Whether you are trying to conceive or hoping that you haven’t conceived, it is really frustrating when your period is late arriving but a home pregnancy test shows a negative result. How can you have no period but a negative pregnancy test? Which do you believe?

This situation produces an emotional roller-coaster, regardless of your individual hopes. You will be reassured to know that there are several explanations for this occurrence. Firstly, there are numerous explanations for your period being late other than you being pregnant, and it is common to have no period but negative pregnancy test. We will look at some of the reasons for both these scenarios, individually.

Let’s assume that you actually are pregnant, and maybe even experiencing some pregnancy symptoms; why would the pregnancy test still be showing negative? The most likely explanation is that you are using one of the less sensitive brands of test kits that are available. What this means is that the test can only detect hCG when it has reached a certain level in your body, and yours hasn’t reached this level yet; this level may not be reached for several days after the actual conception.

The pregnancy hormone, hCG, is produced when the fertilized egg implants into the uterus wall, and sends a signal for production to begin. At first, only small amounts of hCG are released but the amount doubles each day. Some low-sensitivity test kits only detect higher levels of the hormone, which may not be reached for a week or two. Many test kits advise you to wait for at least one day after your period was due, but if you have lower levels of the hormone, you still may get a negative reading. The amount of hormone in the body varies greatly between individuals.

You have basically two choices; either wait another week and test again or use a more sensitive brand of test. Make sure you test your urine first thing in the morning, when concentrations of hCG are highest. Drinking lots of water before doing a test can dilute the levels of hCG in the urine. Another tip is to make sure you wait for the recommended time before accepting the verdict of the test; some kits are slower to react and may take the maximum time to show a result.

If two weeks or more have passed and no period has started, but you are still getting a negative reading, you might want to consult your doctor to make sure that there are no problems. If nothing else, it could put your mind at rest.

As far as reasons for a late or missed period, that have nothing to do with pregnancy, the most common is that periods can be irregular from time to time. A missed period from time to time is considered part of the normal pattern. Factors which can cause this include birth control pills (especially stopping them), weight loss, intense or prolonged exercise, jet-lag, travel to different time zones, stress, lack of sleep and anxiety. Extended periods of stress create an increase in the stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline, which interfere with the reproduction hormones. The other common explanation for a no period but negative pregnancy test is early menopause, and your doctor will be able to test for this.