How Late Did You Get Your BFP? (Positive Test)

Are you waiting for that BFP?

If you’re trying to get pregnant, waiting to see the second line on the test can be agonising.

It can have you obsessively researching to find out when other women got their BFPs. 

But every woman is different, so it can be hard to predict when your BFP will appear.

It can be especially difficult if you get a late BFP.

How late did you get your BFP?

If you’re waiting, how long can you expect it to be before you see those two lines?

Is it common to get a late BFP?

Let’s go over some of the terms people use when trying to get pregnant:

• TTC = trying to conceive
• BFP = big fat positive (pregnancy test)
• BFN = big fat negative (pregnancy test)
• AF = Aunt Flo (the arrival of your period)
• hCG = human chorionic gonadotropin
• HPT = home pregnancy test.

When trying to get pregnant, most women use a home pregnancy test. This kind of test is the one that you pee on.

If you see two lines, it’s called a BFP – a big fat positive! You can assume you’re pregnant.

If you see one line, it’s called a BFN – a big fat negative. 

If you see only one line, though, you shouldn’t immediately assume that you’re not pregnant. It might be just too early to get a positive result.

2 weeks late BFP

First of all, are you sure of where you are in your cycle?

The interesting thing about pregnancy measurement is that day 1 of pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period.

When you first start trying to conceive this can be confusing.

This means if you get pregnant, by the time your missed period is due, you’re considered to be 4 weeks pregnant. Even though you’ve only been pregnant for 2 weeks.

If you hear stories of other women getting their BFP at 4 weeks pregnant, it could seem like you need to wait longer than you do to test.

The time your period is due is a good time to test.

What is considered a late BFP?

Normally, a pregnant woman should be able to get a positive pregnancy test by the time of her missed period.

This is usually considered to be 4 weeks pregnant.

Another term often used for it is 14DPO. DPO means ‘days past ovulation’.

You’re likely to know your DPO if you:

• Practise natural family planning
• Use ovulation sticks
• Can feel your body ovulating.

Unless you know exactly when you ovulated, you might not be as far along in your cycle as you think.

This can lead to frustration if you get a BFN but your period hasn’t arrived yet.

Reasons for late BFP

It’s possible, and normal, to get a BFN before you get your BFP.

Often, when women start trying to conceive, they’re so eager to get a positive test that they test too early.

It’s a good idea to learn when you ovulate so you can be sure of how many DPO you are.

If you don’t test for ovulation, you might have ovulated later than usual without realising it.

Some typical reasons for late ovulation are:

• Stress
• Big changes in your life
• Changes in diet or exercise.

When they start monitoring ovulation, many women discover that it doesn’t always happen on the same day each month.

Once you’ve ovulated, you enter the luteal phase. During this phase, the lining of the uterus builds up, in preparation for a possible pregnancy.

If you become pregnant, the uterine lining holds the fertilised egg. If not, the lining is shed and you have your period.

Charting can help you monitor how long your luteal phase is. 

A typical luteal phase is 14 days, but it can be longer or shorter.

If your luteal phase is shorter than normal, it could lead you to believe you’re not pregnant, even if you are.

That’s because you need to be a certain number of days past ovulation to get that BFP.

If you find you have a short luteal phase, you might need to wait longer after your missed period to get your BFP.

Late BFP reasons

A home pregnancy test measures something called hCG.

hCG is the short term for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. It’s the hormone the pregnancy test looks for, to tell whether or not you’re pregnant.

When you get pregnant, the level of hCG in your body starts to increase. 

A home pregnancy test needs to detect a certain level of hCG in your urine to trigger the second line that indicates you’re pregnant.

The amount of hCG needed to trigger that second line will depend on what brand and kind of test you use.

Studies show that by the time of a missed period, the home pregnancy test will be 98% accurate.

However, it can also be affected by the time of day you test!

The first pee in the morning is generally best for getting a BFP. This is the when your urine is the most concentrated.

If you’re hoping for a BFP, testing first thing in the morning is the best option for getting the BFP as early as possible.

Super late BFP

If you’re not sure when you ovulated, but you still haven’t had your period, you might be confused about what’s going on.

Some possible reasons are:

• You’re not pregnant and you ovulated later than usual
• You’re pregnant but you ovulated later than usual
• You’re pregnant but your hCG is too low to trigger a BFP
• You’re experiencing a missed miscarriage.

As difficult as it can be, the best option is to wait. Testing every couple of days is ideal.

If you usually get your period around the same time each month, or if  you are a couple of weeks late and still don’t have a positive test, it’s best to see a doctor and ask for a blood test.

Blood tests are more accurate and can tell you whether you’re pregnant or not.

There might be another health problem that needs to be addressed.

How late did you get your BFP?

If you’re trying to conceive, it can be tempting to research other women’s stories or ask friends: ‘How late did you get your BFP?’

Try to keep in mind every woman’s body is different. Every woman will get her BFP, or her period, when the time is right for her.

You can find stories online of very late BFPs – some at up to 6 weeks pregnant.

There are even stories about some pregnant women who never got a positive pregnancy test.

It’s possible to have low hCG levels and still have a healthy pregnancy.

Try not to focus too much on other women’s stories. Keep calm, as hard as that might be.

If you’re a couple of weeks past your missed period and still have a BFN, it’s best to see your health practitioner to find out what’s going on.