Ovulation test. How to do it right, how it works, prices

An ovulation test is an analysis detecting the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. This method of checking is done when planning conception. It requires preliminary preparation and correct conduct.

What is ovulation and why know when it is?

Ovulation is the moment a mature egg leaves the follicle, ready for fertilization. This egg moves through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. After that, she is fertilized and converted into a zygote, which leads to pregnancy. In other cases, the egg dies and is excreted from the body at the onset of the next menstrual cycle.

For the release of the egg from the follicle, a sufficient amount of hormones (estrogen) is required. In the first half of the menstrual cycle, estrogen gradually begins to form in the follicle. An increase in its amount brings a woman closer to ovulation.

When the concentration of estrogen is sufficient for ovulation, a period begins during which a sharp release of luteinizing hormone occurs, which, in turn, leads to the opening of the follicle.

It should be borne in mind that not every menstrual cycle is accompanied by ovulation. Normally, no more than 3 cycles are allowed without the onset of ovulation.

Determining the LH level helps to determine the moment of ovulation.

What is an ovulation test for?

Since the life of an egg cell lasts about a day, testing allows you to choose the most optimal day for conceiving a child. This is necessary for couples who are planning a pregnancy.

According to statistics, there are only a few days per month for successful fertilization - the first 1-2 days after ovulation and immediately 1-2 days before the onset of ovulation.

Tests also help increase the chances of conceiving a child of a certain gender. Such systems do not provide a 100% guarantee, however, they significantly increase the chances of this.

Types of ovulation tests and how they work

The ovulation test can be done correctly after reading the instructions for using a particular system. The pharmaceutical market offers a wide variety of different tests. Each of them has its own distinctive characteristics and methods of application.

Views:

• Test strip. The fasting system is in use and is one of the most popular. The test is a paper strip with reagents and a control strip applied to it. As a rule, this method is used to measure the level of LH in already collected biological material.
• Test plate (cassette). It is a small case with 2 windows. The biological material is placed on one, the result is displayed on the other. Determination of the result is carried out in 2 strips.
• Multiple test. It is presented in the form of an electronic device. The test is used as needed to dip into the urine.
• Inkjet test. It looks like a regular test strip, but it has an additional coating (reagent) that is highly sensitive. To determine ovulation, the test is placed under the stream while using the toilet. The duration of the result is 5 minutes.
• Digital test. It is a miniature device that resembles lipstick. Saliva is used as a biological material.

This or that test is selected individually. You can also consult a pharmacist or specialist who will help you choose the most suitable option.

What are the most accurate tests?

Not all tests are equally effective and give reliable results. The most optimal and accurate test is electronic and digital. However, the cost of an electronic device is several times higher than conventional express tests.

Digital research is time consuming and also expensive. However, such devices are durable and can be used an unlimited number of times.

The most popular are test strips. However, their result is not always correct. The analysis can be either false positive or false negative. However, to determine the exact result, it may be necessary to reapply such systems.

Recommendations and Cautions

To avoid incorrect display of data (false results), you must use the tests in accordance with the instructions in the instructions.

At the same time, the result is also influenced by various internal factors:

• period after menopause;
• ovarian dysfunction;
• diseases of the renal system;
• taking hormonal drugs (oral contraceptives, contraceptives);
• various manipulations leading to increased production of hCG;
• unhealthy diet (protein deficiency) - following a vegetarian diet.

Even with the correct application of the analysis, the results for these factors may be unreliable. In this connection, it is recommended to make sure and exclude these factors before testing.

How to tell when to do an ovulation test?

An ovulation test (it is not difficult to do it correctly) should be performed only during the expected ovulatory period, which should be calculated in advance.

Testing is necessary according to the woman's menstrual cycle. With a 28-day cycle, ovulation will begin on day 14.

With a shorter cycle (for example, 24 days) ovulation will occur on the 10th day. In the case of a long cycle (for example, 33 days), the possibility of conception will occur on the 19th day.

With an irregular cycle, it is necessary to calculate the day of ovulation according to the formula: 28 (full cycle) subtract from the 2nd phase of the cycle, which is more stable (14 days). However, even in this case, the results will be approximate.

If it is difficult to determine the approximate ovulatory period, it is recommended to contact a specialist for other research methods (ultrasound).

Preparation

Before taking the test, you need to prepare. To do this, you should follow some rules that will allow you to get a more accurate and correct result.

Preparation:

• Before testing, you need to calculate the exact day of ovulation. To do this, you need to keep a special calendar for several cycles, which will allow you to most accurately determine the desired period.
• Stop eating 2 hours before testing.
• Refuse to drink any liquid 3 hours before the start of the analysis.
• It is allowed to visit the toilet no later than 2 hours before the procedure.
• Prepare biological material (saliva, urine). This point must be observed when using digital or electronic measurement methods.

Also, in a few days, you should exclude all provoking factors that can affect the accuracy of the tests - the rejection of hormonal drugs or diet.

If these rules are observed, the accuracy of measuring systems is significantly increased.

Instructions and rules for use, at what time to do

Testing to determine ovulation must be done correctly in strict accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer of a particular system. Otherwise, you may receive erroneous data.

When using strips, general rules and recommendations must be followed. Each system has its own rules of application, however, most tests still have similar instructions for use.

Instructions (for test strips):

• Remove the test strip from the packaging immediately before testing.
• The filler bag must be thrown into the trash can.
• Place the strip in biological material (urine) with the side as directed (usually indicated by an arrow). However, do not immerse the system below the MAX symbol.
• After 5-10 seconds, the strip must be removed.
• Next, you should wait for the result. With a positive result, the identifying elements will appear within 1 min., With a negative result, within 10 minutes.

Instructions (for cassettes):

• Remove the cassette from the packaging and discard the bag containing the moisture absorbing agent.
• Substitute part of the system (arrow) under the urine stream. In this case, the test must be held in an upright position.
• After 3-5 seconds, put the cassette aside and put the protective cover on it.
• Place the system on a horizontal surface and wait for the results to appear.
• Positive results, as a rule, appear no earlier than 40 s. To confirm negative results, you must wait for the full testing time (10 minutes).

Instruction (for digital system):

• Open the packaging and remove the device. When doing this, discard the bag containing the moisture-absorbing agent.
• Remove the protective cap and place the system under the stream or dip it into the collected biological material.
• Wait 5 to 15 seconds and remove the test.
• Place the device on a vertical surface and wait for the results.
• The results will be displayed on the device screen for 3 minutes.

Instructions (for electronic systems):

• Take the mini microscope out of the package.
• Remove the lens from the device.
• Apply some biological material (saliva) to the inside of the lens. In this case, it is necessary that there is enough saliva. Otherwise, it will simply dry out and the test will be incorrect.
• Place the lens in a horizontal position and wait for the biological material to dry completely.
• Place the lens back into the device and press the corresponding button (light button).
• Wait until the result is received and compare it with the instructions in the instructions.

Testing is recommended from 10 am to 8 pm. It is not recommended to carry out the analysis in the morning hours (before 10 am), as incorrect data may be displayed.

To confirm the result, the procedure should be carried out 2 times a day (morning and evening).

Interpretation of results

The ovulation test is correctly done in the middle of the day, and the procedure is repeated for several days, during which ovulation occurs. Periodic measurements will help to more accurately calculate the ovulatory period up to 1 hour. However, in order to confirm or refute the data obtained, they must be correctly deciphered.

Interpreting the results takes a few seconds. After the test on the device (strip), one of the results will be displayed - positive or negative.

A positive is considered when 2 stripes are displayed on the test. In this case, ovulation should occur within 1-2 days (sometimes earlier). In this case, you should pay attention to the color of the strip - the brighter it is, the closer the moment of ovulation and the higher the LH level.

If there is only one strip on the test, and the second is either absent or barely visible, then the test is negative. Testing in this case should be postponed, since the ovulation window has either passed or has not yet arrived.

In some cases, the test may give ambiguous results - no stripes. Such situations arise as a result of an incorrectly conducted analysis or in the event of an unsuitability (malfunction) of the test system. In this case, you need to check ovulation using a new test.

In case of errors in the analysis, it should be repeated after a few days. Testing can be performed daily if necessary.

When using electronic or digital methods for determining ovulation, it is necessary to compare the results obtained with the pictures indicated in the instructions for a particular device. Each system has its own characteristic pictures and meanings.

Moreover, most electronic systems require saliva as biological material. A common feature is a pattern similar to fern leaves or frosty designs on glass. With an increase in LH in the body, saliva will have similar patterns.

Features of use with an irregular cycle

With an irregular menstrual cycle, it is necessary to accurately (independently or with the help of a specialist), taking into account the calendar method, determine the expected day of ovulation.

You can calculate this period using the formula - subtract the average of the 2nd phase from the average number of the cycle. The result will be the day of ovulation.

Since an irregular cycle can make mistakes and miscalculate the expected ovulation period, it is recommended to run multiple tests on the same day. This will improve accuracy and avoid false positive and false negative results.

You can also test for several days (daily). The systems are completely safe and harmless to health.

Will an ovulation test show pregnancy?

The ovulation test should be done correctly using fresh biological material. Most often, urine collected in a container or during urination is used. In some cases, saliva may be used. In both cases, subject to all the rules, the reliability of the result is the same.

Some women argue that an ovulation test can also indicate the presence of an ongoing pregnancy. This is due to the fact that LH has some similarities with HCG. However, such results will not be entirely correct, since the hormones are similar, but not identical.

In this regard, it is not recommended to use ovulation tests to determine pregnancy. For this, separate special test meters should be used.

Planning your baby's gender using a test

The male germ cells contain only 1 chromosome (female or male type). It depends on what gender the child will be.

The male chromosome lives less, but is more mobile than the female chromosome. Based on these data, a theory arose about the possibility of planning pregnancy and determining the future sex of the child, taking into account ovulation.

This theory states that if conception occurred 1-2 days before the onset of ovulation, the X chromosomes will be predominantly involved in the fertilization process. If conception occurred directly on the day of ovulation, the chances of having a male child increase several times.

The main factor and condition for planning the sex of the child is the accurate determination of the onset of ovulation. Tests allow planning to be made more precise.

It is necessary to correlate the time of intercourse with the obtained results:

• In order for a girl to be born, sexual intercourse must be completed 1-2 days before the onset of ovulation. In this case, the penetration should not be deep, as this can lead to the fact that more active spermatozoa with the X chromosome become predominant.
• For a boy to be born, sexual contact must occur within 5-8 hours after ovulation is confirmed. The penetration must be as deep as possible so that the sperm from the Y chromosome become dominant.

However, there is no exact confirmation of this theory in the scientific world, since with one sexual contact, more than 10 million penetrates a woman's body. sperm. It is impossible to calculate with high accuracy which of them will take part in the fertilization processes.

Manufacturers and cost of tests

There are many different test strips and systems available. Each test has its own characteristics and rules of application. Moreover, all systems differ from each other by manufacturer, price and method of application.

The most popular are brands of foreign manufacturers, which have proven themselves well and practically do not allow measurement errors.

Name / manufacturer	Test system	Price
Frautest (Germany)	Test strips (strip tests)	400-500 rub.
Clearblue (UK)	Digital system	RUB 700-1200
Femitest (UK)	Tablet tests (cassette)	RUB 135-165 (1 PC.)
Fertile Focus (USA)	Electronic device	2000-4000 rub.

Before conducting an ovulation test, you must carefully read the instructions for using a particular system and consult a gynecologist. This will allow you to do the test correctly and get reliable results.

Ovulation Test Video

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