QuestionI am now 10 days late for my period, am always very regular normally on a 26 day cycle. Took a home pregnancy test on 5th day of being late but was negative. Feel pregnant in some ways. What's the chances of a false negative and how long should i wait for period to come before seeing the Doc.
AnswerDear Beth,
False negative pregnancy tests most often occur when the test is done too early. I would suggest waiting another five days and testing again. If those results are negative, you can either wait for the next cycle to see if your periods resume or have your doctor's office do a quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG). That test will give an actual amount of hCG in your bloodstream rather than just a positive/negative result. Any amount of 25 mIU/ml or more would be considered positive for pregnancy.
There are many various causes for amenorrhea (absence of periods) - pregnancy being just one. Others can be:
-Hormonal imbalances, which cause fluctuating levels of the hormones needed to
support menstruation
-Emotional or physical stress / Depression
-Rapid weight loss or gain
-Change in diet
-Low body weight
-Obesity
-Frequent or strenuous exercise
-Cysts or tumors in the ovaries
-Thyroid or Pituitary dysfunction
-Certain medications or drug use
-Menopause OR Premature ovarian failure (menopause before age 40)
-Occasionally stopping birth control pills
The general recommendation is that if you miss three consecutive periods and pregnancy is not the reason, you should see your doctor so that a cause can be determined.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. Sorry for the delay in answering - the system SHOULD have had me on vacation, so I wasn't checking in. I wish you well.
Brenda
