Natural pregnancy test?

[Ligeia]

Preggo tests don't work on me at all, whether they are pee on the stick kind or blood tests. They always come up negative regardless. Now I am feeling hormonal and strange and would really like to be able to take a test! Anyone know of something else I could try other than, obviously, waiting to see?

[FloridaBorn]

If you had been charting (keeping track of your waking morning temperatures a la the Fertility Awareness Method of family planning) I would say that if you had three days of sustained high temperatures after your anticipated next cycle start date, you could be pregnant.

Are your cycles regular?

[Seena]

Why don't pregnancy tests work for you? Do you not produce hcg? If you don't, does that concern your MW or OB? I've never heard of anyone not producing hcg! Good luck, mama!

[Kidzaplenty]

Originally Posted by Seena

Why don't pregnancy tests work for you? Do you not produce hcg? If you don't, does that concern your MW or OB? I've never heard of anyone not producing hcg! Good luck, mama!

The only option I would know of would be an internal exam after 8 wks.

[Astraia]

ultrasound?

I've heard of people getting negatives until quite late in the pregnancy (as in, 8-10 weeks pregnant instead of the usual 4-6) but not getting negatives with the blood test. Weird!

[jellop]

I don't have any advice. I hope the outcome is whatever your heart truly desires.

Out of curiosity, how many children do you have? How did you find out you were indeed pregnant before? I've heard of people getting false negatives with pee tests, but never with a blood test. Do you tend to have difficult pregnancies?

[soso-lynn]

Perhaps your other hormone levels could be checked, mainly progesterone an estradiol to see if they are consistent with pregnancy.

[nashvillemidwife]

Originally Posted by Ligeia

Anyone know of something else I could try other than, obviously, waiting to see?

Ultrasound.

Do you have children? How do you know you've ever had false negative tests?

[texasnurse3]

Originally Posted by Seena

Why don't pregnancy tests work for you? Do you not produce hcg? If you don't, does that concern your MW or OB? I've never heard of anyone not producing hcg! Good luck, mama!

[Theia]

I've know that Ayurvedic practitioners are able to feel the baby's heartbeat in the mothers pulse. I don't remember when the embryo's heart forms exactly, but I would think a good one would be able to feel the heartbeat very soon after that. FWIW, I did have someone do this for me, I think I was around 5ish weeks. It wasn't as a pregnancy test though cuz I already knew.

Now where you would find someone who could accurately do this might be a problem.

[turnquia]

WIth my first I had negative pregnancy tests until 8 weeks. (dates were later confirmed with U/S because of this).

So I know its possible but to not produce HCG at all seems odd. My 2nd oddly enough I got + tests at 8 DPO.

I'd try some POAS and see if maybe the last prengnacy was just different. But ultrasound/ pelvic exam can all determine pregnancy. Possibly labwork to measure your hormone levels.

Good luck...

[homemademomma]

Originally Posted by Theia

I've know that Ayurvedic practitioners are able to feel the baby's heartbeat in the mothers pulse. I don't remember when the embryo's heart forms exactly, but I would think a good one would be able to feel the heartbeat very soon after that. FWIW, I did have someone do this for me, I think I was around 5ish weeks. It wasn't as a pregnancy test though cuz I already knew.

Now where you would find someone who could accurately do this might be a problem.

how is that possible? I googled it and I couldn't come up with any information.

[Ligeia]

Sorry to leave you ladies hanging with all of your questions! I have no idea how it is possible. I have two children and just don't get positive tests somehow. I had ended up with two blood tests with the second pregnancy, both negative. Both times it was confirmed through ultrasound. It's just annoying so I was wondering if there was anything else to do.
Thank you for the suggestions!

[craft_media_hero]

Well, the most natural pregnancy test would just be waiting for your period and symptoms. Both times I knew way before taking a pt just because I felt different, was suspicious, then missed my period. Right around the time of your first missed period, you will probably be feeling it right?

Even if your blessed to not have bad symptoms, you will notice your boobs changing, a bit of extra fatigue or nausea, extra cervical mucus, whatever other symptoms you've noticed in the early phases of your other pregnancies. I don't think that if you were specifically watching out for it (even if you're not charting) you could go past 6-8 wks without noticing any changes, kwim? Which is about the same time you'd be looking at for a doppler/ultrasound/other methods that have been mentioned.

[Theia]

Originally Posted by homemademomma

how is that possible? I googled it and I couldn't come up with any information.

Pulse diagnosis is really hard to explain without getting into too much detail. But basically a practitioner is trained how to feel for different qualities in ones pulse on the wrist, using the first 3 fingers. When I had my pulse taken the first time (a time different than when pregnant) the practitioner knew I wasn't going to sleep until late at night just by feeling my pulse. I've heard of ppl being diagnosed with cancer, or even having had a recent knee surgery simply by a professional doing pulse diagnosis.

How it's possible, well, we all know that what we feel and call pulse, is the rush of blood through our veins. The work of the heart creates the rhythm we call pulse. So if 2 hearts are beating in one body then it makes sense even though the second embryonic heart would have a tiny amount that it's pumping compared to the mothers heart. It is still a pulse and the practitioners are trained to feel for very subtle differences as it is.

Try googling "pulse diagnosis" for more info. It might not relate to early pregnancy specifically but an experienced practitioner would be the best source for that.

[rightkindofme]

Pulse diagnosis is also used in Chinese medicine. My acupuncturist knows that I am pregnant nearly immediately because I begin to have a "slippery" pulse.

[ScarletBegonias]

i just wanted to chime in and support the OP. although it is VERY rare, a few women will *never* get a positive urine or blood pregnancy test. hard to believe, but completely true!

as an anecdotal example, a couple years ago there was a mama on MDC who did not get a + urine or blood pg test, but was in fact pregnant, went to term and gave birth.

[ScarletBegonias]

if you are at least 6-8 weeks along you can do an internal exam on yourself and look/feel for the following:

- dark purple/blue edge to your labia
- soft cervix, since you've had kids, possibly a "ruffled" feeling around the edges
- one side of your uterus may feel bigger than the other side
- your uterus will feel softer, yet at the same time have a more defined shape

[kalamos23]

I definitely second the cervix change - I'm VERY early (12dpo today) and my cervix feels very different already - like it is full and poofy and soft and ruffly.

[Pinoikoi]

I actually think that pregnancy tests are fairly natural in themselves. The earliest pregnancy tests were based off something in rabbits and in fact the first home pregnancy tests had rabbits on the boxes to represent that fact. I'll see if I can find the info..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_test