Women who struggle to conceive now have the opportunity to undergo fertility treatment to enhance their chances of being a mom. But with artificial reproductive treatment, the medicines can become overwhelming especially if you feel they aren’t working as they should. One of the many unanswered questions you have could be: can clomid delay a positive pregnancy test?
Can Clomid Delay a Positive Pregnancy Test?
The medication Clomid has no bearing on the amount of hCG that is produced which can affect your test results.
Does clomid delay positive pregnancy test? Clomid is one of many drugs that helps stimulate ovulation. It is unlikely that it would delay a positive result as its main purpose is only to activate your ovaries. If you find yourself with no period and a negative test then chances are you haven’t ovulated this time, you may need to up your dose or consider alternative options.
Natural Conception
Being told that natural conception is not on your life agenda can stop you in your tracks but thanks to science, research and the growth in medicine many women find themselves able to picture the impossible.
Before getting to the fourth trimester and feeling the fruits of motherhood it can seem like a minefield of drugs, timesheets, doctors appointments, and injections. One drug we are putting under the microscope is Clomid and hoping to reveal the answer to can you get a false positive pregnancy test after taking clomid?
What is Clomid?
Clomiphene is a drug that is prescribed to women who struggle to ovulate. It works to stimulate the ovaries and help ripen the follicles ready to release an egg. This is only one cog in the very large wheel of fertility, it cannot get you pregnant but it can induce the tools needed for fertilization.
When you ovulate your body produces less estrogen so Clomid works by suppressing your estrogen levels to trigger your pituitary gland to release the Luteinizing Hormone. This hormone signals to the ovaries that it’s time to release an egg.
The statistics related to Clomid are that it works in over 50% of women meaning their fertile window is wide open at precise times in their monthly cycle.
Typically you would start with 50mg for 5 days and there is scope to increase the dosage monthly if needed. Doses incline by 50mg so it’s important not to lose faith if it doesn’t work the first time round.
Will it Guarantee Ovulation?
Unfortunately, there is a percentage of women that Clomid has failed for. As explained it helps the body understand that it’s time to ovulate yet this doesn’t always happen.
According to Drugs.com a study of 130 women only 77% successfully ovulated. This of course does not guarantee you the big fat positive you desperately desire.
For pregnancy, the sperm still needs to meet an egg and implant which can sometimes take several attempts.
When Do I Know Ovulation has Happened?
To ensure Clomid has worked you can take an ovulation prediction kit. These at home kits will identify the increasing levels of LH in the body and if they show a positive result then it could mean that your fertile window of opportunity is imminent.
Of course, no fertility drug is 100% successful. There is the cruel possibility that certain fertility medication can interact with your OPK providing you with a false positive – Clomid being one.
You should wait at least three days after your last pill before testing for ovulation to help boost the chances of a true positive result.
There are several other indicators that can help you determine when you are ovulating.
- Ovulation calculator – by tracking your cycles you can calculate the rough window when your body is due to ovulate.
- Temperature – your basal body temperature rises when ovulation is close. Monitoring your BBT and charting it can indicate changes that your body is preparing to ovulate.
- Monitoring mucus – too much or too little mucus indicates that your body isn’t ready to welcome sperm inside. The best time to try for a baby is when your cervix produces thin and stretchy, a little like egg whites.
- Ovulation pain – pain on one side in your lower abdomen can signal your ovaries are ready for release. Note that you can feel pain but it doesn’t indicate you have released an egg.
Can Clomid Affect My hCG Levels?
You will only get a positive pregnancy test if your levels of hCG are strong enough. Studies indicate that around the time of your missed period an at-home pregnancy test is expected to be 98% accurate. This means that having a negative result can signal no pregnancy hormones.
On the contrary, there are many reasons you may have a late positive pregnancy test result. It is unlikely to get a late positive pregnancy test on clomid. This synthetic hormone is given to help your ovaries prior to ovulating. As discussed its main role is to kick start your body to release the hormones required to release an egg. It does not contain any hormones that could prevent a positive result.
Can I Take an at Home Ovulation kit?
Many women track their ovulation through the use of these kits. They are very similar to a pregnancy test by sight but they will always show two lines after taken.
The control line proves its a working test and the testing line will be very faint if your not ovulating. The test tracks the levels of Luteinizing Hormone in your system therefore the higher levels of LH the darker the test will be.
As Clomid is effective in decreasing your estrogen level which has a domino effect in the body. Your pituitary gland responds to these low levels by making higher levels of LH helping ovulation occur.
It is important to understand that whilst taking Clomid, you are at risk of getting a false positive ovulation test. According to manufacturers, a woman should leave three days after her last clomid tablet before using an OPK.
How Do I Know if it Worked?
Can Clomid delay a positive pregnancy test? Typically you know if your Clomid cycle has worked because you will ovulate. This means that you will see your period that month or you could be pregnant. If your period is yet to make itself known then you need to take an at-home pregnancy test.
Repeated negative results indicate that you have not ovulated this cycle and Clomid has not worked this time.
Looking at the scenarios you can expect one of the following outcomes.
| Scenario | What to do next |
| You have ovulated but didn’t conceive | Your period should start around two weeks after ovulation. |
| You have ovulated and are pregnant | After two weeks if no sign of your period take a pregnancy test. |
| You didn’t ovulate and missed a period | Without ovulation you shouldn’t expect a period and a pregnancy test will indicate negative results. |
If you find that Clomid hasn’t worked for you on this cycle try not to lose hope. Some women need varying dosages but it’s protocol for doctors to start off small and increase if need be. Generally, doctors may suggest giving Clomid a chance to work before recommending more aggressive styles of ART.
Emotionally it can take its toll on you as a woman when ‘natural’ processes cease to work but when medication is also not proving to be effective it can become damaging to not only your self-worth but also your self image.
Reasons for a Delayed Positive Test
So what is the reason you may have taken clomid and have a late positive pregnancy test?
It is difficult to pin point the exact date of ovulation but whilst on ART, the medication you take can narrow down the window of fertile opportunity.
When taking Comid you will be directed when to have intercourse or when insemination is most likely to result in fertilization through IUI.
Reasons behind a late positive test are as follows:
- You have ovulated but later than expected meaning, your period can be delayed.
- You are pregnant but your hCG levels are too low for an at-home pregnancy test.
- You have taken a pregnancy test too soon.
- Your test has low sensitivity to hormones.
Other Factors to Consider
As mentioned Clomid is simply one strand to the systematic approach of conceiving. Using Clomid can help regulate your ovulation which in turn will give you a better picture of when you are your most fertile. There are other important factors to consider why you could be struggling to concieve before starting Clomid treatment. Look at the list below to ensure you consider the following.
- Low sperm count – Clomid cannot increase your prtners sperm count.
- Fallopian tubes- blocked tubes result in trapped eggs.
- Egg quality – Clomid cannot improve egg quality meaning IVF may be a better option.
Wrapping Up
To conclude can clomid delay a positive pregnancy test? Unlikely!
The main reasons for a delayed positive test would be ovulating later than expected, low pregnancy hormone levels, testing too early and many more as listed above.
If you have missed your period but are continuing to get negative results then it is likely you haven’t ovulated in this cycle.