Delayed Period & Negative Pregnancy Tests: What Should You Do?

Question
My husband and I have been trying 6 months now to get pregnant. I started the
ovulation kit, which tells me i ovulate on cycle days 23, 24, 25. we had sex all 3
of those days. my last period started aug 23, my regular cycle is 29 to 30 days. I
was a day late, htp show negative, I was diappointed. it has been 5 days late and
my breast are tender and swollen but hpt still shows negative.  Now it is
officially 1 week late and should i do another htp test or go to doctor.

Answer
Dear Daisi,

If you are ovulating that late in your cycle then, even if you did conceive, you are going to have a delay in getting a positive test. Most tests claim accuracy on or about the 1st day of a missed period, but this is based on the fact that most women will have conceived on approximately cycle day 14-15. So, it will have allowed two weeks for implantation to have occurred and hCG to start being produced in enough of a quantity to let a urine test pick it up.

In your case, if you are not ovulating until CD 23-25, there is no possible way you will get a positive test until at LEAST two weeks after that. And I usually recommend that women wait until the week after a missed or spotty period before testing, which is approximately 3 weeks after a potential conception date. This tends to minimize the incidence of false negative results.

I would suggest that you wait until no less than 2 (and preferably 3) weeks after the potential conception dates before testing again. Make sure that you are using 1st morning urine to get a concentrated sample for the most accurate results.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda