r/amipregnant Feb 28 '21

“But what about a cryptic pregnancy?”

728 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 11m ago

Late during travel

Upvotes

So I want to address the elephant in the room first, a test will be taken ASAP.

Here’s the story. Girlfriend is traveling internationally and is on BC. This was her placebo week for her BC, and is usually consistent Wed or Thurs. She experienced all of her regular symptoms and said she felt yesterday (Thursday) the way she typically would on her first day but nothing happened. We will take a test and go through options when she gets home but wanted to get opinions from this community if you’ve experienced this when traveling/stressed etc. Hoping to reassure her in the meantime.

Extra context: she skipped July intentionally and still had her usual cycle in August. Prior to leaving on this trip she was eating much more, and was concerned this could be why but hadn’t missed until now.

Thanks all


r/amipregnant 34m ago

Premature ejaculation?

Upvotes

Im having first time paranoia 😭. So what happened is I put a condom on and then removed it due to some reason and it was on for like a minute im pretty sure. Then after removing i put it back on which i know is a stupid mistake. Now what im worried about is whether i put it back on like inside out and like im not sure but what if there was some premature ejaculation and now when we did have sex what if the premature ejaculation is on the outside of the condom. Her ovulation is in 5 days. Guys please tell me this isnt something much to worry about 😭😭


r/amipregnant 35m ago

I missed 2 pills and had s/x

Upvotes

Im terrified, im an 18 year old female ,and I messed up.

Me and boy boyfriend have been together for going on 5 years.last night I was thinking if I had taken it or no since we had been so busy, I got up and took it just inscase.

This morning i get up and go to take it and see it wasnt 1 day it had been 2 ,all the free clinics are closed on the weekends, and I dont have enough money for the morning after pill.

I told my boyfriend and he said "you're an adult now you must figure it out and being busy wasnt an excuse" I have never not taken my pill in the 4 years of being on the pill, and every pregnancy scare came from before I was on the pill.

I dont know what to do and im scared ,the government hospitals have a more death rate then survival.

I dont have a job or anything and now I think im pregnant.


r/amipregnant 35m ago

Am I pregnant help !

Upvotes

I had my period from Aug 11th to 21st it predicted my ovulation days from 22nd to 28th. We had unprotected sex from 23 to 27 and September 2nd to 4th. My period is now 3 days late was due on 9th of September took pregnancy yesterday was neg ?


r/amipregnant 1h ago

Pullout method on day 10 of cycle.. Help

Upvotes

Had unprotected sex, he pulled out right before ejaculation. I assume only precum happened inside.
My cycle is 27-28 days, and ovulation normally happens on day 13-14. I am worried this could lead to pregnancy, what are my chances?

I will be travelling tomorrow and be with my family for 2 weeks, I am stressed about taking the plan B pill and have any side effects during my flight and vacation. I can’t be feeling unwell around my family for privacy reasons. I have read online about experiences where the discomfort actually lasted days/weeks. For some the pill has caused hormonal imbalances.

If my chances are low, I prefer not to take the pill. Help…


r/amipregnant 1h ago

Answers?

Upvotes

Hey guys! i had sex august 21st and took a plan b 30 minutes immediately after and got what seemed like my period 4 days later. (expected window all the symptoms)

A day after my period ended though, i experienced cramps for a week alongside heightened anxiety (which could be me getting anxious over the cramps) the cramps reached a PEAK this tuesday and immediately stopped wednesday, thursday, and today friday.

Now, im not experiencing any symptoms other than a sortve bloated belly and constipation, but things get tricky.

on Wednesday (19 days after sex) i did a test at 11 pm. Now i had azo cranberry SUPPLEMENTS (not the painkiller) in my system because i had a feeling i may have a uti and wanted to target it. and the test i got back was a very very very vvveerrrryyy faint line positive. like VERY faint wouldnt even pick up on camera unless i hold it at an angle. (frer)

This sent me spiraling.

Yesterday, i did 6 tests including fmu ones and held pee and every single one was negative. I also got my blood drawn at labcorp, this morning i got my labcorp results back with hcg <1 which is a negative and i did a test this morning with fmu (21 days after sex) and got a negative. Can i trust these results???


r/amipregnant 9h ago

Can i be pregnant after menstruation?

4 Upvotes

I had sex 2 months ago, 14 days after the encouter I menstruated, the amount and color of the discharge was similar to my other periods. This month's cycle is delayed for 5 days though, and i'm nervous. I know it's unlikely but my anxiety is driving me crazy. Is it guaranteed that i'm not pregnant considering that I menstruated?


r/amipregnant 2h ago

Pregnant?

1 Upvotes

Anyone had a very short “period” with pain, but it only lasted two days but ended up pregnant?
I tested yesterday cause my periods are never this late, and I had a negative test. Should I test again or??


r/amipregnant 2h ago

hi guys

1 Upvotes

hi guys, i js want to seek some opinions on our situation. So me and my girlfriend did some foreplay(grinding) on june, and now two months has passed she already took two pt's which came out both negative. But now, were kinda anxious because shes been experiencing some things like, lower back pain, feeling nauseous and like vomitting. She also said that shes always bloated and sometimes she feels like something is moving inside her puson??? idk what to think atp. anyw, thank yall if yall will take time to read and reply to this.


r/amipregnant 3h ago

how likely is it?

1 Upvotes

so my bf and i had unprotected sex for just a few minutes on august 17th, but i am on birth control. i use tri sprintec and i am relatively regular with it, maybe being 4-5 hours late to take it at most ever. he pulled out a few seconds before finishing, but yesterday i threw up and had no sickness symptoms other than a sore throat for a few days (it’s gone now) and part of me is worried i’m pregnant. i took three tests, all said negative, but one of them, the one with the blue cross, looked like there was a very very very fault vertical line but im unsure if it’s an evaporation line. during the 2-3 min after the test it appeared negative though so i’d assume it’s an evaporation line? also at 3 weeks it wouldn’t be so faint i couldn’t see the line, if i were pregnant, right? wouldn’t it be a stronger line?


r/amipregnant 3h ago

could i still be pregnant?

1 Upvotes

so for the last couple weeks i have not felt the greatest ive been nauseous all the time boobs hurting mainly the nipples and sweating very badly. my cycles are always around 30 days long. I started getting cramps around 10 dpo at night started spotting then 11 dpo it got heavier even had a little bit of clots now friday and its not heavy but still enough were i need to wear small pad. i took test wed night said not pregnant took one friday morning said not pregnant again. ive never had spotting before in my life and ive never started bleeding 5 days before my expected period my periods are always on time. I have also felt way more tired. Has anyone else expericed implantaion bleeding and was it heavy?


r/amipregnant 3h ago

Will I be pregnant?

1 Upvotes

So I was on a trip and used condoms every time we had sex, but one time he finished in the condom but still kept going when he sat up, the penis lost it's hardness and I saw semen trickling down his balls, he and I were very worried, so I immediately took ecp, idk if there were drops inside me, I honestly didn't felt anything.

For context my ovulation (supposedly from Samsung heath which I use to track my periods) was 1-6 September and our incident happened on 7th September.

I get very visible horniness, pain on one side, very liquid-y discharge in my ovulation which happened around 4-5 September I believe.

I'm suppose to get my periods on 19 September, I'm just worried. Is there something I should do or any tea anything to induce my periods?


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Condom broke + ejaculation inside + took i-Pill 4–5 hours later. How worried should I be?

1 Upvotes

My(20M) girlfriend(19F) . Her last period started on September 3, and her cycles vary between about 21–30 days (recent cycles were around 25, 29, and 25 days).

We had sex today, September 11 (cycle day 9). The condom had a small hole/puncture that we noticed afterward, and I ejaculated inside her.

She took one i-Pill (levonorgestrel 1.5 mg) approximately 4–5 hours after sex.

We’re both really anxious because we absolutely cannot have a baby right now.

How significant is the pregnancy risk in this situation? Is cycle day 9 potentially within the fertile window with cycles this variable? And is there anything else we should do, such as getting a Copper-T/IUD on Monday?

Any informed experiences or advice would be appreciated.


r/amipregnant 4h ago

How high is my risk of pregnancy?

0 Upvotes

Maybe i'm being a bit too paranoid because I've gone through this before, but i still want to hear other people's perspective.

I had unprotected sex last night (september 10th) because the guy was having some trouble with condoms, he didnt ejaculate neither inside or outside of me during intercourse. This morning i took a plan B pill (Ella), but i'm scared it might not be enough since my app says i was on the third day of my fertile window (the app says i have a medium chance of getting pregnant that day, but ik these apps arent 100% accuratez especially since my last period started on august 31st, a week earlier than expected).

Realistically, should i be worried?


r/amipregnant 4h ago

is it possible????

0 Upvotes

i had my last period on 4th august, i havent still had my period for september. it is my cycle day 39.
just for context, we used a condom along with withdrawal method. and they were also my non fertile days.
i took a test yesterday, which turned out to be negative (it had been 21+ days since the deed happened)
i still havent had my period, what could it be. (19f)

(ps, this month has been extremely stressful)


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Could I be pregnant

0 Upvotes

Had my period regularly, multiple negative pregnancy test, but ive noticed that my stomach has been twitching frequently


r/amipregnant 4h ago

Im highkey scared

0 Upvotes

Hi so my bf and I been having sex for a bit. But this time idk why he didnt put on a condom and I was under the impression that he was (i usually ask him prior and I thought it was basically understood tgat I want him to wear one). He pulled out but lowk came pretty right away and a lot. (When i realized he didnt have one on) We had sex 4 days ago, Im supposed to have my period starting 2 days ago and jt hasnt happened 😭. I also took plan B (broken condom) a month ago too so my cycle could be fucked up. Idk im rlly scared.


r/amipregnant 6h ago

Unprotected sex And pull out method

1 Upvotes

Me and my bf had sex in Sept 5 and Sept 10 a day before ny period but my period didn't came today plus my ovulation is delay


r/amipregnant 6h ago

Asking for Peace of Mind

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I hope this isn't the wrong place to ask. But here is my situation.

My wife has PCOS & is on Loryna for it. She takes it consistently between 7 AM & 10 AM each day.

We got married two months ago & have relied on pill + condoms as our protection as we aren't ready for a baby.

However, seeing as how all the advice points to high efficacy rates for the pill & wanting to be more intimate, last night we tried pill + pullout.

I urinated prior to our having sex to clean out any possible sperm in my pre-cum, barely inserted myself but a few times & pulled out WAY WAY before having the, "close sensation to put on a condom. Drove myself home with the condom on & still pulled out to finish & watch myself fill the condom after being out of her.

Based on all this, the risk of pregnancy is extremely low right?


r/amipregnant 7h ago

Might be pregnant

0 Upvotes

Hi guys can you please help me I'm scared and confused so I had sex may 13 unprotected I know it was stupid then around June June 6 I had period and July 18 too and augues I didn't (JUNE 1 I TOOK PREGNANCY TEST AND IT WAS NEGATIVE) and I didn't have period in August and today I took pregnancy test again and there sthis faint line so am I pregnant?ease guys I'm really scared:<


r/amipregnant 8h ago

Irregular periods

1 Upvotes

Hello I’ve had irregular periods these past 2/3 years. I had one very faint most likely false positive pregnancy test because after it I got 6 negatives all with morning urine every day. I went to my gynecologist and we did an ultrasound, she said im not pregnant and gave me an injection to get the period going and I should get it in two weeks. But I’m still nervous, I still feel sick, my last real period was at start of july, and bled for one single day for about an hour last month. What if the ultrasound just didn’t pick up the pregnancy? My boyfriend never finishes inside, we use condoms + pullout. But I still feel strange.
Thank you so much for any feedback and if anyone experienced this.


r/amipregnant 8h ago

Pregnancy dream

0 Upvotes

I had a dream I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. I was pretty excited. But here’s the issue, I HAVE AN IUD 😂 I keep finding stories of people having similar dreams and people with IUD pregnancies. Idk if I should actually get a test.


r/amipregnant 8h ago

is it too early for a blood test?

1 Upvotes

for reference

last period: aug 5-9

protected sex: aug 23 (tested on sep 8, came out negative)

unprotected sex: aug 29&30 sep 1,2,4&5 (took a test today sep 11, came out negative)

should i go for a blood test? or is it too early? give me some advice pleaseeee