For many women, having a pregnancy test produce a negative result answers the question and allows them to move forward with the knowledge that for the moment, they are not expecting a child. There are times, however, when your pregnancy test comes up negative, but you still have pregnancy symptoms. Several factors can produce a negative result even though you have symptoms of pregnancy.
You Are Pregnant
A negative result on a pregnancy test does not automatically mean you are not pregnant, according to the Just Mommies website. Though the tests are designed to be accurate, they can and do give both false positive and false negative results. If you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms even after a negative pregnancy test results, it is still possible you are pregnant. Taking another at-home test or making an appointment with your doctor can help you determine if this is the case.
Tested Too Early
According to the Mayo Clinic, if you take the test before you have missed the first day of your period, you may get a false-negative result. Your body needs to have time to manufacture enough pregnancy hormone to show up on a pregnancy test. Though many pregnancy tests advertise that you can get an accurate result from the first day of a missed period, the Mayo Clinic recommends you wait until your period is one week late before taking the test, if you want the most accurate reading.
Test Not Properly Timed
Not timing the pregnancy test properly can also provide a false negative test. The Mayo Clinic recommends you do not wait longer than 15 minutes after collecting your urine sample to administer the test.
In addition, once the test has been administered, you need to watch the clock and be sure to time the wait properly. Using a kitchen timer can ensure the test is as accurate as possible.
Using Diluted Urine
Most pregnancy tests recommend that you take them first thing in the morning because that is when your urine sample will be the most concentrated. If you wait until later in the day or you ingest a large amount of water before taking the test, you could have a negative result but still experience pregnancy symptoms because you really are pregnant.
Photo Credit
- pregnant woman image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
