Pregnancy Tests and False Negatives

There's usually a lot of excitement and anxiety involved in taking pregnancy tests, and false negatives can be frustrating. Home pregnancy tests are very accurate even early in a pregnancy, especially if you follow the instructions with care. A blood test at the doctor's office can sometimes detect a pregnancy even earlier than a home test. But false negatives are always possible.

What is a false negative?

Receiving a false negative result on a home pregnancy test means the test result stated you are not pregnant when in fact you are pregnant.

Pregnancy Tests and False Negatives: Possible Causes

There are many different types of home pregnancy tests, and false negatives may happen for one of several reasons:

Miscalculated Reaction Time

It is important to follow the manufacturers directions thoroughly. Some pregnancy tests, such as the digital EPT Pregnancy Test take three minutes before the results will process fully, while other tests make take two or four minutes. Be aware as well, if you let the test sit for too long, the test may also produce a false negative result.

Detection Attempt Too Early

Most home pregnancy tests are extremely accurate if you wait until you have missed your first period and/or fourteen days from the date of conception. They are not as accurate when testing within a few days of conception. In general, if you follow the manufacturer instructions, you can expect accurate results from home pregnancy tests and false negatives, while still possible, will be minimized.

Home tests are designed to detect minute amounts of a pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in the urine. But in the first few days of pregnancy, hCG levels may be too low to give a positive result. Home pregnancy tests vary in their ability to detect small amounts of hCG in the urine, and hCG levels rise a little differently in different women. It is possible you are pregnant, but there is not yet a significant amount of hCG in your urine.

Erratic Technique

In order for a home pregnancy test to work properly, it is necessary to saturate the test strip thoroughly. If you did not leave the test strip in your urine stream or in the cup long enough, you may receive a false negative test result.

Old Pregnancy Test

Always check the expiration date on the home pregnancy test packaging before making your purchase. An out of date test kit is apt to provide inaccurate results.

Medications and Medical Conditions

Certain fertility medications and rare medical conditions may skew the results of pregnancy tests, and false negatives may be more common in these situations.

What To Do If You Think You Received a False Negative

This is one reason it is a good idea to buy dual-pack home pregnancy test kits. Normally, a kit containing two tests only costs a few dollars more, and in the event the first test result is not what you expected, you will have a second test available. If you receive a negative test result, wait three days. If your period has not started, take another test. If you receive another negative result, but still believe you may be pregnant, make an appointment with your physician. It could be you are not pregnant but are suffering from some other condition that may require medical treatment.

In Conclusion

No one likes waiting to find out if she is pregnant. However, to get the most accurate results, it is necessary to wait until you have missed a period, or fourteen days from conception, and to follow the pregnancy test instructions thoroughly.

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