Negative Pregnancy Test, But My Period is Late

Published: October 04, 2017
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Last month I had sex with my partner and then I had dark brown discharge for 3, 4 days and then only one day I had normal bleeding. I also took pregnancy test and it was negative. And now it have been more than week but my menstruation not arrived yet. I am very worried. please tell me what to do.
Signed: Negative Pregnancy Test, But My Period is Late

Dear Negative Pregnancy Test, But My Period is Late,

There are many reasons for a late or irregular period. Sometimes young women do not have regular periods in the first few years of menstruating. Sometimes a period might be irregular due to stress, poor eating habits, over-exercising or some kind of hormonal imbalance.

A woman who has been sexually active (especially if she had unprotected sex) might not get her period if she is pregnant. You stated that the pregnancy test you took was negative, however, TeenHealthFX is wondering when you took the test. If you took it before your expected period it is possible to get a false negative – meaning that the test says you are not pregnant, but you really are. Sometimes it’s just too soon for the test to pick up the hormones in your system that indicate pregnancy. If a woman decides to take a pregnancy test before her expected period and gets a negative result, it is usually a good idea to follow up with a second pregnancy test after a missed period.

TeenHealthFX thinks the best thing for you to do would be to make an appointment with a doctor so that they can find out why your period is late and address whatever issue is going on. It would also be a good idea to speak to a doctor about safer sex precautions. Doctors generally recommend that teens and young adults who choose to be sexually active use condoms each and every time they have sex to protect against unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STDs, as well as a back-up method of birth control such as the pill or birth control shot. Your doctor can make the best recommendations for you and discuss with you how to use properly use birth control to maximize its effectiveness.

If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. A Planned Parenthood health center is a good option if you have concerns about cost or confidentiality issues. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.

FX also suggests that you check out the links in our Resource of the Month: Planned Parenthood Resources on Safer Sex so that you can learn about sexual readiness, how pregnancy happens, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception, birth control, STDs and more. The more educated you are about these topics, the more likely you will make healthy decisions for yourself when it comes to your sexual health.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

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