What Causes Missed Period Negative Pregnancy Test White Discharge?

Question: What causes missed period negative pregnancy test white discharge?

Missing your period can be worrying after having sexual intercourse. If you are expecting, missing period with white discharge can be a good sign of early pregnancy, but it is not proof on its own.

However, missed period, negative pregnancy test and white discharge could be due to minor technical issues, natural causes, or a medical condition.

Hypothalamic dysfunction, premature menopause, polycystic ovaries or stress for a long time could delay period and test negative.

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What causes missed period negative pregnancy test white discharge?

1. Pregnancy

Signs of pregnancy may take days or weeks to show up. However, your missed period and a negative pregnancy test could still mean pregnancy. This usually occurs if you take a test very early or if pregnancy hormones are still very low to detect. Most home pregnancy tests are accurate from the first day of a missed period (NHS – Doing a pregnancy test), but if you test too soon you can get a false negative. 

What causes pregnancy?

Like most women who get pregnant naturally, the sperm fertilizes an ovum released during ovulation at the fallopian tube. The Fallopian tube is an extension of the uterus and is about 10cm long.

With the help of ciliary cells and muscular movement, the fallopian tube moves back the embryo to the uterus for implantation.

Pregnancy does not occur only after fertilization. The embryo must be implanted into the endometrial wall of the uterus. Between 6 and 12 days after fertilization, implantation should occur in most women.

After implantation occurs, some women may start having very early symptoms of pregnancy that may include spotting that is very light with mild abdominal pains.

Once the embryo is implanted, the human body begins to secrete the hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin – HCG) that can be detected to confirm pregnancy.

In early pregnancy, HCG levels usually rise quickly every 48 – 72 hours, and doctors sometimes use this trend together with ultrasound to see how the pregnancy is progressing. In some women, HCG is very low and may not be detected after missing your period. Flo

However, if pregnant, you could experience
Bloating
Increased desire for a particular kind of food
Increased feeling of vomiting
Sore breast
Itchy nipples
Swollen breast with pain on the right and left breast
Increased urination
Less than normal bleeding from your vagina while expecting your period

Abdominal cramps may also be a sign of pregnancy. While expecting period, abdominal cramps that is much lighter than period cramps is a pregnancy symptom and occurs due to implantation.

After a missed period, pregnancy cramps occur because of hormone changes and improved uterine blood supply.

What to do if I feel pregnant but test negative?

You should wait and recheck after days or sometimes weeks. It’s possible you are pregnant, but HCG hormones are very low to detect. Repeat the test in 3–7 days. If your period is more than a week late, or you have severe pain, dizziness or heavy bleeding, see your doctor for a blood test and review. nhs.uk

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2. Pregnancy test at wrong time of day

Getting the time right for pregnancy test is important, especially if you’re testing before or just after your missed period. If you take a test after drinking lots of water, it will dilute your urine and result in false negative results.

Many modern home tests can be used at any time of the day, but using your first morning urine (when your urine is very concentrated) may be more accurate if you are testing very early. Flo

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3. You are in your mid 40’s

Due to hormone changes and depletion of ovarian follicles, women will start experiencing unusual symptoms before menopause.

Menopause, which means cessation of menstruation, occurs at an average age of 51 years. Before this time, women begin to have an irregular menstrual cycle and period.

A late period, hot flashes, decreased sexual interest and dry vaginal suggest menopause is around the corner.

Missed period negative pregnancy test after 40 years may indicate perimenopause (NHS – Menopause). nhs.uk+1

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4. Polycystic ovaries (PCOS)

Ovulation disorders in women can delay period. Medical condition like polycystic ovaries, which occurs due to high androgens, may block ovulation and make it harder to get pregnant.

Though women may have irregular heavy or light period, it’s possible your missed period negative pregnancy test and white discharge is due to PCOS.

Symptoms of polycystic ovaries are

Inability to conceive
Excessive weight gain or obesity
Abnormal distribution of hair that resembles males pattern
Thinning of hair
Spotting in between your periods
Acne

Many women with PCOS can still get pregnant, especially with treatment (ACOG – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)). ACOG+1

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5. You are unlucky, and menopause is starting very early

Remember that most women stop having period at 51 years. However, some women may start menopause very early (before age 40). This is referred to as primary ovarian insufficiency (previously premature ovarian failure) and may cause absent period, dry vagina and signs of menopause. PubMed

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6. Hypothalamus dysfunction

The hypothalamus is a vital center that controls ovarian function.

Through hormones released – GnRH, the hypothalamus acts on both the pituitary and ovaries to make your period come when due.

Sometimes, the regular release of this hormone may be affected, resulting in a missed period.

Conditions that may lead to hypothalamus dysfunction are

Emotion stress
Sleepless nights
Physical stress
Long travels
Eating problems
Very low body weight, rapid weight loss or over-exercising AAFP

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7. Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy, which is also called tubal pregnancy, occurs because fertilized ovum is not implanted within the body of the uterus. It is most commonly in the fallopian tube, but in rare cases can be in the ovary, cervix or abdomen. ACOG+1

If you had severe one-sided lower abdominal pain and missed a period, it could suggest tubal pregnancy.

Other ways you could tell if it’s ectopic are

Dizziness and feeling very weak
Fainting or loss of consciousness
Low blood pressure
Repeat symptoms after a previous ectopic pregnancy
Months or years of neglecting pelvic infections (such as untreated chlamydia or gonorrhoea)
Shoulder tip pain

Don’t just stare; ectopic pregnancy could result in grave consequences if not managed quickly. It’s vital your health care provider know your symptoms as early as possible, and you should go to the emergency room if you suspect this. You can read more here: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Ectopic Pregnancy. 

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8. You’re on or stopped taking contraceptive pills recently

If you are on active pills for more than 21 days, it is very likely your period will not come when due, depending on the type of pills you’re taking. These pills, while blocking ovulation, may also stop or delay your period or give only a light withdrawal bleed.

Also, women that stopped pills may have an absent period for some time. This does not always mean you’re pregnant and occurs because your body is trying to adjust.

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9. You took emergency contraception

Emergency contraception means drugs you’ve taken immediately after intercourse to prevent getting pregnant. It can also be a copper IUD fitted by a doctor or nurse. nhs.uk+

After morning pills may disrupt your normal menstrual cycle and result in delayed ovulation and menstruation. Your next period may come on time, a few days early or up to about a week late.

Don’t panic, it’s normal for most women, but if your period is more than 7 days late after emergency contraception, or you have unusual pain or very light bleeding, do a pregnancy test and see your doctor. You can read more here: NHS – Emergency Contraception. nhs.uk+1

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Now, let us hear from you. Worried your period is late but testing negative? Any questions?