Are you ready to expand your family and don’t want to miss even a month? Want to get pregnant as soon as possible? Then you need more info about ovulation and ovulation tests. We’ve teamed up with obstetrician-gynecologists and endocrinologists to create this post and help you become a mom quicker.
What Is Ovulation?
Ovulation is a process in a woman’s body when an ovary releases a mature egg ready to be fertilized, and this process takes place once a month. The egg is viable for 12-24 hours. If a healthy woman has sex during the 5 days before ovulation or on the day of ovulation, the chances to get pregnant are super high. This period is called a window of fertility. After 24 hours of ovulation, a woman can’t get pregnant during this menstrual cycle since the egg is no longer in the fallopian tube. There are almost no chances to conceive if you have intercourse before or after the fertile window.
Ovulation usually occurs between the 12th and 16th day – somewhere at the half of the menstrual cycle. If you have regular menstrual, you may guess when you ovulate. However, it’s easy to miss your fertile window since it’s abridged. Hence, it’s wise to use an ovulation test if you want to conceive.
Ovulation Kits: How Do They Work?
The ovulation test and pregnancy go hand in hand, and for a good reason. Ovulation test kits or ovulation predictor kits (OPK) are designed to detect the surge of Luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine and determine if you are approaching ovulation. By knowing your LH levels, you’ll understand the most effective time to have sex. That’s how an ovulation kit helps you get pregnant.
Ovulation Kits: When to Start Testing?
The right time to start using tests is several days prior to potential ovulation. Use tests until you get a positive result. If you follow the instructions and do everything right, ovulation kit results will be as accurate as 99 percent. However, tests don’t predict whether the ovulation stays 1-2 days sooner or later.
Types Of Ovulation Tests
What are the best ovulation kits? The market is offering 3 types of ovulation tests, they all are accurate, you just need to find out which one is the most convenient for you.
➢ Disposable ovulation test kits – these kits come in the form of disposable, easy-to-use strips that are up to 99% accurate. They detect luteinizing hormone (LH) levels from the urine. Such tests don’t predict when exactly ovulation starts. However, based on the test results, you can expect that it’ll occur during 12-36 hours. These ovulation test kits are budget-friendly, and you can buy them in bulk.
➢ Fertility monitor – such a device can detect up to six most fertile days. Fertility monitor tracks estrogen and LH levels and compares data for several months. These devices are quite expensive.
➢ Digital ovulation test – digital tests can detect the 2 most fertile days. It’s easy to use and fun to read – the test shows the result with a smiley face or checkmark.
How To Use An Ovulation Test Kit
There are two formats of ovulation kits, and they are both equally reliable.
➢ Midstream tests – a test must be held in the stream of urine.
➢ Test strips – you’ll need to fill a container with your urine, then place the strip into the container for a few seconds. You’ll know the results in5 minutes.
Always read ovulation kits instructions prior to using the test and make sure to follow them.
Extra Tips when Using Ovulation Test Kits
➢ It’s recommended to use a test in the morning, the levels of LH are the highest at that time of the day. However, you can use it twice a day if you need.
➢ Avoid drinking a lot of fluids at night, as they can dilute LH, and if you test early in the morning, ovulation may go unnoticed.
➢ For the most accurate results, test at the same time daily.
➢ If you take fertility drugs, test results can be inaccurate.
➢ Ovulation kits don’t work for women who have chronically high amounts of LH.
The Pros & Cons Of Ovulation Test Kits
Let’s summarise all the pros and cons of ovulation kits before making a purchase.
Pros:
➢ Ovulation test kits are convenient – you’ll need to use a test only in the middle of your cycle, making it very convenient, say experts of Top Mom. It takes far less work than other ways of tracking ovulation, e.g., basal body temperature monitoring, which requires daily effort.
➢ Ovulation test kits are straightforward to use – sometimes, an ovulation test is used to detect pregnancy since it’s very similar to a home pregnancy test. You’ll just need to urinate on the strip, activating a component that can identify your LH surge. Mostovulationtestpackagescontain 5-9 test sticks.
➢ Ovulation test kits are easy to buy – you don’t need a prescription to buy them. Ovulation kits are widely available in pharmacies, drugstores, supermarkets, or you can purchase them online in bulk.
Cons:
➢ Ovulation tests may not be efficient for women over 40 – women in their 40s can have increased LH levels, especially if they are approaching menopause. These changes in the woman’s body render tests invalid.
➢ Ovulation tests don’t work if a woman takes fertility drugs – if medicine like Pergonal or Profasi is present in the body, tests don’t work reliably.
➢ Ovulation tests are quite expensive – the average cost of tests is between $15-$50 depending on the number of strips in the package and test brand.
When the baby fever hits, we understand it’s almost impossible to wait. Luckily, today’s medical technology can significantly increase the likelihood of your desire coming true. So, give ovulation test kits a try! We wish you good luck!
Author’s Bio: Joe Labonte is a father of 3 amazing girls. He writes on topics related to pregnancy, parenthood, and early child development in his free time.