You may find it unappealing to track your basal body temperature and cervical mucus on a daily basis, but you still want to know when you are ovulating in order to maximize your chances of getting pregnant. You may consider using an ovulation test from a ovulation predictor kit if you have been trying to conceive for a few months without success.
How Do Ovulation Tests Work?
Ovulation tests are used to determine your fertile days so you can maximize your efforts in trying to conceive. These tests detect a surge in the luteinizing hormone (LH), which occurs a day or two before ovulation. This can be helpful to know when determining the best time to have intercourse.
Most ovulation predictor kits come with a number of tests you can take to determine if ovulation is approaching. Also, although more expensive, some women use fertility monitors so they can track their ovulation month to month.
However, there are a few words of caution when it comes to ovulation tests:
- While ovulation tests detect a surge in the LH hormone, they cannot confirm whether ovulation actually takes place a day or two later. In some cases, women may have a surge in the LH hormone, but an egg is not released. This is known as Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome (LUFS).
- Ovulation tests are only accurate when taken around ovulation. Ovulation kits typically only come with about a week’s worth of tests, which may not be enough to cover the time frame during which you could ovulate. Furthermore, it may be more difficult to know when to begin taking ovulation tests for women who have irregular cycles. As such, it is best to wait with testing until you notice fertile-quality cervical mucus.
- Some women experience false LH surges during which the luteinizing hormone has small peaks before it fully peaks. This could lead to you to time intercourse too early. Such false LH surges are common in women with the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
- While ovulation tests can be relatively inexpensive and effective, it is still money out of your pocket.
If you have used ovulation predictor kits for a few months and are still having difficulty conceiving, you may consider charting your basal body temperature and cervical mucus either exclusively or in combination with ovulation predictor kits. Your body provides valuable insight into your fertility. An awareness of these signs can promote your efforts to conceive.
Our Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide provides the information you need on fertility, tips on how to get pregnant faster, and how to boost fertility through sometimes simple tweaks to your lifestyle and approach. The guide is easy to read and meant for anybody wanting to increase their ability to conceive. It’s a free download and includes coupon codes for essential products. Even free Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream.
Want to Know More?
Compiled using information from the following sources:
1. Weschler, T. (2002). Taking charge of your fertility. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
