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Could I Be Pregnant If My Periods Are Delayed?

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Posted on Sun, 29 Apr 2012
Question: I am a week late on my period. I am post menopausal 36 year old but have been on the pill and getting my periods. Missed a few pills in my last pack. Negative Urine pregnancy test thus far. Doctor did a HCG b;ood test and I got a 5. Could I be pregnant? He wants me to test again (blood) in a few days.
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Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (16 minutes later)
Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

Delaying of periods in your case can be due to hormonal imbalance created by missing of the pills. However first possibility for any case of missed periods is pregnancy and if there is a history of any unprotected intercourse then you should get pregnancy ruled out.

HCG levels of 5 means an equivocal pregnancy test. It means that you maybe pregnant or maybe you are not pregnant. The test should be repeated after some days and the levels noted again. HCG level of less than 5mIU/ml is considered negative for pregnancy, and anything above 25mIU/ml is considered positive for pregnancy.

One single HCG value does not tell you much about the viability of the pregnancy and there is a wide range of normal HCG levels in pregnancy. Multiple testings of HCG done a couple of days apart give a more accurate assessment of the situation.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Regards.






Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Jasvinder Singh

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 1578 Questions

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Could I Be Pregnant If My Periods Are Delayed?

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

Delaying of periods in your case can be due to hormonal imbalance created by missing of the pills. However first possibility for any case of missed periods is pregnancy and if there is a history of any unprotected intercourse then you should get pregnancy ruled out.

HCG levels of 5 means an equivocal pregnancy test. It means that you maybe pregnant or maybe you are not pregnant. The test should be repeated after some days and the levels noted again. HCG level of less than 5mIU/ml is considered negative for pregnancy, and anything above 25mIU/ml is considered positive for pregnancy.

One single HCG value does not tell you much about the viability of the pregnancy and there is a wide range of normal HCG levels in pregnancy. Multiple testings of HCG done a couple of days apart give a more accurate assessment of the situation.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Regards.