregnancy test. There are a few different reasons why this may happen.
You Can Get A False Negative Pregnancy Test If You’re Not Far Enough Along
There are plenty of timelines as to when your body will begin to produce hCG. However, everyone’s body is different. Your body might not produce them until a few days later.
This can result in one pregnancy test giving you a false negative, and the next one saying positive.
There are a number of days that it takes after ovulation in order for your body to accumulate enough of this hormone to show up in a pregnancy test.
If you’ve been super stressed lately, you may have ovulated later than you normally do. This means that you conceived later, and your body started making the hormones later.
A Faulty Test Can Result In A False Negative
Sometimes, you wind up with a faulty test. This is why most people take a few of them just to make sure. If you’ve only taken one, try another one that is a different brand. Sometimes, one brand is more accurate than another.
If the test has a control line, double-check it. The control line is used to let you know that the test is in good condition. If the control line does not show up, you can be relatively certain that you got a faulty test.
Diluted Urine Can Cause A False Negative Pregnancy Test
While it’s great to stay hydrated, drinking too much water can result in a false negative pregnancy test. This is because your urine is so diluted that you are peeing a large portion of water, and a smaller portion of urine.
Look at the color of your urine the next time that you go to the bathroom. If it’s clear, it could be diluted. This will give you a negative pregnancy test.
In order to take a pregnancy test, drink something that isn’t water. Orange juice works really well. Drink orange juice for the morning, and then take a pregnancy test.
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I have kidney stones, but water dissolves them. So, I failed a drug test once because I drink so much water it diluted my urine. I had to take a few more, and I drank orange juice for those. There were no problems with my pee being diluted.
A Miscarriage Can Cause Pregnancy Symptoms, But You Can Have A Negative Pregnancy Test
When your body is getting ready to miscarry, the hCG levels in your body slowly begin to decline instead of increasing. This can result in you never having a positive pregnancy test.
If your body has a hard time carrying a baby and you’re concerned about a possible miscarriage, they can do an ultrasound at the hospital to determine if you’re pregnant.
Your gynecologist can also order blood work. This can tell you if your hCG levels are slightly above normal. They can test them again in a few days to see if they are declining, which will tell you if you need to mentally prepare for a miscarriage.
An Ectopic Pregnancy Can Give You A False Negative Result
When you have an ectopic pregnancy, you do start to produce hCG, but not at the same rate that you do during an average pregnancy. In an average pregnancy, the levels will double every few days.
However, when you have an ectopic pregnancy, the hCG levels are all over the place. One day they will be seemingly normal, but they won’t double every 2-3 days as they should.
They could be higher than normal, or significantly lower. If you’re on the lower end of the spectrum, it will give you a false negative pregnancy test.
When To See A Doctor Even If You Have A Negative Pregnancy Test
There are times when you should see a doctor instead of waiting it out to determine if you are pregnant or not. Remember that if you are concerned, you should always see a doctor. There’s no wrong time to schedule an appointment.
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If You Are Having Other Pregnancy Symptoms
If you’re having other symptoms of being pregnant, and there’s a good chance that you are pregnant, schedule an appointment.
You’re going to drive yourself crazy if you wait the week to re-test. Instead, simply go to the doctor and have some bloodwork done. This can confirm or deny your pregnancy rather quickly.
If there’s a chance you could have an ectopic pregnancy, you’re having other symptoms, such as severe cramping, etc. head over to the ER.
They can also do a blood test to confirm or deny the pregnancy, and can check to make sure you and the baby are okay.
Contact Your Doctor If You’re Two Weeks Late, And That’s Unusual For You
If you have regular periods and are suddenly two weeks late, it’s time to give your doctor a call. Even if you’re not pregnant, there could be something else going on.
For example, if you’re stressed it can cause a late period. Your doctor can refer you to a counselor, prescribe something, or inform you of healthy ways to cope with stress. This can help you feel better, and get your period back to normal.
In Conclusion
If you’re late and had a negative pregnancy test, there are a few reasons why. You could not be pregnant. Your pregnancy may not be far enough along to have a positive pregnancy test.
A faulty test is another common reason. Re-test in another 5-7 days to make sure. Remember, if you’re concerned, always contact your doctor.
