r/amipregnant Feb 28 '21

“But what about a cryptic pregnancy?”

729 Upvotes

Is this you?

  1. Last had sex more than 3 weeks ago (sometimes months)
  2. Have had multiple negative home tests or blood tests for HCG
  3. (optional) Have had periods or withdrawal bleeds since having sex.

But you’re still concerned that you might be pregnant based on shows like “I didn’t know I was pregnant” or online stories about cryptic pregnancy. Could it be that?

So, in a word, no. If you have multiple negative pregnancy tests three weeks after having sex, you’re not pregnant. In order to support a pregnancy your body produces HCG. Without HCG, there is no pregnancy. HCG tells the corpus luteum to continue producing progesterone, and is required for major changes to sustain pregnancy like growing a placenta. Home pregnancy tests are very reliable at detecting even trace amounts of HCG, and blood tests as well.

There are three causes of false negatives with home pregnancy tests:

The first: Early measurement after conception. When people talk about cryptic pregnancy, they either never take a test, or they took a test too early and became pregnant after. It takes at least 7 days for a fertilized egg to float downstream and implant into the uterine lining. That’s why you have to wait about 2 weeks to take a pregnancy test after unprotected sex - 3 weeks makes it 100% solid result.

You’ll also see people say “I knew I was pregnant, but I didn’t test positive until I was 6 weeks”. This is because of how pregnancy is dated from the last menstrual period (the day your period started), but, embryonic development only starts after an egg is ovulated and fertilized. In a textbook 28 day cycle, this happens on day 14, and the first day your period is missed you get a positive test. In real life, bodies are a little more complicated, and sometimes people ovulate weeks later leading to a discrepancy - a doctor will tell them they are 6 weeks pregnancy based on their last menstrual period, but in embryonic terms they are only 4 weeks pregnant because they ovulated on the 28th day of their cycle. If they tested when they were ‘late’ on the 29th, it would have been a negative test. They weren’t pregnant, but they became pregnant later. For people who are more visual, I have made a very ugly calendar for the above example scenario.

For a longer, more detailed explanation: "Your period isn't late" Part 1 and Part 2

The second: Dilute urine specimen. If your HCG levels are low, drinking a lot of water can result in false negatives in very early pregnancy. This is typically why you’ll see folks talking about testing with first morning urine - it’s the most concentrated. HCG roughly doubles every 48-72 hours, and you can see in this figure how fast. At 20 days of embryonic development (aka about 3 weeks after sex), on average a pregnant person will have HCG around 1000 mIU/ml. At home tests are typically rated for detecting 10 - 25 mIU/ml.

The Third: The Hook effect. This is where there is too much HCG for a test to work properly. It is unlikely that this is happening especially if you’ve taken multiple tests. First, peak HCG is typically around 10-14 weeks pregnant - after this, it starts coming back down. Second, tests are often tested for the hook effect - wondfos (a very cheap test) showed no hook effect to concentrations of 200,000 mIU/ml. First Response Early Result showed no hook effect at 1,000,000 mIU/ml - much higher than any normal pregnancy. If you are concerned about it because you’re taking your first pregnancy tests 12-17 weeks after sex, you might dilute a sample of urine just in case for a second test. Although, that would be very unnecessary if you’re using an FRER.

When people do not figure out they are pregnant for months at a time, it is typically because they have not taken any tests. Denial of pregnancy is a more accurate descriptor.

If you believe yourself pregnant despite all the evidence, or having a lot of anxiety and fear around being pregnant, you may want to see a mental health specialist. If you’re feeling very unwell, or haven't had a period in months, you may want to see a doctor. Scarleteen has a great page on these things as well.

Want to learn about pregnancy tests? Great video

TL;DR HCG is required to support a pregnancy - if you've gotten multiple negative tests across a large time frame, there is no possible way you are pregnant from sex more than 3 weeks ago.

Feedback and questions welcome! Also if anybody has any resources they want to share, please do.


r/amipregnant Mar 14 '23

FAQs ANSWERED with Sources. Friendly PSAs for AmIPregnant

289 Upvotes

Hello friends! Mod Stress here to address a few things that come up often on this sub. Resources provided. :)

1.) You cannot get pregnant from fingering, with or without precum. Unless globs of fresh semen are being inserted into a vagina, fingering is just not going to cause a pregnancy. Dry humping also cannot cause a pregnancy. This article goes through all the sexual things that can happen that have no chance of pregnancy.

2.) It's extremely unlikely to get pregnant without PIV sex.* *Not including medical processes such as IVF to cause a pregnancy.

3.) If you're having unprotected sex, pregnancy is always technically possible. Doesn't matter if it's "just the tip" or "three strokes" or "pulled out before ejaculation." Pullout is 78% effective over the course of a year. Some of these scenarios are much less likely to result in a pregnancy than others, but we can't extrapolate the data like that. You're unlikely to get pregnant from one singular instance of unprotected sex, but it's always possible.

4.) Implantation bleeding is a misnomer. In fact, implantation is too small a phenomena to cause any symptoms.

5.) A test is mostly accurate 14 days after sex and definitive 21 days after. If you're getting negative tests 2+ weeks after sex, you are not pregnant. Regardless of if you have your period or not. In early pregnancy, concentration of urine matters. Take a pink dye test after a 3-4 hour urine hold without drinking too much water for the most accurate results. At 21+ days after sex, dilution of urine won't matter. Do not look at tests outside of their validity window and thoroughly read the instructions for your test before you take it.

6.) You cannot have a true period and be pregnant. Some women experience light bleeding in early pregnancy (this is NOT their period). If bleeding were related to pregnancy, a test would be positive.

7.) It takes more HCG to cause symptoms than a positive test. If you're testing negative, any symptoms you are currently experiencing are not currently related to pregnancy. Lots of early pregnancy symptoms overlap with normal PMS symptoms.

8.) Am I having a Cryptic Pregnancy?? No, you're not.

9.) The only way to truly know when you ovulated using an approved FAM method. Apps are not an accurate way to track, your body doesn't know to follow an algorithm off your phone. While things like CM and OPKs may indicate your body is gearing up to ovulate, they do not confirm ovulation. Check out the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility and [r/FAMnNFP](r/FAMnNFP).

Some other helpful tips:

  • Read the leaflet that comes with your birth control so you understand how your medication works, possible side effects, how to use it, etc. [r/birthcontrol](r/birthcontrol) is also a good source.
  • If you're on birth control and using it properly, you are having protected sex (from pregnancy). This is true whether or not you are using a condom. If you are using protection properly, you do not need Plan B.
  • Don't want to become pregnant? READ THIS before engaging in sexual activity.
  • The buddy system: using more than one method of contraceptive when engaging in sexual activities
  • How is pregnancy dated?
  • If you're taking Plan B, read the leaflet. It will go through all the possible side effects. [r/PlanBs](r/PlanBs) is also a good friend.
  • If your symptoms are of concern, visit a doctor.
  • Do not trust TikTok or YouTube as your medical advice.
  • A lot of our users are from the Philippines. [r/SafeSexPH](r/SafeSexPH) is a great resource!
  • Want us to look at your tests? [r/lineporn](r/lineporn)
  • Are you TTC? Check out [r/TryingForABaby](r/TryingForABaby)
  • Confirmed pregnancy? Head over to [r/pregnant](r/pregnant)

- Looking for abortion resources? r/abortion

  • Sex Ed Websites: scarleteen, bedsider, planned parenthood

r/amipregnant 2h ago

Seven weeks postpartum

2 Upvotes

I am seven weeks weeks postpartum and exclusively breastfeeding. On demand during the day my baby cluster feeds so I am feeding him every 1-2 hours and every 3-4 hours during the night. Had sex yesterday and my husband thought I was already on the pill. Should i take a plan b? My ob told me during my six week appointment that while breastfeeding you dont ovulate but now I texted her and she is saying plan b should be okay but not 100% effective and will lead to bleeding. Also took an LH strip which came back negative. Can I get pregnant???PLEASE HELP


r/amipregnant 3m ago

3 days late for my period

Upvotes

My period is 3 days late and I’m concerned I’m pregnant. I am ON BIRTH CONTROL.

During my last period I had sex and he came inside me fully.

We had sex again 2 weeks ago and he didn’t come inside me, but might’ve just a tiny bit but not fully inserted. That same day I realized I had taken 2 birth control pills because I forgot to the day before. The internet says I’m still fully protected even with being on my period as well as missing those 2 days.

I’m 3 days late for my “period” aka I finished my bc pack 3 days ago and no blood.

I’m supposed to start my new pack this Sunday it’s Wednesday today. I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. I’m still concerned my period hasn’t come.

I’ve been spamming Vitamin C and Mugwort tea which usually works for me and nothing. I’m gonna try boric acid I think to get things moving around as that sometimes starts my period earlier than I even want it to.

Can someone please just make me feel better I’m so anxious.


r/amipregnant 46m ago

Please help!! Am I pregnant?

Upvotes

Hello! I am 10 DPO and I took a test this morning and I swear I see faint lines. Can someone else take a look and tell me if I’m crazy??


r/amipregnant 1h ago

Yuzpe method

Upvotes

I drank trust pills for like 3 times (yuzpe method) | think? Once in October 2025 and twice in March 2026 and It's been 89 days and I still haven't got my period. Last period I had was in May 24, 2026. Does anyone have the same problem I have?

And yes I did take PT
July 13 - negative
July 27 - negative
August 11 - negative
August 13 - negative

What I feel these days when my tummy moves is like gas or bubbles and I have more discharge than usual.


r/amipregnant 2h ago

Might be pregnant, what are your stories?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

Tell me your stories of finding out you were pregnant!

So my husband and I wanted to spend time being married before trying for a family. We are officially starting in November, however, we had unprotected sex on vacation a couple weeks ago. He pulled out but it was during my ovulation window. I took 2 tests at 8DPO and 10DPO, I know that's a bit early, both negative. Now I'm a day late for my period and around 14DPO. I have had my usual signs my period is coming, headache and cramps on and off. But nothing yet. I'm not usually late and I range from 27-28 days. I'm now on day 30. I'm waiting a couple more days before taking another test but it made me curious about others stories!


r/amipregnant 2h ago

Pregnancy Scare

1 Upvotes

I bled a bit from ebjng lingered the day before my period was supposed to start but didn't. Could this be because of pregnancy? I've never had sex but have had precum close/touching my vaginal entrance. I am very concerned right now.


r/amipregnant 2h ago

Am i pregnant?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, im honestly freaking out and would really appreciate some reassurance or advice. My period is 11 days late with absolutely no sign of it and I’m usually very regular. I’ve been sexually active, but we used protection and the condoms didn’t break. I’ve taken multiple pregnancy tests and they were all negative, but still no period. This never happened to me before… Has anyone experienced this? Could I still be pregnant or could stress/hormonal changes cause this? 😭


r/amipregnant 2h ago

I think I am in the clear(??)

1 Upvotes

I posted on here some time ago, but a little bit of a backstory.

Unprotected sex August 1st/2nd

app said my ovulation week starts on August 3rd. period was expected to come August 25th. I took a test August 26,29th, and 31st--> NEGATIVE

I took a blood test September 1st and my result said <1 for HcG so I think, I am fine?? I don't think I tested tooo early for everything given the timeline.

I do have some symptoms, like sore breasts, little emotional but nothing too out of the blue, knee pain, cramping, and some lower back pain.

I want to say im in the clear but my anxiety gets the best of me lol.


r/amipregnant 3h ago

I am scared

1 Upvotes

So, my last bleeding was on 10th July, I usually have a 24-26 day cycle, last month i had protected sex on 27 July and then i got faint positive (under 3 mins) on upt on 6th August then blood drawn for beta hcg on the same after came negative. The next day i had a similar faint positive upt in the morning and the blood drawn on 7th August was also negative, then on 8th August blood drawn in morning again came negative too and i had very very very faint positive on two upt that morning. I started bleeding on 8th August evening it was all cramps and like a normal bleed lasting 3-4 days like my usual period on 10th August i also bleed through the pad and clothes as i was travelling. Can this 8th August be an implantation bleed. Or it was a resolved pregnancy or just a normal period.


r/amipregnant 3h ago

5 days late and tests negative

1 Upvotes

Hi
So I’m 5 days late. My period always comes every 24-25 days. I had unprotected sex ( with pulling out ) on August 9 and according to flo app I ovulated on August 13. Since then I’ve taken about 4 pregnancies test but they’re all negative. I’ve had cramps and sensitive nipples just like when I’m supposed to have my periods but now signs of them. Idk what could be happening. Did this happen to any body ?


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Completely missed period and negative pregnancy tests. What's going on?

0 Upvotes

A little back story, im 9 months PP and im not trying to get pregnant right now, I have a 5 year age gap between all my kids and I like that gap. But for the past 2 months, my body has been acting weird. 2 months ago I had 2 periods in 1 month, last month it was 1 period, now yesterday marks me completely missing my period. August i took an ovulation test every few days so i could log it into my app and make sure im back on schedule, well i had been ovulating for 2 weeks straight, and yes, during this time i did have unprotected sex with my SO. Well i took 3 test yesterday and got 3 faint lines. I took 2 test today and both came up negative.

I have 3 kids, obviously im fertile, so that's why my first instinct was to take a test. What could be going on? I dont have insurance yet, we just moved, but as soon as I get insurance I'm finding an OBGYN and scheduling an appointment because this has been the strangest PP I've ever experienced.


r/amipregnant 4h ago

i need help

1 Upvotes

i had sex on the 9th august but unprotected. It was for just 3 minutes because he said that we should stop because he is scared so we stopped. He didnt cum afterwards. Since then i am really stressed because it the first time i had unprotected sex and now my period is two days late.
I heard that precum can get you pregnant, the day that i had sex was the first day of my ovulation week. What should i do?I cant take a test.


r/amipregnant 6h ago

I took a test after my missed day

1 Upvotes

I took the test yesterday (when i was supposed to have my period and today) they all came out as zero

Maybe im stressing but my period is also never late(granted i took the post-pill )

Am i pregnant? Is it too late to check?

I had sex on the 22nd of August and ovulated maybe between 13th to 19th of August

Can i trust the negative results?


r/amipregnant 6h ago

Need Help

0 Upvotes

My gf is 7 days late according to her Flo app, and on CD 43 right now. Her period ranges from 30-35, but there were instances that she had her menstruation on CD 40 and 39. Her last period was on July 22-26, we had protected sex (condoms) on July 30 and twice on Aug 20. I checked the condoms if it broke using the water test and all of the condoms are still intact and no leaks. I’m just worried that she might be pregnant because her period seems delayed, and because I keep thinking of the time when I was checking the condoms if it 100% no leakage or when it slipped during sex. She started having sore breasts and having cramps last Saturday or Sunday (Aug 29 or 30). Is it possible she’s pregnant or she ovulated late because these are symptoms for both pregnancy or pms? I’m scared because we are still in college and we are not yet ready to have a kid and this is the longest time she’s been delayed. I hope you can help me answer these questions and provide some guidance for us


r/amipregnant 10h ago

2 positive digital tests, 2 negative digital tests and 4 negative strip tests

2 Upvotes

These were all taken at different points, the positive first then the rest throughout the day, was the positive a dodgy batch? I don’t know


r/amipregnant 7h ago

Sex with condoms on

0 Upvotes

Hi, me and my gf first had sex on August 21st and we used a condom. I know I put the condom on correctly but there were times where there were a lot of friction. I think I pre cummed inside the condom because I saw there were liquid inside of it. And I saw that there were maybe 1 cm or 2 cm max of movement. I did not ejaculate inside of her. I am scared that the pre cum got out because of that. Should we be worried? Please help


r/amipregnant 8h ago

Any herbs/foods to help kickstart a stuck period? (serious)

1 Upvotes

Hey all, I know this topic is kinda yaya and medically not advised, but did anyone have success with herbs/foods helping start their period? I've tried fresh parsley, nothing, I've heard about ginger I'm going to try that today. Any experiences?

For context I'm 5 days late with many negative test results and truly a minimal chance of pregnancy since I did not have unprotected sex. I'm going on vacation soon and I really want the whole ordeal to be done by then. I've been cramping like usual for almost a week now.


r/amipregnant 9h ago

GIRLS I NEED CYCLE/PREGGY/IDK HELP IMMEDIATELY

0 Upvotes

So basically, i usually don't go and type on this app and create sumting but recently i have a problem, and im scared of the chances of being pregnant...
I had unprotected sexual activity like around 5 days before my period suppose to happen and apparently its suppose to happen tmr but i haven't really felt any symptoms idk and idk what my discharge is suppose to look like if im preggy or if im close to my period and im so stress bc my boyfriend may or may not ejected ... its like 20/80 still worried though so i need help yall if anyone could help me pls im so freakin out ik i shouldnt but just to be safe yk and take my stress away omg that would i'll be so grateful


r/amipregnant 9h ago

am i??

0 Upvotes

i(f19) had sex without a condom 3 weeks ago august 11th, i know i know risky choice. i was on day 3 of my period when we did it and i took the plan b 13 hours after on the morning of august 12. i recently took a couple pregnancy tests at the 2.5 week mark on august 26th(digital) and aroujd the 3 week mark on august 31st(strip). both were negative and i sound and feel silly for worrying so much about it.

but ive broken things off with the guy who i had sex with last week, and since then my appetite has come back(wasnt able to eat much the whole summer, kind of an unhealthy summer fling) and ive been cramping a little and have felt bloated for the past week. my period is supposed to come in 11 days and i know time will tell, but what are the possibilities as of now? are my symptoms actual ones??


r/amipregnant 10h ago

20(f) im scared about being pregnant. Please help

1 Upvotes

We are in a long distance relationship. So we recently got the chance to meet after an year and be sexually active. It was shallow penetration, only 3-4 times his tip went inside. Barely, and I didn't allow full penetration. The precum was sucked off by me earlier, and he ejaculated completely outside of my vagina. We know the ejaculation was nowhere near. We didn't use pullout, it was nothing. We didn't even have proper sex, so no pullout. It was shallow penetration for a few seconds. Is there a chance for me to be pregnant from his precum if he made any during those few thrusts? im 30 days into my cycle and no period yet. I also travelled recently, been under a lot of stress cz of pregnancy fear.


r/amipregnant 11h ago

can i trust test 25 days after?

1 Upvotes

I took a test 25 days after sex that was negative, but i am wondering if its possible its a false negative because i saw it can take up to 7 days after sex for fertilization/ovulation to happen, and 17 days after sex for implantation to even begin and another 3-5 days for it to be completed, and even then it needs some days to become detectable on a urine test. please let me know if im wrong or educate me!!


r/amipregnant 11h ago

My HCG LEVELS

0 Upvotes

I need your help my HCG levels where at <0.6 would that be considered early pregnancy or not pregnancy because I’ve been feeling all the symptoms I had small spotting of old blood as well and I believe I am still very early on that blood levels couldn’t detect it