False Negative Pregnancy Test

Home pregnancy tests available in the market have become a convenient and an inexpensive way of determining pregnancy. These tests are actually quite easy to conduct and are 97% - 99% reliable. However, there are many females, who received a false negative result of pregnancy, even when they were pregnant.

The reason for this cannot be limited to just one factor. Rather, there are several things that may lead to such a result. Let us understand these reasons in detail.

Women who are trying to become pregnant, are usually too excited and may take a pregnancy test soon after they think that conception has occurred. However, they do not realize that it takes some time for the production of hCG to begin in the body.

Even in first few weeks of pregnancy, level of hCG is very less in body and hence, pregnancy test may not be able to detect it. However, there are women who have received a positive pregnancy test even during first few weeks of pregnancy. This is because hCG level is not the same for all pregnant women. so, result of the pregnancy test may vary accordingly.

All home pregnancy tests have a level of sensitivity and only when the hCG level in the urine reaches a certain point, the test can detect pregnancy. Therefore, women who use a low sensitivity test may receive a false negative result during the initial weeks of pregnancy.

To avoid this, one must read the instructions given in the cover carefully. If you conduct the test some days prior to the time recommended on the cover, you are likely to get a negative result. If you have got a number of false negative tests after a missed period, it will be best to buy a pregnancy test that has high sensitive level.

Most pregnancy tests instruct that the test should be done early morning as the urine at this time is not diluted with other fluids and hence, it may become easy to detect the hCG level.

However, if the woman conducts the test at some other time of the day, it is most likely for her to get a false negative result. Moreover, if the pregnancy test strip is not held in the urine stream properly, the chances of getting a false negative are really high.

Apart from the factors that are mentioned earlier, another reason can be missed reaction time. In other words, if the pregnancy strip is not held till the time that is mentioned on the cover of the kit, there are chances of getting a negative feedback.

Hence, one should not discard the pregnancy strip till the time mentioned by the manufacturer. Also, one should read the instructions carefully before trying the pregnancy test, to receive an accurate result.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy, but are getting a negative test result, it is advisable to visit the doctor and get blood tests done. Though blood tests for pregnancy results are usually accurate, there have been cases, where the woman has received a false negative blood pregnancy test.

The reason for this can be, that you have done the test during the very early stage of conception. In this case, it is better to wait for a few weeks and repeat the test once again. Apart from this, conducting an ultrasound can also be helpful in determining pregnancy accurately.