Missed Period: Possible Pregnancy? Symptoms, Testing & Next Steps

Question
I got my last period March 21st and nothing since then. I had unprotected sex on April 1st or 2nd aftermidnight. I haven't had any symptoms of being pregnant but I have never been this late. Stress has made me maybe 3 or 4 days late before but never 15. I felt like my period was coming around 4/21 but nothing and I have been under a lot of stress lately but problems have rendered about a week now. I took 2 HPT both negative and cheap and don't have insurance to go to the Dr. I have read all of the signs of being pregant and I don't feel any changes. I have a lot of cramping and backaches and each day I feel like my period may eventually come on. I also had to take a prescrip of Flagyl a week before my period was due could that have caused me to skip a month or do you think I am pregnant?

Answer
Hi,

You could absolutely be pregnant. Flagyl should not cause you to skip a whole month.

You may not want to hear this but you did have unprotected sex right at the highest peak time to conceive. Not to scare you of course- you really need to go to a doctor and be checked more thoroughly. Sometimes the home tests   read negative gecause they pick up a pregnancy hormone in the urine called HcG. (human chorionic gonadotropin) The cheap home tests are fine to use- but almost all home tests will pick up HcG around 100. In very early pregnancy this number may be too low to detect therefore a negative.

if you are concerned about the cost of the doctors visit: there should be a local pregnancy help center near you that can help. You really do need to see a doctor; worry about the cost later on. It is worth it to get an answer either way. they will do a blood and urine test which are much more accurate than a home test. A blood test would pick up ANY level of HcG and a doctors urine test would pick up usually around 25.

Many women get no symptoms of  being pregnant in the beginning. Ironically though the symptoms of being pregnant are similar to the symptoms of NOT being pregnant (cramps, backache, fatigue, mood swings, acne, etc) You do not have to have morning sickness to be pregnant.

Of course you could just be having irregularity and could get a period any minute. Stress can delay a period.

I know it is a scary situation to be in but please get yourself to a doctor.  
good luck and I hope things turn out well for you, either way.
andi