Does a pregnancy work if possibly 30+ weeks pregnant?!

[knan]

Hi there

I've got an 18 month old daughter who is still breastfeeding so my periods have not returned to normal, though the last two months I've had a slight bit of bleeding on a day each month which I thought could be my periods slowly returning.

I have separated from my husband and we last had sex in August and didn't use protection (we were still together then)

About a month after having sex I felt tired and nauseous so took a pregnancy test but it was negative. I even retook a test a little while later to be sure and again negative. These were just morrisons own brand though!

Anyway over Christmas I felt really tired and breathless at times and so the doctor tested my iron levels and also thyroid, all normal. If I was pregnant would these blood tests have shown I was pregnant or would they have had to have tested separately for that?

Reason I ask is that a few days ago I was laid in bed after all the chaos of running around after my little girl and I felt what felt exactly like fetal movements, not gas. It was so strange, like actual kicking/fluttering feeling. Then these past few mornings I've woke up feeling nauseous and this morning I swear I saw my stomach moving! Ive still not lost all the baby weight and in fact look about 20 weeks pregnant!

I've read online that pregnancy tests you buy don't work later in pregnancy? Anyone know if that's true?

I suppose I should go to doctors! I just feel like if I am pregnant I'd be well over 30 weeks as an estimation and surely It'd be obvious? I feel a bit mad!

I just want to correct what has been called a myth on this thread: it is possible to be pregnant and get negative tests. This happens for two reasons, the first is the unusual situation where a woman metabolised the hcg differently from normal, both my mum and my sister had a pregnancy where they had negative tests. My sister was not found to be pregnant until she was 4 months preg via scan. My mum was 3 months preg when a doc did a visual check of her cervix, as the pregnancy tests had continued to be negative.

The other situation you can get a negative test is when the levels are high enough to cause the hook effect as someone else has already mentioned, this normally occurs during the second trimester, but can occur as early as 8 weeks.

OP - I agree with the others, doctor will be able to feel if your uterus is above the pelvic brim easily enough. If it is then you will be sent for a scan (as my sister was, despite the negative tests, they though it could be a huge growth)

It is indeed possible, willitbe, for women not to have any positive urinary pregnancy tests.

It is however a myth that pregnancy tests will turn negative in late pregnancy, yet it is much repeated around here, unless as you spotted I said earlier, it is so high that you get the effect en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_effect.

OP, the uterus should rise above the pelvic brim from about 10-12 weeks and then be at the level of the tummy button at 20 weeks roughly, so any doctor would be able to feel a decent size uterus if you are pregnant enough to be feeling fetal movements.

What DinoSnores said - some people don't metabolise bHCG into their urine but it is very very rare and in those cases they would never have had a positive test to begin with, ever, presumably. I've also seen the hook effect in action many times (depending on the test, as early as six weeks!) but I've never seen it completely BFN, just faint. By the time levels drop in the second trimester I'd be surprised if it was strong enough to cause a convincing BFN.

Tried to get an appt this morning but can't get one til Monday. But my stomach is definitely moving, almost pulsating?! Very strange! Will try to get a home test today too and update. Half of me thinks there's no way I'd be pregnant and this far along and not know, but part of me now wonders whether I could be?!

Just seen the most recent replies thanks ladies. I do think it's unlikely I'd be this far along and not know for definite but I'm gonna buy a test today and go along to docs on Monday to know for sure as it's so weird having that uncertainty! I told my ex yesterday and he laughed and said we'd have to change my name to Sonia Jackson from eastenders if I found out this late, lol x

The more I look at my stomach in the mirror the more it looks pregnant, lol! Definitely need to get a test find out if I'm just still fat from the first or not! Haha

Interesting post keep us updated

knan any news?

Shamelessly marking place

Placemarking

I worried that I was pregnant as I felt kicks and had round tummy, the kicks felt so real, I asked about it on mumsnet and lots of women replied saying they also felt "baby" kicks despite not being pregnant.

I am pregnant now (but just a few weeks thank god) when I had my first scan I was convinced they were going find a nearly ready to be born baby, but no there was just a blob.

Good luck with your appointment!

am curious to

Shameless place marking!
I'm so curious, I can't imagine how you must be feeling OP.

Hope you get the answer you want

Very curious here!

Did you test?

Anything is possible, best of luck!

You should be able to feel the baby at this stage. If you palpate your tummy, working from under your boobs down, you should feel top of funded if your that far along? Give it a try!

oh my goodness, im gripped! Did you get a test OP?

Any thing yet been following this for a few days!! Even told my hubby!!! Good luck x

Curios.. Did you find out if you are pregnant.,

Op, you have us all gripped!! You couldn't leave us hanging...

Still dying to know!

Maybe OP is too busy to reply because she's frantically preparing for a baby due very soon!

Ooh possibly! I hope she's ok

Must be such a shock to find out you're pregnant so late on!