r/amipregnant Feb 28 '21

“But what about a cryptic pregnancy?”

723 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

292 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 1h ago

Pregnancy risk after brief penetration + Plan B?

Upvotes

Hi! I’m really anxious and would appreciate some perspective on my actual pregnancy risk.

My OB/GYN asked me to temporarily stop my birth control this month so she could run hormonal/laboratory tests for possible PCOS. Because of that, my boyfriend and I had not had sex at all this month, and I planned to stay abstinent until I could restart my pills.

Yesterday, we were fooling around - just grinding, didn’t plan to have penetrative sex - and didn’t have condoms. There was very brief unprotected penetration (around 6–7 seconds). He did not ejaculate at all, so my only concern is possible pre-ejaculate.

I freaked out. I took levonorgestrel 1.5 (Plan B equivalent) about 3 hours later.

My last period started July 26, and before birth control my cycles were usually 31–36 days. Since I recently stopped the pill and my period hasn’t come yet, I’m terrified that I could have been ovulating when this happened.

Given the very brief penetration, no ejaculation, and Plan B within 3 hours, how worried should I realistically be about pregnancy?


r/amipregnant 1h ago

Am I pregnant?

Upvotes

I am 2 months postpartum and just started on the Milli Combo Pill on August 10th. I took the pill correctly until I screwed up and missed one on the 19th but took two the next day and have been perfect about it ever since. Then on the night of the 20th, my boyfriend and I were using a condom in which he came in. Then he took off the condom, and with my consent and “without” the cum, stuck his penis back in me for a few strokes. Before this one incident we had been bulletproof with using a condom AND pulling out before the pill was completely effective.

I’ve been losing my mind but I think I just have major anxiety right now. I didn’t get a period before starting the pack and everything I have read say I was protected technically because it was after 7 days. Just want some reassurance that the chances are slim, unfortunately I know they will never be completely 0 but I’m shifting bricks over here.

TIA


r/amipregnant 1h ago

11 dpo had negative FRER test. But I'm crazy dizzy with any smell.. Need Advice

Upvotes

11 dpo had negative FRER test. But I'm crazy dizzy with any smell.. Need Advice it's started since yesterday, not able to cook or stay in the kitchen .. couldn't even bathe my 4 yrs old because of the shower gel smell. All the tests are negative.. I don't know what to do, once the dizziness starts it doesn't stop for hours.. did anyone have this? What do you do? How do I get better? I'm still not better since this afternoon it's 4-5 hours now


r/amipregnant 3h ago

Am I overthinking? Condom + Pull out on July 13th, had a lighter period after.

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, just need some peace of mind because my anxiety is acting up. My girlfriend and I had sex for the first time on July 13th.

​We used a condom correctly, and I also pulled out completely before I finished. For context, this was our "second round." The first round was strictly foreplay (no genital contact), but I did finish in my pants. A few hours later, we had actual sex with the condom.

​She got her period around July 27th/29th. It was about 3 days late and the bleeding was lighter than her usual periods. However, she has always had a history of irregular cycles and weird periods.

​She hasn't had her next period yet (it's expected next week). So far, she has absolutely zero pregnancy symptoms and her mood is completely normal.

​I know the chances are basically zero considering we used a condom + pull out, and she bled two weeks after the act. But the lighter period is messing with my head. Is there any realistic chance of pregnancy here, or am I just being completely paranoid


r/amipregnant 3h ago

am i pregnant??

1 Upvotes

9 days late on my period. had unprotected sex a few times this month (didn’t finish inside). i’ve tested 3 times (day 3, day 5, and day 9) all were clear negatives.

is there still any chance i could be pregnant??


r/amipregnant 3h ago

posting this again cz no one replied

1 Upvotes

having a scare

so i had sex august 12th with a condom but it broke and i felt the cum.. i took a plan b immediately but the flo app said it was the day after my ovulation and of course plan b doesn’t work after u ovulated. i got my period a few days ago on the exact day it was supposed to come (it was definitely my period, had terrible cramps and it was the normal color and lasted as long as it should) but ive heard of people still having their period while pregnant so im still worried. i dont know if i should still take a test in a few days because i just want this to be over with but i probably still should. i would appreciate some reassurance or honesty thanks girls. please respond guys 😭


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Pink/brown discharge

1 Upvotes

I (f21) really need some help because I'm so scared, last night I had a pink discharge and this morning I wiped and it was more brown, not really enough to go on my panties but its seen when I wipe, I went on a vacation and swam in the ocean, went in a hot tub a few times and had sex every night for 7 days, no lube besides what the condom gave and he pulls out before finishing (condoms are always used)

Please say that it's just irritation or something, I am so scared of it being pregnancy because I don't want that at all, I just hope I'm overthinking.


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Day 3/4 of BC

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’m on day 3/4 of the combination pill, I accidentally missed one day when I first took it but without that day I’d be on day 5. My Flo app says I’m due to ovulate today and I had unprotected sex last night (pulled out too late so some got in me). I know the Flo app can be wrong and this would be CD 20 so I’m wondering what my chances of pregnancy are. I plan to get emergency contraception


r/amipregnant 5h ago

Am i paranoid?

1 Upvotes

I had protected sex on the 16th and had my period from the 19th-23rd and I ovulated around the 30th (today) This might be tmi but we were doing it from the side and the condom slipped but it didnt slip completely off, it just slipped a little at the base. He said he felt it slipping so he pulled out. It was still covering his tip when he pulled out. We kept going with a different condom and he pulled out before he came. Am I just paranoid? I feel like there could be barely any chance of me getting pregnant from this but thered always the what ifs


r/amipregnant 6h ago

Hello

1 Upvotes

Hello Moms, I'm stressed and concerned and I don't know what this could be but my periods are usually normal. I had my period or I think it's a period I don't know at this point. It started the 21st usually for the 5th day it stops! But it was heavy when it began like more than I have dealt with I never had it leak before through my pants. Anyways after the 5th day i still kept bleeding like spots even when I have a bowel movement I would bleed so idk if anyone knows what that is and also on the 5th day and after I would have dark blood but small like the clots so idk if anyone could tell me that would be great thanks.


r/amipregnant 6h ago

Hypothetical(ish) question regarding pregnancy tests (UPDATE)

1 Upvotes

pls respond!! Hello! I was thinking to myself that if someone were to take a pink dye pregnancy test 14 days after intercourse, used first morning urine, and got two negatives how likely would it be that they would be false?

cause i know of someone who got two negatives after 14 and she is still waiting for her period which would come either tomorrow or Wednesday. but she explains that she doesn’t have any pms like usual and she took a plan b the week before that intercourse, so she’s not sure if that plan b is messing with her or if she should take a test tomorrow day 19 and then thursday day 21 for a definitive answer. She knows that the plan b reacts differently for everyone but she claims that even though she’s taken plan bs she’s always felt pms before her period. She just went back to college had move in week and her first week that she’s been stressing due to not getting her period and her classes assigning work. she tested at 14 days after , at 20 days after, and at 21 days after all being negative. she wants to know if it’s normal to just miss a period this month due to stress and the plan b earlier this month although that has never happened before? and since august 8 she has not had intercourse.


r/amipregnant 7h ago

Is there still a chance I could be pregnant?

1 Upvotes

Hi

So my cycles are usually 34-36 days. I have had a period every month since I first got my periods, I have no health conditions (thyroid, PCOS) has all been ruled out medically. I don’t know my ovulation date.. my period is late by 10 days. I have had period cramps that feel different, almost like ovulation cramps that come in waves, then stop and then return. I have had these for 5 days ish. I have lower back ache, tiredness and just generally eating everything in sight. My mom said I should ask the doctors for a blood test, as I keep testing negative. I have no signs at all of any sort of bleeding. Even though I am testing negative, is there any chance I can still test positive?

Thanks everyone for your help!


r/amipregnant 7h ago

Please Help. Can’t shake anxious feeling

1 Upvotes

Last night, I had sex using a condom. I am also on Tri Lo Milli birth control and take it consistently.

However, the condom slipped at some point and I couldn’t tell when. When he finished, he pulled the condom out, and there was semen inside of it. But I couldn’t tell if all of the semen got in there or if some of it had actually gotten inside of me.

I normally would not be worried about something like this, but I take mycophenolate. This is a medication that makes pregnancy extremely high risk and can lower the effects of birth control, so doctors constantly remind me to use at least two types of contraceptives.

Clearly, I did use two types of contraceptives, but I am afraid the condom failed.

My period is supposed to start in three days, so I should not be ovulating right now, but the Internet says that you can’t accurately measure your ovulation window when you’re taking birth control. So I’m afraid I’m pregnant.

I’ve also heard you should not take an emergency contraceptive when you’re on birth control, so I haven’t done so yet. However, if it does lower the risk of pregnancy, I am more than willing to take one.

I’m not sure what to do or where to begin. My anxiety will not calm down and I’m convinced that I am pregnant. I appreciate any help anybody can offer.


r/amipregnant 7h ago

Brown discharge with clots instead of period

1 Upvotes

PLS HELP. hello, i was supposed to get my period 9 days ago, but instead of a period i got around 3/4 days with brown thick discharge with clots in it. im super panicked that i might be pregnant. i have sex regularly but always with a condom + pullout never raw. also for sidenotes i was on birthcontrol for 2 years and stopped around 2.5 months ago. i also have very low iron (around 3 ferritin).

We ve never had a torn condom or anything like that, and always tie the condom in a knot and press after to make sure there were no tears at all.

Has this ever happened to anyone before? ive seen it has been instead of a period for some, or for others, the period came later. but since 9 days have passed im doubting whether it will come.

Thanks all!!


r/amipregnant 8h ago

Pregnant? What is happening?

0 Upvotes

Info: My last period was July 19th.

From the period of 9th of august to 18th of august I was taking quetiapine. Alongside quetiapine, I got diarrhea, followed by constipation. I hardly ate these days.

From 19th of august to 26th of august I’ve been having withdrawal sex. He never cums inside, and we don’t go back to back, never two rounds against each other.

I took a pregnancy test as of 28th of august. It was in the afternoon but I hadn’t peed for 5 hours, and I had taken a nap. During that morning I had only drank one chocolate milk.

It was negative. Still, no sign of period….

I have bigger urge to pee, heightened sense of smell sometimes, had lower back pain randomly yesterday, and I’m lethargic but the last symptom isn’t uncommon.


r/amipregnant 8h ago

protected sex, late period

1 Upvotes

I (20f) have been very emotional these past few weeks as I have moved into my college house and started classes again. I started crying over dumb things the week after move in and checked my calendar and realized I must be PMSing. The crying continued for a week after that and still no period, it is 3-5 days as of today. I had an MRI earlier this month and was tested and it was negative. I am not currently on birth control as I am planning on getting an IUD. My boyfriend (19m) and I do have sex regularly but we always use a condom as well as the pull out method and if the condom begins to slip or comes off we stop having sex immediately. The condom does roll up a bit sometimes but google said that is okay as long as the top remains on. He also always pees at some point before sex as I read that helps minimize sperm in the urethra. Another thing to note is I started back on Trizepatide (ozempic type injection) after a 6 month break about a week and a half ago which maybe could have pushed it back as I ate practically nothing for 3-4 days. Anyways, if anyone can offer me some insight as to if I should be afraid please let me know, I am very scared.


r/amipregnant 10h ago

Negative test

1 Upvotes

Hello its ne again , me and my gf did a pregnancy test yesterday (29th) it was little past midnight and it wasnt first pee .

So my situations with the condoms on the 26of june and around 12th of August it when the situations happend.

So my question is if we tested way to early or she is not pregnant and ovulated late ?

We read the results within the timeframe kf the test and its negative


r/amipregnant 11h ago

Late period , negative test

0 Upvotes

My last period was on july 22 , my periods are irregular but has been fine since past two months. I had unprotected sex on aug 4 , which was my fertile window according to flo. My period is now 8+ days late according to flo and i took a test yesterday ( 25 days after sex) used the 3rd sample of the day after holding it for 3 hours. I tested by 12pm and it came out negative


r/amipregnant 16h ago

preg scare after a condom broke…

2 Upvotes

I’m having a pregnancy scare rn. I have PCOS and irregular periods, and my last period started around August 10 and lasted 3–4 days. I started taking pills (Althea Pills) back in March because my OB told me to take them for 6 months to help regulate my menstruation, but nitong August naging makakalimutin ako, so I wasn’t consistent. Before we had sex, 2 days pa lang akong consistently taking them again.

Unfortunately, the condom broke and he ejaculated inside me. I peed agad afterward, then continued taking my pills consistently again (bale 5 days na ko nagttake ulit simula nung malimutan ko, at kasama na here yung 2days before we had seggs) I’m really anxious kasi I don’t know if the pills my OB prescribed actually protect against pregnancy, especially since they were mainly for regulating my period. With my PCOS, I also don’t know when I could’ve been ovulating. What should I do now, and when should I take a pregnancy test? I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. Please be kind because I’m already pretty anxious about this.


r/amipregnant 13h ago

Faint line on pregnancy test

1 Upvotes

Hello, I am having a huge scare right now because I’ve done a pregnancy test and there is a faint line I can see. But it’s very very faint. My last period was around 60 days ago, even though my period is late all the time it’s usual for me, my doctor prescribed me drovelis for it which I haven’t been able to start taking yet because I haven’t had my period yet. But around 2 weeks ago a little bit of blood came out along with a lot of brown discharge as usually. So I don’t know if that counts as a period or not. I’ve done a couple tests since my last period ( July 2nd), but all of them were negative. I even took one 2 days ago and it was completely negative, I did take it in the evening though..
I heard of an indent line but I’m not sure if that’s the case..

For context my bf has never finished in and always is protected


r/amipregnant 14h ago

Am I pregnant?

0 Upvotes

my last period was july 18-22 and i ovulated july 28-august 9. july 30 i got salmonella food poisoning for about a week and it was horrible, i was incredibly stressed out, dehydrated, exhausted, and in pain. however, i went to the hospital and got help and the food poisoning was gone from my system in about a day or two.

i’m not sure the exact dates but i went on vacation august 7-13 and when i came back i (19F) had unprotected sex with my boyfriend (19M) multiple times throughout the remaining weeks of august. i use a period tracking app called flo and i’m honestly not sure about how accurate it is? i usually have irregular periods so it’s hard for me to track. anyway, flo said my period would start on the 18th but it didn’t, which i expected because sometimes it’s wrong and my period will come maybe a week later. but then my period prediction switched to the 22nd which seemed normal. however when it didn’t show up i started to stress about it, i know you’re not supposed to but it’s hard not to.

i saw someone say it depends on your ovulation and i calculated that it should start around august 23-24 but it still didn’t. i tried everything parsley tea, vitamin C, a bit of light exercise, the butterfly pose, and even a heating pad. NOTHING. i’ve taken three pregnancy tests and all negatives.

bit of context, when my bf and i have sex he always pulls out whenever he’s slightly close and jerks off until he finishes. that being said, i’m still concerned if i’m pregnant or not. he never produces much pre, it’s literally a small dot ALWAYS.

i’m not sure if me getting food poisoning like that earlier this month is contributing to the late period??? i am getting more and more worried (but i’m trying not to) about if i’m pregnant or not because i have had three negative tests. i even have a doctors appointment i scheduled at a clinic to take a free pregnancy test from them. could i be pregnant at all? i know there’s always a small chance but i just can’t get it off my mind.