How Common is..?

Question

How common is it to have a false negative pregnancy test, especially early on in the pregnancy? I know of some people who tested negative for half the pregnancy. I'm just wondering how likely it is to happen.

I went to the doctors today and he sent me for a blood test so I guess I'll know for sure tomorrow...thanks guys!

Answer 1

Most urine pregnancy tests will only detect an HCG level of greater than 50 IU/L. A false negative will result if you test too early (normal HCG may not reach that levels until a week after your missed period, or later, depending on your cycles), or if you over-hydrate.

It is possible to have a false positive, most notably if you're receiving a hormone treatment such as HCG injections, or if you've had a pregnancy in the last 4 weeks (miscarried, ectopic, or aborted).

The blood tests are more accurate, by far. If you are getting a negative result, and your period is late, wait one week and re-test. If you get a second negative, contact your doctor's office and request a blood workup. Good luck!

Answer 2

Early in pregnancy is very common, maybe your hcg levels are not quite high yet to be read by the pregnancy test. Some other women keep testing negative until they go to the dr and get a blood test done, that's the only test that will tell you for sure if you are pregnant. It is very common to get false negatives, happens everyday.

Answer 3

False negative readings can occur when testing is done too early. Quantitative blood tests and the most sensitive urine tests usually detect hCG shortly after implantation, which can occur anywhere from 6 to 12 days after ovulation.[1] Beta hCG levels rise exponentially in the first two months or so of pregnancy so the earlier the test is performed, the higher the chance of a false negative result. Less sensitive urine tests and qualitative blood tests may not detect pregnancy until three or four days after implantation. Menstruation occurs on average 14 days after ovulation, so the likelihood of a false negative is low once a menstrual period is late.

False positive results can result from diseases like choriocarcinomas, IgA deficiencies, heterophile antibodies, enterocystoplasties, gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD), gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (GTN), and testicular germ cell malignancies. Also, many home pregnancy tests show a positive or unclear result when read well after the suggested 3-5 minute window, independent of an actual pregnancy; this type of false positive is also known as an evaporation line. Additionally anyone who has been given an hCG injection would also give a false positive.

Some individuals react to some substrate in the test and thus will display a consistently low positive blood pregnancy test even though they are not pregnant. This phantom hCG may lead to serious misdiagnosis and intervention, but can be detected with serial dilutions. Patients with phantom hCG have a positive blood hCG but a negative urine hCG test.[citation needed]

Again, false negatives are uncommon--but it depends on the history of your hCG...if you really want to know, seek an analysis of your hCG with an OBGYN--false negatives are normally not likely with tests, especially if your period is late. Regardless of what your reading is---if you see a positive reading you should definitely consider yourself positive and seek an OBGYN appointment.

Answer 4

I wouldn't say it is 50% of the time but I have known of people taking the hpt and it reading incorrectly.
One doctor states it is due to stress. Stress can throw off a pregnancy test. My friend took one and it showed positive. She set up an appointment and went to the doctor. By blood test she was told she is not pregnant.
If you take a pregnancy test right after having a child it can read incorrectly. The left over hormones can throw the test off.

To tell for sure you should always have your blood drawn by a doctor to tell if you are pregnant or not.

Answer 5

I tested negative for a few weeks. I knew I was pregnant though. Even the test at the dr's office was negative.

Answer 6

it happened to me with my first i had four negative one of these at my gps it was only because i was adamant that i was pregnant that i tried again at home in the morning as suggested this came back as negative also then the next day a positive so i attended my GP and again a negative after i told him of positive one he sent a test to the hospital to return in two days and finally the admitted that i was pregnant weh hey!!! that was great and now i have two gorgeous daughters

Answer 7

Always remember, there are false negatives but not false positives. It depends on how much of the hormone level in your system is detected. Good Luck to you :)

Answer 8

I have just found out that im pregnet i havent had a period for 2 months now.My eairly test came out neg.

Answer 9

this is why you should always go to the doctor for a blood test, those test just are not reliable.

Answer 10

Very common if you are doing hormone treatments to aid in the getting pregnant.

But hormone levels can vary from person to person and month to month.