If you haven’t had your period but your pregnancy test is still negative, you may be wondering what that means, especially if you’re trying to get pregnant.
It is important to know that false negative results are possible. This often happens when you take a pregnancy test too early in your menstrual cycle or if you do not follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Fluctuations in your menstrual cycle can lead to false negative results.
“Not everyone has regular periods,” explains Julia Arnold VanRooen, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and gynecologist. “It’s normal to have a period every 21 to 35 days, and your period can vary from month to month.”
In addition to these common menstrual cycle fluctuations, there are other possible reasons for a missed period, including taking a pregnancy test too early. Read on to learn why you might have missed your period, how accurate pregnancy tests are, and when to call your healthcare provider.
Reasons why your period is late even though your pregnancy test is negative
When it comes to missing periods, there are many reasons why you might stop getting your period, from hormonal levels and stress to excessive exercise and significant weight changes.
In fact, the most likely causes of missed periods in women of reproductive age are pregnancy, stress, or side effects from birth control pills. But there can be other factors. Let’s take a closer look at the most common causes of missed periods that have nothing to do with pregnancy.
Lifestyle factors
Are you exercising too much, breastfeeding, or dealing with a lot of stress? Any of these factors can affect your period, causing it to be late or even missing altogether, says Dr. VanRooen. This is because these conditions affect your estrogen levels.
“Estrogen, the hormone that builds the lining of the uterus and is then released during menstruation, is produced primarily in the ovaries, but also in the adrenal glands and fat cells,” explains Dr. VanRooen. “So weight gain and loss can cause changes in estrogen levels in the body.”
At the same time, stress causes the adrenal glands to produce other hormones, such as cortisol, which can inhibit estrogen secretion, he says. “Even excessive exercise, which reduces body fat very much, can lead to a drop in estrogen levels.”
You may not get your period while breastfeeding, especially if you are exclusively breastfeeding. This is because the milk-producing hormone prolactin temporarily suppresses estrogen production. However, most healthcare providers recommend using some form of birth control while breastfeeding if you do not want to get pregnant.
Medicine
Many different medications can cause delayed or absent periods. For example, hormonal forms of birth control, such as birth control pills, patches, vaginal rings, and some types of IUDs, can affect the onset of menstruation, says Dr. VanRooen.
“Many people experience significantly less menstrual bleeding or stop completely when they take hormonal birth control,” she adds. “This is normal and is not dangerous or a cause for concern. Other medications that can cause changes in the menstrual cycle include steroids, anticoagulants (blood thinners), and some chemotherapy drugs.”
Hormonal fluctuations
Changes in hormone levels in the body can cause your periods to stop or stop. For example, if you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), this can lead to irregular periods.
Similarly, your pituitary gland regulates the production of hormones that affect many bodily functions, including your reproductive cycle. Tumors in your pituitary gland can affect your menstrual cycle, causing you to miss your period or experience other symptoms. Fortunately, these tumors are usually benign and can be treated with medical care.
A missed period or missed period can be a sign that you’re entering menopause, the period before menopause when reproductive hormones decline, explains Joan Armstrong, MD, OB/GYN, vice president and medical director of Women’s Health and Genomics at CVS Health.
“In the years leading up to menopause, usually sometime after age 40, ovarian function becomes increasingly erratic and gradually declines, and hormone levels also drop,” says Dr. VanRooen. “The average age of menopause in the United States is 51, so there is a decade or more of hormonal changes as you get older, and menstrual irregularities can occur at this age.”
Ectopic pregnancy
Occurring in 1-2 percent of pregnancies, an ectopic pregnancy can result in a negative pregnancy test. In this type of pregnancy, the embryo usually implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, but it can also occur elsewhere. “The risk of an ectopic pregnancy increases when there is damage or scarring to the fallopian tube, such as from an infection or previous surgery,” says Dr. VanRooen.
An ectopic pregnancy does not develop normally and cannot survive. Not only is the placenta delayed in development, but the production of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is also disrupted. This can also be dangerous if it leads to the fallopian tube rupturing.
“Initially, an ectopic pregnancy develops like a normal pregnancy, but once it reaches a certain size, the fallopian tube is not designed to grow like the uterus, so it can’t grow any further,” Dr. VanRooen said. “This can lead to increased pain, bleeding, and, if left untreated, rupture of the fallopian tube, which is a life-threatening emergency.”
If you experience symptoms such as missed periods, severe abdominal pain, fainting, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or sudden vaginal bleeding, contact your emergency care provider or go to the nearest emergency room. These may be signs of an ectopic pregnancy.
Health status
Many conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can cause menstrual irregularities, says Dr. Armstrong. “PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects ovarian function, causing anovulation due to ovarian failure and elevated androgen levels.”
He pointed out that endometriosis (abnormal growth of tissue outside the uterus), von Willebrand disease (a blood clotting disorder), and endometrial cancer (cancerous cells in the lining of the uterus) can all cause irregular, heavy, or absent periods.
Can a negative pregnancy test result be wrong?
In most cases, a home pregnancy test is a reliable way to determine if you are pregnant. However, if you have missed your period, have a negative result, and are certain that you are pregnant, your result may be a false negative, especially if you tested too early or did not follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
In fact, researchers point out that the most common cause of false positive results is testing before there is enough hCG in the urine. This usually happens when the due date of your period is miscalculated.
Even if you are absolutely certain about the date of your last menstrual period, there can still be significant differences between cycles. Home pregnancy tests are very reliable, providing 99% accurate results, but it is important to note that these claims are based on laboratory testing of urine samples under ideal conditions. For this reason, the IRL accuracy of home pregnancy tests may actually be lower. In fact, a review of published studies found that the sensitivity of home pregnancy tests decreased when people tested their own urine.
“Pregnancy tests based on urine samples are usually effective enough for people who have missed their period or who can take another test the following week,” says Dr Armstrong.
However, if it’s important to rule out pregnancy because of other upcoming medical plans or procedures, she says, you can talk to your doctor about getting a serum or blood test. These tests can help determine if your at-home result is truly negative.
When to contact a healthcare provider
If you’ve missed two or three periods in a row and your pregnancy test is still negative, contact your healthcare provider. After three missed periods, most doctors will start some type of testing to evaluate why you haven’t had a period, says Dr. VanRooen.
“It’s normal to have periods or periods that are missed or missed from time to time throughout our lives,” Dr. Armstrong adds. “However, if you’ve missed two or three periods in a row, you should see a healthcare provider to determine if there’s an underlying cause. It’s important not to ignore missed periods.”
