If you have missed a period, one of the first thoughts that a woman
has is “am I pregnant?” This is because it is the most common reason for you to
miss your period, especially if you have a very regular cycle. The best way to
confirm whether you are pregnant or not, is by taking a home pregnancy test.
Accuracy of Home Pregnancy
Tests
The home pregnancy tests have become much more effective over time.
If you get a positive result then there are strong chances that you are
pregnant. This is a great way to answer your burning ‘am I pregnant’ question.
However, if you get a negative answer, then there are still chances that you
may be pregnant.
Negative results come up for a few reasons. The first is that you
are definitely not pregnant and there is another reason for your missed period
– maybe it is just a few days late or you have calculated your date wrong.
However, if you have calculated it wrong, there are chances that you have a
false negative on the test.
Your Menstrual Cycle
While asking yourself “am I pregnant?” you also need to question
when your next period should be. You can do this by counting the number of days
in your cycle from the first day of your last period. The average length of a
cycle is 28 days but that does not mean that you have this cycle, you may find
that your cycle is only 22 days or you may find that you have a 32 day cycle.
Every woman is different.
If you test too early, you will get a negative result. This is
because the home pregnancy tests are based on the level of pregnancy hormones
in your body. If you want to know the answer to ‘am I pregnant’, you will need
to make sure that you have enough hormones in your body for the test to come up
positive. There are some tests that can now check four days before your missed
period but there are others that will need to be done on the day or afterwards.
If you do test negative, then take another test a week later if you have still
not had your period.
Incorrect Testing and
False Positives
Another reason why a false negative may show is because you have
taken the test incorrectly. This may happen if you have not urinated on the
test enough or if you have held the test at the wrong angle afterwards. You
should read the instructions fully before you take a test to find out the
answer to ‘am I pregnant’.
Finally, there are times when a false positive may occur. This is
usually the case when it comes to having an early miscarriage. Many women will
have a miscarriage without every realizing. The problem is that the pregnancy
hormones will still be in your system for about a week afterwards. If you take
a pregnancy test during this time, your test will come out positive – if there
are enough of the hormones. If you suspect a miscarriage has occurred, take a
test a week later to find out the answer to ‘am I pregnant?’
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