If you are trying to get pregnant, you might be familiar with the term ovulation and its importance in conceiving.

Ovulation occurs when an egg is released through the follicles. Ovulation tests are then used to track ovulation and find your peak window to conceive.

The types of procedures and tests include the use of ovulation tests/predictor kits, OPKs, and LH tests. 

LH tests

LH test holds significant importance in the baby making process. It is a special test that is used to check the presence of the LH hormone in your urine. If the test detects the LH hormone, it means you are about to ovulate – yes girl, drop that egg!

A few days before ovulation you will be most fertile and it is the best time to start having intercourse.

Ovulation tests are more reliable than detecting ovulation symptoms like checking your cervical mucus or interpreting it through ovulation cramps. 

Why use at home ovulation tests

At home ovulation tests can help you to detect the presence of LH hormone and estradiol hormone. The estradiol detection is especially enlightening as it increases only three to four days before ovulation, so you can best get a feel for your ovulation window.

Types of ovulation tests 

There are various tests that can be used to know if you are ovulating or not. The following is a list of some of these tests: 

Ovulation Test Strips

Probably the most affordable way for serious ovulation monitoring. This highly rated Pregmate Ovulation Predictor Kit comes with a whopping 50 urine test strips. You compare your test line to the control line. The test shows the presence of the LH hormone from your pee.

Digital Ovulation Tests 

Here you see the test results on a screen which makes it easier to read than the standard ovulation test strips.

We recommend Clearblue Digital Ovulation Tests to find your 2 peak days. Clearblue is over 99% accurate at detecting the LH surge.

Fertility Monitors 

Fertility Monitors keep track of many ovulation cycles of women thus provides a precise prediction of the fertility days. For a premium Fertility and Ovulation Tracker, one that is wearable to monitor your Basal Body Temperature check out this Tempdrop Fertility and Ovulation Tracker.

Cervical mucus test to find the most fertile days 

If you are familiar with the cervical mucus and its consistency during the menstrual cycle, it will be easier for you to predict when you are going to ovulate.

However, if you are not familiar with it you may have to look for the days when your cervical mucus is slippery and making a threadlike structure. This is the time when you are most fertile and near your ovulation. 

The changes in the texture of the cervical mucus are because of the estradiol hormone that activates the LH surge.

When the estradiol level increases, you will have the most fertile and healthy cervical mucus.

The best time to take a standard ovulation test 

It is best to take the standard ovulation test a few days before you are expecting your LH surge. In most women, the LH surge starts one to two days before ovulation.

If you don’t have regular menstrual cycles then you can start the standard ovulation test a few days after your period ends. 

You might want to save some money, so you avoid taking ovulation tests during the early days of your cycle. But this can affect the test result because if the estradiol levels increased above the baseline, you will not get a positive result. 

Once your LH surge starts, ovulation occurs within or after twenty-four hours. But the situation can be different for every woman. The best idea to start an ovulation test is days before you expect the LH surge to begin. When you get a positive result, it is a sign that you are at the beginning of the LH surge. 

It is also important to note that women who have long cycles or PCOS may experience multiple LH surges during each cycle, even before you get a positive ovulation result. 

How to interpret the ovulation test line

A standard ovulation test result can make you confuse as you always get two lines through the whole cycle because of the presence of the LH hormone. The best way to check the LH surge is to look for a line that is darker than the control line. 

It is also important to remember that not all positive ovulation tests mean you will ovulate. As I mentioned above, you may get a positive result but still don’t ovulate on that day or even after several days. 

Fertility after LH surge 

After LH surge, you may be fertile for one to two days. The ovulation usually occurs after 24 hours of LH surge, and the fertility window starts about five days before ovulation. The best time to have intercourse is two to three days before ovulation as it can increase your chances of conceiving. 

Ovulation test and pregnancy 

Don’t use the ovulation test to test for pregnancy. Ovulation tests are unreliable and don’t show accurate pregnancy results. If you are ready to test for pregnancy, you can buy an early at-home pregnancy test.

If you are having symptoms of pregnancy, you can also go straight to your Doctor and have a urine or blood test done to really confirm your pregnancy. I have an article for you 15 early signs and symptoms of pregnancy to look for here.

Ovulation tests are very helpful, but you cannot just rely on them as they might show you signals of ovulation but your body is not in the ovulation phase.

The following are some of the things you should remember when using ovulation tests:

• An ovulation test doesn’t confirm if you are going to ovulate or not. Sometimes, your body may release LH but not go in the ovulation phase. 
• Ovulation tests will not help you to predict the exact time of your fertility window. You might miss your fertility days waiting for the positive ovulation test. 
• It might get uncomfortable for you to use the ovulation tests and it is also not easy to interpret the results.