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Had Unprotected Sex, Late Period, Cramping, HPT Negative, Spotting. How To Get Sure Of Pregnancy?
Hello! I have had unprotected sex in the past month and I have noticed that my period was late. Last week I was cramping and having bad headaches . I took a pregnancy test a week ago but it was negative. A couple days ago I finally started spotting, but it s very light red and brown. I m not sure whether or not I am pregnant because I ve been doing a lot of research and the home tests aren t always accurate this early anyways… HELP!
Tue, 12 Mar 2013
Hello,
First of all, you need to undergo one blood test for beta-HCG and TVS scan to confirm/ exclude intrauterine conception. Reddish brown discharge may indicate implantation bleeding. Early pregnancy test may give negative result.
In exclusion of pregnancy, other reasons for this type of spotting (reddish brown) are hormonal imbalance, stress/ anxiety, irregular diet habit, weight change, thyroid disturbance.
Consult with your gynecologist for relevant investigations and take suggestive measures.
Avoid stress/ anxiety by deep breathing, take healthy diet with iron supplements, maintain genital hygiene properly and take proper sleep.
Be well.
First of all, you need to undergo one blood test for beta-HCG and TVS scan to confirm/ exclude intrauterine conception. Reddish brown discharge may indicate implantation bleeding. Early pregnancy test may give negative result.
In exclusion of pregnancy, other reasons for this type of spotting (reddish brown) are hormonal imbalance, stress/ anxiety, irregular diet habit, weight change, thyroid disturbance.
Consult with your gynecologist for relevant investigations and take suggestive measures.
Avoid stress/ anxiety by deep breathing, take healthy diet with iron supplements, maintain genital hygiene properly and take proper sleep.
Be well.
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Hello brownell,
Thanks for posting on HCM,
You are right about home test kits not always 100% accurate at early periods of pregnancy. Spotting might still be a sign of implantation bleeding and that you are effectively pregnant. But if you are bleeding it might also be a sign of early pregnancy complication such as possible miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy etc. So there will be a need to rule out possibility of pregnancy first and since you seem obviously worried, I will advise that you go to the hospital to get checked up by a doctor or gynobs who can run a serum beta HCG test ( which has high specificity all almost all stages of pregnancy) and also perform a pelvic ultrasound (which will further determine if there are any products of conception that might indicate pregnancy). If you are unable to go to the hospital for reasons (known only to you), then you can wait for about 7-10 days then redo the pregnancy test (but risk is that if you have ectopic pregnancy, then it might rupture and complicate your state).
Hope this helps and wish you the best.
Dr. Bernard
Thanks for posting on HCM,
You are right about home test kits not always 100% accurate at early periods of pregnancy. Spotting might still be a sign of implantation bleeding and that you are effectively pregnant. But if you are bleeding it might also be a sign of early pregnancy complication such as possible miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy etc. So there will be a need to rule out possibility of pregnancy first and since you seem obviously worried, I will advise that you go to the hospital to get checked up by a doctor or gynobs who can run a serum beta HCG test ( which has high specificity all almost all stages of pregnancy) and also perform a pelvic ultrasound (which will further determine if there are any products of conception that might indicate pregnancy). If you are unable to go to the hospital for reasons (known only to you), then you can wait for about 7-10 days then redo the pregnancy test (but risk is that if you have ectopic pregnancy, then it might rupture and complicate your state).
Hope this helps and wish you the best.
Dr. Bernard
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3 Doctors agree with this answer
Hi and thanks for the query,
the commonest cause of missed periods in females of reproductive age is pregnacy. FRom two weeks after pregnancy, common pregnancy tests using urine samples can diagnose pregnancy. These tests could be faulty if the test is done so early or at times negative with during the day or evening urine samples.
The ideal is getting a blood Beta HCG pregnancy test done. The obstetric ultrasound/echography could be the gold standard in actually visualizing the uterus and detecting products of conception or not. You might visit your family physician for proper management.
Thanks and best regards,
Luchuo, MD.
the commonest cause of missed periods in females of reproductive age is pregnacy. FRom two weeks after pregnancy, common pregnancy tests using urine samples can diagnose pregnancy. These tests could be faulty if the test is done so early or at times negative with during the day or evening urine samples.
The ideal is getting a blood Beta HCG pregnancy test done. The obstetric ultrasound/echography could be the gold standard in actually visualizing the uterus and detecting products of conception or not. You might visit your family physician for proper management.
Thanks and best regards,
Luchuo, MD.
I find this answer helpful
2 Doctors agree with this answer
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