Can you get negative urine pregnancy test results when you are pregnant?

Yes, you can get a negative urine pregnancy test result during the early stages of pregnancy, the home tests are not 100% accurate. To test for pregnancy, the urine tests determine the amount of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the hormone of pregnancy, that is in your urine. But they are not very sensitive tests. If there is enough hCG that the test can work to detect it, then the result is a positive test (you are pregnant). In very early pregnancy, until the level of hCG rises high enough for the test to react and give a positive result, you could be pregnant but get a negative test.

It takes about 5-10 days for the fertilized egg to reach the uterine lining. Once it gets there, it implants and starts producing the pregnancy hormone. It can take a couple of days to show up on even more sensitive tests. Therefore, you could have conceived, but not implanted the ovum yet, which still gives a negative test even though could actually be pregnant.

Try taking the test in the morning. That is usually when your urine is most concentrated, making detection of the hCG easier. Wait another week and then recheck. If it still comes up negative, and you still think you might be pregnant, go to your doctor for more sensitive testing or continue to periodically test at home. If you get a subsequent positive test it is usually a good idea to follow with a second test to be sure you didn't have a false positive.

Some medications can give you a false negative, and, as mentioned above, the timing of the test can affect the results. If you did not follow directions properly (for example, if you let the test sit for too long the results may read negative after a while, or if you drink a lot of fluids before taking the test it can dilute your urine and give inaccurate results). It is important to read the results within the amount of time given on the instructions of that particular brand of pregnancy test.

To ensure the best results: Take the test in the morning, if possible, because your hCG (pregnancy hormone) levels are at it's highest, don't drink a lot of fluids before taking the test because it will dilute your urine and can affect the results Take the test no more than 1 day before expected period. Although some tests say that you can see results up to 5 days before your missed period, the percentage of accuracy is very low. Urinate for as long as possible on the foam-like strip. Check the results during the exact window of time suggested by the instructions of the pregnancy test.

A negative test could also be the result of a phantom pregnancy. A phantom pregnancy is where you basically fool your mind and body into thinking it is pregnant. You will still experience pregnancy symptoms but you are not actually pregnant; it is all psychological. Some women have even been able to lactate during a phantom pregnancy. The psychological causes of a phantom pregnancy are usually either paranoia of being pregnant or having an extreme desire to become pregnant.

There are alternative pregnancy tests that can be used in addition to using a home urine pregnancy test. You can go to your OB-GYN to get a proper examination and pregnancy test. They can order a blood test to be done at a lab, or perform one themselves in some cases. A pregnancy blood test can only be performed when ordered by your physician.

There are two types of blood tests to measure the level of hCG: Qualitative and Quantitative beta hcg blood test. The Qualitative blood test is not 100% accurate during the early stages of pregnancy, so it is best to have this test performed after 5 weeks into pregnancy for a more conclusive result. The Quantitative beta hcg pregnancy test is 100% accurate and can be performed as early as 5 days after intercourse. The results will usually take 3 days to come back from the lab and are very accurate and are the best way of determining if you have conceived.