Does negative HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) mean no pregnancy?

kucharski · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 15

Hi, I'm 24 years old and recently my boyfriend and I have had unprotected sex. I'm afraid that I might be pregnant. I took the home pregnancy test once and it was negative. I have heard that these tests are very unreliable and unsafe, one of my friends took the test two times, once it was negative and the second time it turned out to be positive. How really reliable are those tests and why do they have to be taken two times?

marthaler · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 18

Home pregnancy tests are very common these days and in most cases they will be accurate, some producers claim 99% accuracy if the test is done properly. They work on the very simple principal, they are detecting the levels of human chorionic gonadotropine (hCG) which is produced by the placenta of the newly forming embryo. If there is even the smallest amount of hCG in the blood it is a certain sign that youre pregnant. The reason why the first test might be negative is that some tests can't detect very low concentrations of the hCG, if the test is done few days after the first one it is usually positive because in the meantime the amount of the hCG increases. So if you took the HPT once and if it turned out to be negative it doesn’t have to meant that you’re not pregnant. You should take it again approximately a week after the first one and if that one turns out to be negative then it is a certain sign that you’re not pregnant. Still it would be the best for you to go to your gynecologist if you have doubts about the accuracy of the tests, because there is a possibility that you are doing it wrong.

Butterfly1970 · Newbie Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 2

Hi,

I did a hpt about 2 weeks ago and the first two came out positive. I went to the hospital because I had very light spotting and they said I was pregnant, my hormone level was at 5. I then tested again at home ad have had negative results. I went on a trip and before the plane landed I was nauseous and vomiting and continued to do so for about 2 days. Could I be pregnant? I don't have tender breasts at all.

Does negative HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) mean no pregnancy?

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