This is my second pregnancy and I am terrified of needles. I mean seriously terrified… not just a bit nervous. During my previous pregnancy, I had panic attacks over all three sets of blood tests. I was upset as I was forced to have identical blood tests twice (one at the early pregnancy unit, then at the midwife booking in visit as they “don’t share information”).

I’m 15 weeks and have my booking in appointment this afternoon. I was wondering what blood tests do I genuinely need to have for the health of my baby?

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I am 8 days late for my period. This is my first month off of nuvaring and in the past have had a normal cycle for the first month after going off birth control after that my cycle is very irregular 30-90 days between. I have had breast tenderness and had cramping with extremely mild staining last week when I otherwise should have been on my period – staining amounted to very little red blood coloredness in my mucus upon wiping. I have had four negative tests in the last 5 days, however symptoms persist – breast tenderness and cramping off and on. I should add that I am not trying to concieve as my husband had a vasectomy the end of last week and I went off nuvaring one month early because I have had difficulty in the past getting pregnant, don’t have sex often, twice this month – once early on, once later 11 days ago – , required clomid for both of my pregnancies – if this ain’t karma, I don’t know what is! I have read that I should wait at least 19 days after last sex before expecting a reliable test answer, however the anxiety is killing me! Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated – while I’m not trying to get pregnant it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I was, it’s just the waiting to know which way I am sux!

One of the most frustrating things an infertile  woman can experience is having a late period and a negative pregnancy test!
It does not matter if you are trying-to-conceive or if you’re trying-not-to-conceive, a late period and recurring negative pregnancy test results can lead to a great deal of stress, worry, confusion, and conjecture on what might be happening…. Am I pregnant? If so, then why the negative test result? If I’m not pregnant, then where is my period?!?

But If you are trying-to-conceive , every time you miss your period, your hopes that you are now finally pregnant go up. You do the pregnancy test with a lot of hope – and lots of prayers. You are scared to do it, because you do not want to get your hopes up, and you are worried that it maybe negative once again . You finally screw up your courage – even if the news is bad, it’s best to know the truth, you tell yourself – and then do the test.

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