IS THIS REALLY TRUE???????????

  I just read on a webpage that a woman had taken hpts for months with them all turning out negative and when she finally went to the doctor, she was eight months pregnant!  
  Could that possibly be true?  If so, what would cause the hpt to be negative the whole eight months - I find that frightening if it could happen?  Would a blood test be negative that whole time or will it almost always be 100% accurate?  If she would have went in for a pelvic exam, wouldn't they have been able to tell even as early as the second month?
  When one is concerned she is pregnant, is the best test a blood test?  How early can a qualitative blood test be taken and how many false negatives come about from these tests?
  On the same bulletin board, I also read that after 3 motnhs an hpt will read negative because the hCG levels drop or there are too many for the test to register - I can't remember which one.  Is that true also?

[hfhsmdrcs]

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Dear Billy:
Tests that are done inaccurately will be negative. Tests done correctly will detect pregnancy. Home pregnancy tests are highly reliable. Blood pregnancy tests are the "gold standard" and will detect pregnancy anytime from 17 days following conception (3 days beyond the missed menstrual period in the perfect 28 days cycle with ovulation on day 14).
Pregnancy tests do not become negative later in pregnancy. The detection level is 25 or 50 mIU/ml; the hCG level throughout pregnancy is 100 times this detection limit.
Keywords: pregnancy tests
This information is provided for education purposes and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your healthcare provider.