Q1. How do ovulation tests work?
A1. A pregnancy begins with conception. A child is conceived when the male sperm successfully fertilises the female egg. Successful fertilisation is most likely during a 24-hour period following the LH surge. Since this window is usually only open once a month and for a short period of time, being able to predict the LH surge is very helpful when trying to become pregnant. We have selected these ovulation tests for their price, accuracy and reliability. These tests look for the presence of LH in urine.
Q2. How does a home ovulation test work and what is the LH surge?
A2. When a woman is about to ovulate, her body releases a large amount of a hormone called LH (Luteinising Hormone). LH is always present in your urine but the levels increase (surge) in the middle of your cycle, causing you to release an egg from the ovary. This process is called ovulation. If the LH surge is present, ovulation is likely to occur in the next 24 to 36 hours. These ovulation tests detect the LH surge by measuring the amount of LH in urine.
Q3. When should I do the test?
A3. To determine when to begin testing, you need to work out the length of your menstrual cycle. The length of your cycle is from the first day of your period to the last day before your next period starts (count the first day of bleeding as day 1). Calculate what the usual length of your menstrual cycle has been the last few months. Once you have worked out the average length of your cycle you can refer to the chart that is included with our tests which clearly and simply shows on which day of your menstrual cycle you should begin testing.
Q4. Why should I avoid testing first thing in the morning?
A4. You should avoid testing your urine first thing in the morning as LH is synthesized in your body early in the morning. It will not show up in your urine until later in the day.
Q5. What does the test result look like?
No surge Surge present
A5. When the LH surge is present the "Test" line (lower of the two lines in the white area) will be almost as dark or darker than the "Control" line (upper line in the white area).
Q6. Once I receive a positive result, when is the best time to have intercourse?
A6. Ovulation usually follows the start of the LH surge within 24-36 hours. This is the time when you are at your most fertile, therefore you should have intercourse during this time.
Q7. How long will it take before I can read the result?
A7. A positive result can often be read in under 40 seconds but to confirm a negative result (no test line or the test line is much fainter than the control line) you should wait the full 10 minutes.
Q8. What happens if after using the tests provided I have still not detected my LH surge?
A8. Most women with regular cycles will detect their LH Surge in 5 days or under. However, if you have irregular cycles you may need to test for longer and may require additional ovulation tests to detect your LH Surge. Also see the section below regarding different sensitivities of our ovulation tests.
Q9. I have recently come off the contraceptive pill. Will this affect my result?
A9. As the pill disrupts your natural hormone balance it may take a few months for your periods to return to normal. You may want to wait until you have had 2 normal periods before starting to use ovulation tests. Please be aware that pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect the results of any ovulation test.
Q10. Will alcohol or other common medications affect the results of this test?
A10. No, but you should consult your doctor if you are taking any hormonal treatments.
Q11. Can I use the ovulation test for contraception?
A11. No, the test is not designed to prevent conception. As sperm can survive for 72 hours you might still become pregnant if you had intercourse before you detected your LH Surge and also because some woman can and do ovulate more than once in the same cycle.
Q12. What about the sensitivity of ovulation tests and why might I need a different sensitivity?
A12. In any one cycle and on average, 80% of women will ovulate normally but around 11% of women will not ovulate at all and another 9% will ovulate twice or more. The latter explains a lot of those unwanted pregnancies by Roman Catholics trusting to the "rhythm method" to prevent conception!!
Now the “average” woman will have an LH (the hormone that triggers ovulation) level of between 5-20 mIU in her system. When the surge occurs the basal level rises to approximately 50-200 mIU and at this level ovulation occurs and the egg is released from the ovary. This means that for most women the 30 mIU ovulation sensitivity tests will be ideal.
Q13. How dark does the test line need to be to show I am ovulating normally and what if I get no lines in the test window?
A13. The test lines need to be as almost as dark, as darker or darker than the control line. If you get no lines then the test is invalid.
Q14. I had a positive result for the LH surge and had sexual intercourse during this period so why have I not become pregnant?
Q14. There are many factors that can affect your fertility. It can take many healthy couples months to achieve pregnancy. You may need to use these tests for a few months before pregnancy occurs. If after 6 months of trying you have still not become pregnant, you should visit your doctor for advice.
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