Ovulation tests aka ovulation predictor kits or OPKs are an easy, affordable, and clinically proven way to identify your fertile window. They help you get to know your body and its variations and identify the time when you're most likely to conceive.
Ovulation tests identify the presence of a hormone in urine called luteinizing hormone LH. About hours before ovulation, your brain will release a spike of LH called the LH surge. The ovulation test can detect this surge in your urine. Follow the test instructions , pee on the stick be careful not to pee above the designated area or put the test in a small cup of urine, and wait a few minutes for the result.
Then, take a look at the test window which can display up to two lines:. If the test line T is as dark or darker than the control line C , the test is positive, and you'll likely ovulate within approximately the next 36 hours.
If you want to get pregnant this month, now is the time to have vaginal sexual intercourse. These are test results from a year old woman with a day cycle who tested every morning starting on cycle day 13 CD On day 15, she saw her peak LH results, where the test line was as dark as the control line.
She tested again on cycle day 15 and saved the remaining tests in the box for the next month. These are test results from a year old woman with a day cycle who tested every 12 hours starting on Cycle Day On day 14, she saw her peak LH results in the evening. She continued testing until Cycle Day Be sure to follow the instructions on when to test carefully. When you start to test depends on your cycle length.
For example, if you have a short cycle, you may even need to start testing before your period is even finished. Ovulation trackers typically rely on algorithmic guesses about the average woman's cycle. But studies show most women don't ovulate on day 14 of their cycle, and age as well as ethnicity may also impact whether you ovulate earlier or later than the average. The trick is to be intimately in tune with your body by keeping tabs on multiple fertility cues, rather than relying on a kit or an app alone.
By tracking your LH, CM, and basal body temperature — or even better, continuous core body temperature — you could boost your chances of identifying the fertile window before ovulation. And one final pro tip: When you get an LH peak, have sex in the next 12 hours if possible, and the next day too. Want to learn more? Check out this blog about cervical mucus and how it can help you get pregnant.
Join our weekly blog email for charting tips, updates and exclusive offers. Share this post:. Priya Fertility Monitor Now Available Once you decide you're ready to get pregnant, you want it to happen pronto. When is my fertile window? LH surge: Is it 16 hours or 48 hours? You can stop testing after the first initial positive. Read all package instructions. Make sure the test line is as dark as, or even darker than the control line.
You can also double-check your fertility window by tracking your basal body temperature and cervical mucus consistency. While a few days of positive OPKs are nothing to worry about, there can be some conditions that lead to your test incorrectly detecting the LH surges that trigger ovulation.
Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome may experience false small peaks of LH. Those who have recently hit menopause or were recently pregnant can have false positives, too. The American Pregnancy Association also notes that some prescription drugs can also affect your results. These include:. This is due to how pregnancy and ovulation tests work.
A pregnancy test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin hCG.
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