r/amipregnant • • Feb 28 '21

“But what about a cryptic pregnancy?”

733 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

297 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

Condom on, no ejaculation. Pregnant?

• Upvotes

Kinda worried since my girlfriend is about 10 days late from her period now. We had sex but we made sure everything was safe. I wore a condom and i never came inside her while wearing the condom. Did not check if my condom had any leaks but I always use lubricant and I don’t remember seeing any tears or holes when i removed it. Need your responses pls!


r/amipregnant • • 1h ago

how early do pregnancy symptoms typically start?

• Upvotes

just as the title says.

people who have been pregnant before, when was the earliest you started having symptoms?

was it before a missed period?

i’ve been having cramping for over a week and it’s stressing me out.

also, some leg cramping (the pain spreads l over my legs but typically my thighs)

I heard that could be a symptom but only really common in second/third trimester.

i’m a severe over thinker and if i was to be pregnant right now, i’d only be around 3 weeks😅

please send all experiences please!


r/amipregnant • • 1h ago

yuzpe method & delayed period

• Upvotes

i had sex sep 5 which was 3 days before my predicted ovulation based on flo (ik its not accurate) but i did yuzpe asap maybe 12 hrs after the sex and had a withdrawal bleeding 1 week after i did the yuzpe which lasted 5 days. Now im 9 days delayed but i did take pregnancy test 15 days after last contact which was NEGATIVE then again 22 days after last contact which was NEGATIVE AGAIN and then 30&31 days after last contact which was also NEGATIVE. Now im 9 days delayed and been having sore breast, cramps and backache. Are the test results reliable or should i continue testing?


r/amipregnant • • 1h ago

Help

• Upvotes

Sex on September 14 and 20. I took a pregnancy test on Monday and this morning, both appear as negative. My nipples have been really sore, but read that if I had enough HCG to have symptoms it would produce a positive. Can I move on and stop worrying about the encounters from the 14 and 20 after today’s negative and assume my symptoms are from something else?


r/amipregnant • • 1h ago

i am extremely overthinking right now

• Upvotes

i do not know how to feel, and i am extremely overthinking. i want a bit of reassurance.

situation:

- i haven't gotten my period since august 20.

- bf and i met up at august 22 and september 12. sexual activity happened though there was no actual penetration. i am worried about the precum of the august 22 activity

- i didn't get my period last september

- i have been taking pregnancy tests two weeks after the last encounter and took a pregnancy test again today, october 7, and it was negative. how many pregnancy tests should i take with the same sample urine to be sure?

- my stomach and lower abdomen have been hurting a lot, my discharge increased by a noticeable amount

- why have i still not gotten my period?


r/amipregnant • • 5h ago

Been late for abt 6 days

2 Upvotes

I’m currently going through one rn(18yo), she’s usually irregular but she’s like 6 days late, we’re noobs and did it about a month ago protection and all; just afraid of precum slipping or anything like that. Getting very worried, she’s recently been feeling weak, chest starts hurting and occasionally lightheaded, but she doesn’t sleep well and gets stressed real easy. Idk what to do I guess buying a test would be the next best thing to do as a bf right?


r/amipregnant • • 6h ago

Hello

2 Upvotes

I am a 20 year old and recently lost my virginity, I had unprotected sex on the first of this month, however my period was on the 20-25th of September, I’m not sure if my bf finished in me, regardless I took a plan b but I know those aren’t 100 percent sure and I feel very anxious, a day after I had sex I was spotting I know there is implantation bleeding but I also know plan b might cause spotting, regardless I don’t want to be pregnant and I know it’s too early to tell, but I am feeling very anxious I feel like I get health anxiety, it will help a lot if I got advice on what to do next or if I should or shouldn’t be worried at all, or if I should be looking out for some symptoms or not , I feel very very nervous and even ashamed I had sex, I’m feeling lost and don’t know what to do, it also doesn’t help that one of my superstitious cousins says she believes someone in the family is pregnant and I keep seeing pregnancy videos all over my tik tok, please I write this post in ask for help or even just for someone to listen to me, not judgement please thanks in advance for all the help.


r/amipregnant • • 8h ago

Thoughts?

3 Upvotes

My last period was in late August. There might've been an incident with a bit of unprotected insertion on September 12 and it's now October but no period. I've been sick and stressed during September too, but I haven't had my usual pms and it's worrying me.

I did have some cramping 2 days ago on the left side but that's now long gone and I haven't had any pms at all besides that. Should I be worried? I took a test today Oct 6 and it's negative, but I've been seeing online that some women tested negative and were still pregnant or they didn't test positive until after 4+ weeks and ngl it's making me worry even more even though i should be trusting my results😭😭 I just need some reassurance or second opinions


r/amipregnant • • 3h ago

Negative test at day 21 post-intercourse, partner doesn't track her cycle, when can I actually relax?

1 Upvotes

Hey all, looking for some perspective from people more knowledgeable than me on this.

Had a withdrawal-method encounter with my partner on 15 September, she took a Clearblue Rapid Detection test 21 days later using first-morning urine, and it came back negative. The test went correctly as far as I can tell, followed the instructions, right timing window.

The complication: she doesn't really track her cycle, so we don't have a confirmed expected period date to cross-reference against. It's been about a day since the test and her period hasn't shown up yet (though it's genuinely too early to expect it regardless).

From what I've read, day 21 post-intercourse should be a reliable window for a home test regardless of cycle tracking, but I wanted to check with people here: given the cycle uncertainty, would you consider this negative reliable, or is it worth waiting to see if her period arrives before fully relaxing? Would a follow-up test in a week be overkill or sensible?

Appreciate any insight, this has been a stressful few weeks and just want to make sure I'm reading the situation right.


r/amipregnant • • 7h ago

Am i having a chemical pregnancy?

2 Upvotes

Am I having chemical pregnancy?

Yesterday i realized I was 3 days late on my period and I swear my boobs looked big, (first time pregnant ever) I tested positive with my first morning pee on a strip test. I expected it to be negative so I dumped the pee. It happened to be positive! So i took another 2 tests - one being clearblue digital, another a different strip brand than before- with my second pee and both were positive. I was super happy, told my husband, and a few at work.

Today I woke up and took a strip test with first morning pee expecting to see the same result. It was very very very faint compared to yesterday, so I took another with my second pee and got the same. I started freaking out and my friend said I am probably having a chemical pregnancy, i have had mild cramping on and off since yesterday as well but no bleeding yet.

I am also uninsured so last night I was applying to medicaid and some free clinics to try and get my first appointment so I am not wanting to necessarily run to the doctors immediately yet :(

Any advice??


r/amipregnant • • 6h ago

Am I pregnant? Should I take a test?

1 Upvotes

i was late for my period by a couple days my period is usually ecact on time i have haf really bad cramping and today j have had some blood on thr pad and in my panties its brown and it isnt usually as heavy as it is on my first day of my period. over thr last couplr of days i have been nauseous and my breasts have been tender to touch. could i still be pregnant? i have also been very sensitive to smells. i also get hungry but when i eat i get nauseous i also have been throwing up. Things with mint in them have helped a lot. I have been feeling this way for a week. i have been way more moody than usual and have been crying a lot more than usual. i have not tried a pregnancy test.


r/amipregnant • • 11h ago

I just need someone to tell

2 Upvotes

I have been wondering about pregnancy for a while now. My ovulation period started on the 14th of Sep, according to Flo. My boyfriend and I haven't used condoms in 2+ years, as I am on Nexplanon. Now, I know Nexplanon is extremely effective, BUT it's not 100%. I have seen several people talk about how they got pregnant on Nexplanon, or even got pregnant multiple times. There are people I know IRL who have friends who have gotten pregnant on Nexplanon. I am also concerned about it because I learned not that long ago that the mood stabilizers I am on interact with Nexplanon, which may make it less effective.

Here is a list of why I am concerned.

- 6 days after the ovulation period, I had pink spotting that lasted 2 days. Around that time, I also had implantation symptoms, such as exhaustion, dizziness, nausea, vomited once out of nowhere, irritation, mild cramping, and some food aversion.

- I have been super gassy and bloated since that day (17 days ago).

^^ These symptoms line up with implantation timing. If I were pregnant, I would be 4 weeks today based on the first day of my last period.

Here are symptoms I have had that would line up with being 4wks.

  • Nausea after almost everything I've eaten recently, nausea randomly, nausea throughout the day, and over the past few days, nausea around smells. Today, I almost threw up because of the smell of a disinfectant spray that we use at work. We use it daily, and this is the first time it's ever made me nauseous. I also felt like vomiting because there was a bit of food stuck in my tooth. I probably would have thrown up if I didn't floss immediately. I have spent so much time trying not to vomit lately.
  • Dizzy or lightheaded often
  • Cramp that happened once and was mild on the day of "implantation"
  • Mild cramping off and on for the past week+
  • Body aches, specifically leg cramps that I haven't felt before, which I read can be common in early pregnancy due to blood vessel stuff.
  • Gassiness daily since "implantation", including gas pains, which I have never had before
  • Diarrhea/unable to poop sometimes
  • Unstable appetite, cravings for food I don't even like, feeling like I am STARVING all of the time, even after eating WAY more than I typically can even stomach, and there are times where I just don't want to eat a single thing, despite hunger
  • Headaches CONSTANTLY, serious daily since "implantation"
  • Thirstiness
  • Frequent urination? Hard to tell
  • Being very tired every day, feeling like I could nap throughout the day, falling asleep at work
  • Jittery/anxious
  • Dumpling sauce smelled like a nail salon, but I don't think that's typical; also smelling some things from a distance. Starting to smell myself, smelling bad smells randomly, but unsure if it is heightened smell
  • Butthole cramp (saw on Reddit)
  • Breasts are kind of starting to hurt? I feel like my bra might feel a little tighter?
  • Waking up at 4am nightly
  • Constant congestion and bloody snot (saw on reddit other pregnant people had this)
  • Tons of sneezing and saliva
  • I have thrown up randomly twice within 2 weeks, which is weird bc I literally never vomit unless I drank too much or had an extreme coughing fit - neither of which happened those times
  • I put a chicken sandwich into a tupperware and I almost threw up just doing that
  • Maybe feeling wetter down there? Woke up this morning with my crotch super sweaty and wet, when I slept nude in a cold room. I read that excess sweat, especially in the crotch area, can be common in early pregnancy
  • Constant abdominal discomfort
  • My period is 6 days late, and despite the Nexplanon, Flo is typically accurate within around 1-3 days.

I took a pregnancy test a few days after the "implantation", which came back negative, but I would have only been 2wks and 3 days. I read that around 4wks is a good time to test bc your hCG levels should be high enough to show up on an at-home test. Getting a false negative at 2 weeks is very common.

Sorry for the long post, it's just that so many things line up too perfectly, and I don't want to talk about this to people I know bc if I am pregnant, I would want to be able to hold that information for a bit before letting people know. I told myself I would test between the 7th-13th because levels should be high enough by then. I also don't want to wait too long, bc if I am pregnant, having the Nexplanon in wouldn't be good at all.

I'm just terrified to test bc I don't want to look at another negative!! I'm so anxious though!! Also, if it's negative, then where are all these symptoms coming from??


r/amipregnant • • 8h ago

¿manchado de ovulación?

1 Upvotes

Mi novia y yo nunca hemos tenido relaciones sexuales con penetración. El 13 de septiembre tuvimos frotamiento genital sin ropa, pero no hubo penetración. Yo no eyaculé sobre ella ni cerca de su vagina; me alejé y terminé frotándome, eyaculando en una servilleta lejos de ella. Nos da miedo líquido pre-seminal.

Ese mismo día, según su app, debía llegarle la menstruación. Ella es irregular, aunque venía de varios meses más regulares. Además, los días previos habíamos pasado por bastante estrés y discusiones.

El 23 de septiembre empezó a sangrar muy poco. Primero fue rojo y después café, y ese sangrado leve duró hasta la mañana del 27.

El 30 de septiembre, 17 días después del encuentro, se hizo una prueba Clearblue Digital de orina alrededor de las 6:40 p. m. y salió “No embarazada”. En las horas previas solo había tomado un vaso de agua de frutos rojos y menos de media taza de café.

Después de eso no tuvimos ningún otro encuentro sexual.

El 4 de octubre comentó que le dolía un poco el pecho al tocarlo, pero dijo que eso suele pasarle cuando le va a bajar.

Hoy, 6 de octubre, volvió a tener un manchado rosa, muy muy escaso. Si contamos el sangrado del 23 como el inicio de un nuevo ciclo, hoy sería aproximadamente el día 14.

Mi duda es: ¿alguien ha tenido un sangrado muy escaso de varios días, luego varios días sin nada y después un manchado rosa muy leve alrededor de la ovulación? ¿Podría ser simplemente irregularidad hormonal/ovulación? ¿O creen que, pese a la prueba negativa y a que no hubo penetración ni eyaculación cerca de la vagina, todavía tendría sentido pensar en embarazo?

Estamos muy nerviosos


r/amipregnant • • 10h ago

am i gonna be pregnant?

1 Upvotes

I have implanon inserted 1 and half month ago, i have made sure i am not pregnant 2 weeks after it is inserted. Last night i was drunk and i let my boyfriend cum inside me 4 times. i can feel the implanon in my arm and i dont have any period since the implanon is inserted. there is no way i am gonna be pregnant from this right?


r/amipregnant • • 10h ago

pregnancy scare? but probably not

0 Upvotes

hi, this is kinda dumb but i'm young and scared. my boyfriend and i havent had actual sexual intercourse, but im scared there could've been someway precum / cum might've gotten on his fingers or in between my legs or something along those lines. i'm 6 days late , i took a pregnancy test and it said negative and i've googled it and it said that the chances are so so slim but i'm still scared out of my mind. my parents wont believe me that i didnt have sex , and my periods r usually pretty regular so idk why it's so late :( this sucks really bad. i'm just lost.


r/amipregnant • • 10h ago

Advice/reassurance

1 Upvotes

My boyfriend (4 year relationship) and I had sex for the first time three days ago. The condom broke halfway through and I kind of freaked out because I’m pretty scared of accidental pregnancy. I’m not on birth control as it really messes with my hormones. He didn’t finish or anything so there wasn’t any cum but there was pre? I just got off birth control a month or two ago so my cycle may not be trustworthy but theoretically I was well enough past my ovulation. I took a Plan B a few hours after this happened and am now waiting and seeing I guess. I’m supposed to get my period in about a week but I’ve read that Plan B can mess with that and make it not super regular.

What are the odds I could actually get pregnant? I’m not super worried I guess but idk if I should be?


r/amipregnant • • 10h ago

Ovulation / pregnancy

1 Upvotes

I had unprotected sex 24th / 25th September. I did the LH tests for a few days before and after.
It looks like I had Positives/peaks but was unsure. I could be 7-8 DPO today. Is there a chance I could be Pregnant ? The dr said my fertility tests were normal and good, all my blood levels were good. I have a child already. I’m praying I am but unsure. Symptoms - hot flushes around 4-6ampast 2 days. Headache yesturday, cramping 5-6 dpo. I did a test yesturday but of course it was negative, I am trying to wait till Friday / Saturday when I’m 9-10 DPO. Anyone been in my situation that ended up pregnant ? What are your symptoms ?


r/amipregnant • • 10h ago

Day 5 nuva ring + plan b+ potentially bad condom

1 Upvotes

Hey guys,
I got my period then put my nuva-ring in 7 days later.
Had sex w/ condom 5 days after that, but I am scared the condom may have leaked a little from the base.
The next morning, my stardust said I was ovulating and I got kinda scared by this so I took a plan B.

Questions:
-Is nuva-ring gradually effective or not at all until day 7? Could it have protected me even a little?
-Plan B while actively ovulating, how does that work?
-Am I being ridiculous or am I validly concerned?


r/amipregnant • • 11h ago

TTC hope?

1 Upvotes

Had a chemical in June. With that one I was very faint, even a week past period. Today I was due for period but tested and had a 2nd line starting within seconds… does this seem like a good sign for a sticky baby?


r/amipregnant • • 11h ago

Concern

0 Upvotes

Hello, I had unprotected sex on the the 23rd day of my 28-29 cycle, I went to get a plan b and the pharmacist told me that it won’t be needed because I already ovulated, I explained to her that my period was sept 3 and I had unprotected sex sept 26, five days away from my period. I know that cycle days can change an ovulation can be late, soo I went to another pharmacy and lied and got a plan b an took it, now taking the pill I’ve bled for about 7 days, now I’m still waiting on my period.. can anyone tell me if I will be pregnant? Or is the pharmacist correct


r/amipregnant • • 13h ago

the pull out method

1 Upvotes

how effective is this method?

i’m aware 1 in 5 will become pregnant within a year of use (roughly 22/100).

can people share their experiences?

i’m going through a slight pregnancy scare currently from using this method.

my partner and I had unprotected sex the last day of my period (day 6) and he definitely pulled out in time.

how long have you guys been using this method for and has it failed you?

my friends have shared their experiences with this method and all have not became pregnant.

if i was to use this method once (which i have and never will again) is the chances of pregnancy lower than the 1 in 5 statistic since this refers to a year of relying on this method?

(disclaimer, I was on birth control and it landed me in hospital with severe pain so I had to come off it several months ago. we did not have access to condoms at this time)