Ovulation Test Questions and Answers!

When it comes to taking an ovulation test, there are usually more questions than the product insert can answer. To discover everything you need to know about ovulation tests (OPK) read on!

After a few cycles of trying to conceive without any luck, many couples turn to sure-fire methods to help them increase the probability of becoming pregnant. These fertility techniques include keeping an ovulation calendar, fertility charting with a BBT thermometer, and using an ovulation test. That latter, OPKs (ovulation predictor kits) are exceedingly helpful in helping you determine when you are fertile.

Of course, there are many questions and tips not answered in the product insert, so let's take a quick look at some background fertility info and how to get the most out of your ovulation test.

First of all, how do these tests work? To understand how OPKs work, we need to go over a few quick terms and fertility definitions. First, ovulation, the thing you're testing for, takes place just once a month for the vast majority of women. Ovulation is the release of the egg, which occurs around midcycle. The egg can only live for less than a day, so knowing when you ovulate is the big key to getting pregnant. And an ovulation test will give you a twelve to thirty-six hour advance warning that the mature egg is about to be set free into the womb. A positive result tell you that its time to make love to make sure that the sperm is present right when the egg appears. Time is of the essence and timing intercourse is the whole point behind using an ovulation test kit.

Great. You told me some background info, but what exactly is the test testing for? A urine ovulation predictor or OPK is especially designed to detect a specific hormone called LH. The amount of this hormone in your system totally rockets right before you ovulate: In fact, LH is the chemical agent that actually causes the egg to be released into the womb. So, if you can detect this sudden, rapid surge, you know that ovulation is imminent! LH enters the blood stream and will appear in your urine; by taking a urine ovulation test, you can learn if the hormonal increase has taken place and time intercourse.

So, if I get a positive result on an ovulation test, when do we make love? Great question. The answer is: right away - and daily for the following three days if possible. As noted above, a positive result says that the LH is flowing, and you will likely ovulate within the next twelve to thirty-six hours. Make love right away, the following day, and the day after that for insurance. This way, the sperm should be in the neighborhood to fertilize the egg in a timely fashion. As the egg does not hang around long, timing is crucial, and that is why OPKs will certain enhance the probability of pregnancy.

Sounds great! But are the tests accurate? And when do I begin testing? Let's begin with the latter question first. The day you begin to test depends on your cycle length. Your product insert will give you a "schedule" for a start date based on how long your menstrual cycle is. If your cycle is not regular (the length bounces around a bit), then error on the side of caution and select the longest cycle average. Today, ovulation tests are much cheaper than they were a few years back, so you can simply buy the clinical strips on the internet. They are FDA approved and do have a good record of accuracy.

As for accuracy, in clinical settings ovulation tests are over 99% accurate. That's good news, but it means that you have to follow instructions and all "optimization" suggestions. So, to begin with, do not use first morning urine - that's for pregnancy tests. With OPKs, you should do late afternoon or early evening testing as the LH is produced by your body in the morning and needs to move into your system. As with any kind of urine-based test, we recommend that you hold urine for several hours before the collection. And avoid drinking a lot of fluids right before you test. This two tips will make sure that dilution of the urine will not take place and that the amount of LH in the sample will be at its highest level possible.

Taking a test nowadays is simple, simple, simple. But how do I interpret the results? You'll either being use a clinical-style strip which requires peeing in a cup or using a standard drugstore-style midstream kit. With the latter, you pee directly onto the test and the urine is collected and moved through the testing chemical reagent. You should immediately see a control line: this will let you know that the test is functioning properly. If the test is negative, you will not see any other "test" line or symbol, or only a very faint "test" line or symbol; If, on the other hand, a test line appears, a positive result is only indicated when the test line is as bold or bolder than the control line! Your insert will provide you with examples of what a positive or negative test result will look like.