About Lyndsay Mercier Expertise I can answer questions regarding pregnancy symptoms, possible ways of becoming pregnant, how to help avoid pregnancy, various options regarding your choices involving an unplanned pregnancy, etc.
I can offer advice, answers, a kind word, or just listen.
Experience I was once a pregnant 15 year old, and it was traumatizing. I considered adoption, abortion, and parenthood and came to a conclusion. I was fortunate enough to have a supportive family, but not everyone is as lucky as I was. I have firsthand experience on what it feels like to discover an unplanned, teen pregnancy, as well as experience with coping.
Organizations I am the President of VOX:Voices for Planned Parenthood, which is a non-profit student organization focusing on sexual health and education, as well as reproductive rights and freedom.
Publications I have written an article regarding my own teen pregnancy story which will be published on www.Teenwire.com on June 24th.
Education/Credentials I am currently a senior at Northern Michigan University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology and Gender Studies. I am trained and certified in Sexual Health Peer Education and am currently teaching a college course focusing on STI prevention.
Question Is it possible that my birth control could affect the results of a Home Pregnancy Test? I know it works by making the body assume it's pregnant by producing the pregnant hormones, so could the test come out positive but I actually not be pregnant?
And what are some really early symptoms of pregnancy? I was supposed to start my period on Sunday. It's Tuesday now. And I'm starting to get a little worried. I'm on the pill and sometimes I start late. Do you think I'm just worried for nothing? What do you think I should do?
Thank you,
Rebecca
Answer Rebecca,
Birth control pills will not give you a false positive pregnancy test. You're right that birth control sort of tricks the body into thinking its already pregnant, but it does not make you produce the chemical that home pregnancy tests detect through your urine.
Early symptoms of pregnancy include many different things. Usually it takes around 2 weeks after conception to have any symptoms, and the first symptom is usually a missed period. Around the same time, you may have tender/sore breasts and/or nausea.
If you are on the pill, and have never missed any, then it is very unlikely that you could be pregnant. You also said that sometimes your period is a little late anyway, so I'm sure you can relax. You can take a pregnancy test after your period is a week late for it to be most accurate. Hopefully, your period has already arrived by the time you get this response.
