Delayed menstruation with a negative pregnancy test: causes, consequences, what to do

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What is the reason for the absence of menstruation, although all the expected dates for the arrival of the “red days of the calendar” are long gone and the pharmacy pregnancy test is negative? Delays of menstruation in girls by 1, 2, 3 and 5 days or more are quite common. What to do if there are frequent delays and which doctor should you go to in this case?

To begin with, do not go to extremes: rejoice uncontrollably or fall into despair and panic. There may be many reasons why there are no periods, but usually they come down to two main ones - the onset of pregnancy, or manifestations of a malfunction of the ovaries. The absence of a monthly cycle during menopause is a separate, independent topic that we will consider later.

WHAT IS A NORMAL WOMEN'S CYCLE. The beginning of the cycle is counted from the first day of menstruation. It lasts on average 27-30 days. In gynecology, a cycle of 21-35 days is considered the norm. The important factor in this matter is its regularity, and not its duration. A delay in menstruation is considered to be a period that exceeds five days. Such delays up to twice a year are considered normal. In order to control the onset or delay of monthly bleeding, each woman should keep a special calendar, marking the day the next menstruation begins. In this case, failures in the cycle will be immediately noticeable.

Can my period be late if the test is negative?

The content of the article

Maybe in the following cases:

Woman is sick.

The menstrual cycle is associated with several organs. The process involves: the hypothalamic-pituitary system of the brain, ovaries and uterus. Failure of their work leads to the absence of menstruation. The test is not wrong: in this case, the woman is not pregnant. The cause of amenorrhea is problems in the body.

Incorrect use of the test.

The test can be wrong in several cases. If a woman is pregnant, drank a lot of water in the evening, took a diuretic medicine, or suffers from urinary tract diseases, in which the excretion of hCG slows down.

The test is lying.

The work of any rapid test is based on the determination of the hCG hormone (chorionic gonadotropin). During pregnancy, the level of this hormone in the urine increases, and in less than a month reaches a concentration of 10-25 mIU/ml. This positive result is what the test shows. An expired or poor-quality test, even with a high hCG, will show a negative result.

What to do if the test is negative, but there is no menstruation? If you do not have your period and the pregnancy test is negative, you need to repeat the test in a week. Urine for testing must be collected early in the morning - the first portion. Do not take diuretic medications, limit yourself to drinking in the evening. If there is a delay, treat the situation carefully - contact a good gynecologist.

When to take the test?

Typically, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen combined with a delay indicate pregnancy in women. If such a condition is suspected, diagnostic testing to determine beta hCG is recommended. This is a hormone produced in the female body after conception. However, the test often produces false negative or false positive results, especially if the gestation period is minimal.

It is recommended to carry out the analysis no earlier than 5 days from the date of the delay.

In order for the test to show informative data, it is recommended to use the following recommendations:

• the analysis is carried out in the morning, immediately after waking up, since during this period the highest concentration of all substances, including hormones, is observed in the urine;
• urine is collected in a sterile liquid;
• before the analysis, wash the external genitalia;
• after collecting urine, dip the test strip and immediately remove it;
• wait for the period indicated on the packaging; during this time, do not place the strip under open sunlight or heating devices;
• You can get the test result in a maximum of 10 minutes.

It is better to undergo an examination at a antenatal clinic or a gynecologist to get an accurate result. This is especially true for patients whose pain is chronic.

Reasons for missed periods with a negative test

The situation can arise for various reasons. They depend on the woman’s health condition and the true duration of the delay. It is important to understand exactly when your last menstruation was. In any case, a delay in your period is not a reason to panic: it is not always pregnancy or illness.

Let's look at the delay times in more detail.

Delay in menstruation by one day

• Failure of menstruation.
  This is possible due to climate change and accumulated fatigue. The cycle also shifts when taking certain medications, in particular antibiotics. A one day delay is no big deal. Conclusion: you don’t need to do anything on the first day of the delay.
• You are pregnant, but the test was taken early
  . The instructions for the tests say that pregnancy can be tested almost from the first day of the delay. Gynecologists say that this is not so. It happens that the hCG level is low and the test will not detect it even after a week. Sometimes a woman does not know when and on what day conception occurred, so she incorrectly calculates the period.
• Menstrual flow is delayed by a polyp
  . Blockage of the cervix by a polyp leads to atresia, which restricts the flow of menstrual blood. Then, even if your period has begun, the blood will remain inside the uterus for some time. This pathology is called hemotometer. When the uterus fills with blood, it swells, the blood inside stagnates and deteriorates. This condition is a direct threat to life.

If during the menstrual cycle, when your period should come, there is no discharge, but your lower back, lower abdomen hurts, you feel nauseous, and your temperature is elevated, you need to urgently make an appointment with a gynecologist.

Delayed menstruation by seven days

Is this condition dangerous and does it always indicate pregnancy? No! The egg may be delayed from leaving the ovary, which is why menstruation is delayed by a week, even if the woman is not pregnant! You need to wait 3-4 days and take a blood test for hCG. Tests will definitely show whether there is a pregnancy. If you do the tests twice, you can take an online hCG test

Ten days delay in menstruation

If the test gives a negative result, but there is still no period, you need to think: most likely there is a pregnancy, but with a negative test, we can say that it is developing incorrectly or has stopped altogether, and therefore the level of gonadotropin is lower than usual. After a week, if menstruation does not begin, you need to see a gynecologist, get tested for hCG and undergo an ultrasound of the uterus.

Delay in menstruation by 15 days

If there is no delay in menstruation on the 15th day, this is a serious cause for concern. In theory, a new ovulation should occur at this time.

The reason for long delays is not always a normal pregnancy:

• Anemia . A low level of hemoglobin leads to the fact that the female body begins to “save” blood, blocking menstruation.
• Body weight is significantly below normal
  . By losing 10-15 kg in a month, you can achieve amenorrhea.
• Inflammation of the ovaries
  . When inflammation occurs, the release of the egg is disrupted. The production of hormones is disrupted, which causes amenorrhea.
• Diseases of the uterus
  . This category includes endometritis, organ atrophy, and endometrial hypoplasia. With these pathologies, the functional layer of the endometrium becomes thinner and does not exfoliate during menstruation. Accordingly, there is no bleeding. With inflammation, the temperature rises, the lower back and stomach in the area of ​​the uterus hurt.
• Pituitary tumor
  . The reason is hormonal changes in the body, leading to a temporary cessation of menstruation - amenorrhea. The tumor disrupts the functioning of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands - it is in these organs that hormones are produced.
• Placental insufficiency
  . Since the embryo does not receive enough nutrients, the pregnancy does not develop well.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
  . With this disease, cysts form in the ovary. As a result, the secretion of estrogen is disrupted, and the woman’s menstrual cycle is disrupted. Menstrual function may be restored, but then goes astray again.
• Serious illnesses and infections
  . A weakened body may not menstruate in the next menstrual cycle

Psychological reasons

• False pregnancy.
  In this case, menstruation with a negative test is a pattern. With a false pregnancy, the signs of pregnancy are caused by self-hypnosis. This happens if a woman is afraid of getting pregnant or, on the contrary, really wants to have children.
• Stress
  . In a depressed mood, the production of necessary hormones by the hypothalamic-pituitary system is blocked.

Causes of prolonged delay of critical days associated with abnormal pregnancy

• Anembryonic pregnancy
  . An embryo does not develop inside the fertilized egg.
• Ectopic pregnancy
  . With this pathology, the fetus is fixed and develops not in the uterus, but in other reproductive organs: the ovary, cervix, oviduct, peritoneum.
• Frozen pregnancy . There was a fruit, but it died.

If a repeat pregnancy test is negative and menstruation does not occur, you need to see a doctor, undergo an ultrasound and a full examination.

Negative test, nagging pain

If a woman has a negative test, it is recommended to undergo an additional ultrasound examination. If the absence of pregnancy is confirmed, but there is nagging pain and delay, always contact a gynecologist to identify the cause. This applies to patients who experience a delay of 10 days. The reasons may be physiological, temporary deviations affecting hormonal levels:

• psycho-emotional tension, stress;
• poor quality food containing large amounts of dyes, carcinogens, chemical additives, flavorings and other harmful substances;
• hypovitaminosis associated with insufficient intake of vitamin B and ascorbic acid;
• bad habits - smoking, drinking large doses of alcohol;
• lifting excessively heavy objects that cause stress on the pelvic area;
• prolonged state of hypoxia in the absence of walks in the fresh air.

During the interview and history taking, the doctor asks questions about the patient’s lifestyle. Many of these factors affect hormonal levels and the reproductive system:

• the number of calories consumed, the presence of fatty foods in the diet (gynecologists advise eating more greens, fruits and vegetables, they help to regulate the production of progesterone and estrogen);
• sexual activity;
• presence of stress at work.

The gynecologist gives advice on lifestyle changes to improve the function of the reproductive system. A mandatory visit to a doctor is required if the following negative symptoms are present:

• duration of delay from 10 days;
• periodic disruptions in the cyclicity of menstruation;
• complete exclusion of pregnancy if there is a delay of more than 1-2 months.

If there is a combination of delay and severe pain that spreads to adjacent tissues, an examination is required.

Symptoms that will indicate the cause of the delay

Breast pain and menstruation is delayed.

It is impossible to say for sure whether there is a pregnancy during a delay or not based on this sign. Breasts often hurt during PMS, before menstruation and during pregnancy. Swollen, painful breasts are actually associated with tissue swelling caused by hormonal changes. If the mammary glands not only hurt, but have also increased in size, pregnancy is quite likely. All signs of pregnancy can be found HERE.

When menstruation is late, scanty pink or brown discharge occurs.

These are symptoms indicating tubal abortion due to ectopic pregnancy. If the embryo reaches a large size, the tube may rupture. This condition is very dangerous. A habitual early miscarriage has the same symptoms. This usually occurs for genetic and immunological reasons. Such spotting with a negative test should not go undiagnosed, regardless of the day of delay.

When delayed, it pulls the lower back and stomach. It hurts in the lower abdomen.

These are characteristic symptoms of a miscarriage, ectopic or frozen pregnancy. The same pain occurs when a tube or ovary ruptures. Light discharge and pain can also occur with blood retention in the uterus or sexual diseases.

Temperature during delay is 37 and above.

Elevated body temperature indicates an inflammatory process.

If we are talking about basal temperature (in the rectum), then this is a symptom that ovulation has passed. During pregnancy, the basal temperature remains within 37-37.2, and in the event of a miscarriage or miscarriage, the indicator decreases.

The main types of pain outside the presence of menstruation

In the absence of menstruation, there are two types of pain - in the chest and in the lower abdomen. Their reasons are of different nature. You should definitely check your breasts for lumps. If you find something, be sure to contact the clinic. Give freedom to pathological processes - you will have to undergo surgery. Chest pain can also appear due to diet or exercise. In this case, you must reconsider your habits and lifestyle. And pain in the lower abdomen is most often acyclic. Such pains are very long-lasting. The main reasons for its appearance:

• urolithiasis disease;
• endometriosis;
• adhesions in the pelvic area;
• colitis.

Symptoms of approximately the same kind, but not as long lasting, may indicate the presence of uterine fibroids. The disease cannot completely go away on its own, so be sure to contact our clinic, where they will help you start treatment at the earliest stages.

Delay during menopause and breastfeeding

Delayed menstruation during menopause (after 40-45 years).

The first sign of the premenopausal period in all women is a delay in menstruation. This occurs due to a decrease in the concentration of sex hormones. Changes in the duration of the menstrual cycle can reach up to 90 days, while the discharge becomes scanty. Menstruation may not come for several months, but then the cycle is restored.

In women over 40 years of age, the ability to conceive decreases, but pregnancy in this case is still possible. The endometrium thickens at this age, which leads to delayed uterine bleeding. If a delay in menstruation occurs after 40 years, even with a negative test, you must make an appointment with a gynecologist and have an ultrasound done.

Delayed menstruation during breastfeeding.

When breastfeeding, menstruation usually does not occur (so-called lactational amenorrhea), but this does not mean that pregnancy is excluded. Hoping for lactation, a woman does not go to the gynecologist until the fetus begins to move. At this stage, abortion is already prohibited, although childbirth with a short interval is undesirable.

Normal menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle begins in girls during puberty. Usually this period occurs at 11-12 years. Some women in the family line have a predisposition to an early cycle. It is important to monitor the period of its formation in order to promptly detect any hormonal imbalances. However, at an early age, periods may be irregular, since hormonal levels are just being established, so this is normal.

After the appearance of the first menstruation, stabilization of hormonal levels should occur within 1 year. If this does not happen, a malfunction in the cycle remains and a visit to the gynecologist is required.

In the female body, the menstrual cycle is characterized by the following properties:

• the average period is 28-35 days (counting starts from the moment of the first bleeding);
• No more than 3 days of deviation from the normal menstrual cycle is permissible.

If the failure occurs over a long period of time, a visit to a gynecologist is required. This will help avoid such unpleasant consequences as chronic inflammatory pathologies of the genital organs, infertility, and other pathologies. It is required to undergo a comprehensive examination using laboratory and instrumental tests. Delay in pain indicates various abnormalities. The pain may spread to neighboring parts of the body, for example, the lower back, upper abdomen. In severe cases, even cancer can occur.

How to induce menstruation if you are late: more precisely, how to create big problems for yourself

It is technically possible to induce menstruation on your own, but gynecologists categorically prohibit doing this, because the reason for the delay is not clear and most often such amateur activity leads to severe bleeding, deterioration of the condition, increased inflammation, even peritonitis.

Most often on the Internet it is advised to induce menstruation as follows:

• Take a hot bath with water
  . With high blood pressure, this method will lead to a hypertensive crisis. With vein thrombosis - vasodilation and hemorrhage. In the presence of blood clots, blood clot separation and embolism (blockage of a vessel by a blood clot) are guaranteed.
• Take large doses of vitamin C.
  Women suffering from stone formation in the bladder and kidneys and bladder (after 30 years everyone has this problem) after such vitaminization of the body can go to the hospital. It is also dangerous for pregnant women - a miscarriage will not happen, but it is difficult to say how such an acid attack will affect the fetus. This also includes advice to drink concentrated infusions of ginger and parsley. These medicinal plants contain a large dose of ascorbic acid and much more.
• Strengthen your intimate life
  . It is possible that menstruation may occur due to the rush of blood during sexual intercourse. But if there is some kind of pathology in the body, then it is better to identify it and cure it. The onset of menstruation will only delay a trip to the gynecologist for a month. Then everything will happen again.
• Take medicinal tinctures
  . Herbs that stimulate menstruation include: cornflower, oregano, rosehip, yarrow, nettle, elecampane and knotweed. Self-medication may result in hives. Do you want to walk around with red pimples and itch constantly? Go ahead - collect herbs!
• Drink a decoction of onion peels
  . Frankly disgusting. Whether it will help or not is unknown, but you are guaranteed disgusting sensations for the next day.

Gynecologists advise: if there was a delay, don’t risk it! Contact a good gynecologist, get examined, do an ultrasound. Modern gynecology easily and quickly diagnoses the causes of amenorrhea and eliminates it.

Delay as a variant of the norm

The menstrual cycle is a purely individual matter, which depends on the characteristics of the female body and other factors, and this applies to both the duration of menstruation and the volume of blood released, the interval between bleeding, etc. On average, the indicators should look like this.

Table. Average indicators of the menstrual cycle.

As you can judge from the table, the delay in menstruation can be 2-3 days, maximum - no more than 7-10 days. There can be a lot of reasons for this phenomenon - the female reproductive system is a very complex mechanism and minor disturbances in it can be caused by any factors. If the cause of the delay does not lie in pathologies of internal organs or any ailments, the cycle, as a rule, normalizes on its own. Otherwise, the woman needs specialist consultation and appropriate therapy.

What are the risks of delayed menstruation?

It depends on the reason for the delay.

• Planned pregnancy
  . The main reason for delay is pregnancy; for many married couples this is a long-awaited event. If you are expecting pregnancy, you need to undergo a hCG test and an ultrasound of the uterus to make sure that everything is fine with the fetus.
• Unwanted pregnancy
  . Again, you need to visit a gynecologist and check the timing. Up to 6 weeks, you can have a safe medical abortion, which will cause a miscarriage.
• Unknown reason
  . First of all, you need to find out what causes the delay in menstruation. Dangerous causes need to be treated Particularly dangerous: frozen and ectopic pregnancy, inflammation of the uterus and ovaries, blood retention in the uterus. All this needs to be done in a clinic - diagnosing amenorrhea and treating amenorrhea at home is stupid and dangerous.

What to do if you don't have your period?

A delay in menstruation, not exceeding 5-7 days and occurring in rare cases, is not regarded by modern gynecology as a pathology. The female cycle is a subtle mechanism, dependent on the influence of many external and internal factors.

☛ What is the correct thing to do in a situation when the time seems to have come, but your period is late? First, you need to understand what it is: a delay or a pregnancy? The question of why the failure occurred can only be answered by an experienced gynecologist based on examination, tests and a full examination. If no fertilized egg is detected in the uterus, then the direction of further examination and treatment depends entirely on the cause that caused the cycle disruption. These questions are within the competence of a gynecologist-endocrinologist.

If this is a pregnancy and it is desired, you register, are seen by an obstetrician-gynecologist, give birth safely and receive a long-awaited addition to your family.

If, for some reason, pregnancy is not currently part of your plans, the development of further events follows a completely different scenario (see How to terminate an early pregnancy - medical abortion).