When is the best time to take an ovulation test? The best ovulation tests. Digital device for determining ovulation “Clearblue” with accessories

An ovulation test is a modern, effective method for determining the favorable period to conceive a child. This method is very simple, and any woman can put it into practice.

Not only can this test work for its intended purpose in helping you plan a pregnancy, but it can also be used as a method of natural contraception, helping you determine the days when it is best to avoid intimacy.

The principle of the test is based on determining as accurately as possible the moment when ovulation occurs. Ovulation refers to the phase of a woman's menstrual cycle when the egg matures, becomes ready for fertilization, and is released from the dominant follicle into the fallopian tube, where it can meet the sperm.

The test is based on the fact that before ovulation, a sharp jump in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) occurs in the female body, which is easiest to detect for testing in urine. And this jump in hormonal levels occurs 24-36 hours before the onset of ovulation. The point of the test is to accurately determine the moment when the level of luteinizing hormone in the urine is at its highest.

Types of tests

The following types are most often encountered and used in practice:

• The test strip is very similar in appearance to a regular pregnancy test. It needs to be lowered for 5-8 seconds into a clean container with urine, and then placed on a flat and dry surface. You can view the test result in 3-5 minutes.
• The midstream test must, after first freeing it from the protective cap, be placed under a stream of urine for 5 seconds, while the urine should fall on a special surface, which is indicated by arrows or otherwise. After completing this procedure, the test must be placed on a dry, flat surface, before closing the cap back. The result can be seen in 10 minutes.

There are more advanced versions of the ovulation test, including electronic ones. But they are quite expensive, although they differ in the most accurate results. It is best to carry out testing with their help several days in a row at the same time (preferably not in the morning, but before lunch, and you should refrain from going to the toilet for 3-4 hours).

How to use an ovulation test is described in detail in the instructions for use, and the method of use directly depends on the type of test.

General instructions for using the ovulation test

Step 1. When is the best time to take the test??

If a woman has regular periods and the cycle length is the same every month, then the approximate day of ovulation can be easily determined. It occurs 14 days before menstruation, but you need to start testing to determine the LH surge in the urine a little in advance - 2-3 days before expected ovulation or even earlier. Thus, from the first day of the next menstruation, you need to count back 16-18 days on the calendar - this date will be the day when you need to start doing ovulation tests.

If the monthly cycle has a different length each time, then to calculate the start day of testing you need to use the shortest cycle in duration.

It is advisable to carry out testing in the first half of the day, but do not use the first morning urine for the test.

Step-2. Which test to choose?

You can choose any test available at your pharmacy. The most common are Frautest, both in the form of test strips and cassettes. Most often there are several pieces in a set, and this is very convenient, since they can be used for testing over several days.

Step-3. How do an ovulation test correctly?

To do this, carefully study the instructions and do everything exactly as it is written. There may be two options depending on the selected test:

• or lower the test strip into the container with urine to the mark,
• or place the marked area of ​​the test cassette under a stream of urine.

In both cases, the procedure takes about 5 seconds, after which you need to place the test on a dry, flat surface. You can see the result in about 5 minutes.

Step-4. How to decipher the test result?

To determine the result, you need to compare the resulting strip with the control one. If they are the same in brightness, then the test gave a positive result, and ovulation will occur very soon (in about 24-36 hours). This means that in a day or two you can successfully become pregnant. If the strip is paler than the control line, then ovulation is still far away, and it is worth repeating the test in 12-24 hours.

When can pregnancy be determined after ovulation?

Many women are interested in when to take a pregnancy test after ovulation, that is, how quickly you can get reliable results of tests and analyses. The thing is that the level of the hormone, the content of which indicates the presence of pregnancy - human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - does not increase as quickly as LH before ovulation, and the fastest reliable results can only be achieved by taking a blood test. With the help of such an analysis, it is possible to determine the onset of pregnancy 6-10 days after ovulation, that is, even before possible menstruation.

The level of hCG in urine is two times lower than in the blood, and the maximum level of this hormone will be reached only 8-10 weeks after pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended to use pregnancy tests only after a delay in menstruation, that is, 15-16 days after ovulation and later.

Ovulation tests - How to determine at home?

With the advent of such a convenient invention as ovulation tests, it has become much easier and more reliable for women to determine whether the time has come for conceiving a child, which makes pregnancy more likely. Now the girl herself can determine the successful period, using such a quick and reliable method. When a follicle ruptures in the ovary and the egg, ready for fertilization, is released into the abdominal cavity, some changes occur in the female body. In particular, 24-36 hours before the onset of ovulation, the amount of luteinizing hormone in urine sharply increases, which is recorded by tests. Therefore, using them you can easily determine the almost exact time of ovulation. For more accurate ovulation test results, it should be performed on freshly collected urine. The accuracy of the calculation depends on whether the woman has a regular menstrual cycle.

One-time tests

To understand when it is best to do an ovulation test, you need to understand what types of devices there are and study their individual characteristics. All of them are based on monitoring the level of LH in the urine and choosing a time favorable for conception, when there is a sharp jump in the content of this hormone in the urine. Today, pharmacies offer disposable and reusable ovulation tests.

One-time ovulation tests are similar to pregnancy tests, but they must be used daily throughout your menstrual cycle. With their help, results are achieved that are much more accurate than when measuring basal temperature. True, it will cost more, but the effectiveness of using tests is higher.

How to use a disposable device?

So when is the best time to take an ovulation test? It can be carried out at absolutely any time throughout the day, but this time should not change throughout the entire study cycle. The procedure must be preceded by preparation. 4 hours before testing, you should not drink a lot of liquid and you must refrain from urinating. If these conditions are not met, the reliability of the result will be less. How to do a one-time ovulation test correctly? Simply place the tip of the test under a stream of emitted urine for 5 seconds or into already collected urine for 20 seconds. After three minutes the result will appear. After its manifestation, it is necessary to compare the level of LH in urine with the control line located on the test.

Decoding the results of a one-time test

And what does an ovulation test show? Here, too, everything is extremely simple:

• if the color of the control line is thicker and darker, and the test strip looks paler in comparison, then the time of ovulation has not yet come and the LH level remains the same;
• if the test sample is similar in color to the control or even darker, then the hormone has already increased and ovulation will occur within 24 to 36 hours.

Having determined that the long-awaited release of the hormone has occurred, you have a chance to get pregnant within the next 48 hours, and at this time sexual intercourse will be most effective. After this there is no need to continue the study.

Reusable tests

Reusable tests are different in that they can be used constantly, changing only the strips. This is a portable device into which disposable strips included in its package are inserted each time. It is necessary to carefully study the instructions for use in order to know how to properly perform an ovulation test. To do this, you need to make 10-20 samples per month. The testing process itself is identical to the previous method. However, the results manifest themselves differently. A replaceable test strip is inserted into the device, and the result appears on its display - the degree of fertility. Its undoubted advantages include the fact that the device shows not only the most favorable days for conception, but also the adjacent couple of days before and after ovulation, when the probability of conception is also still quite high.

These home tests will be useful not only for those who are trying to conceive a child, but will also be useful for those who want to protect themselves from pregnancy. In this case, fertile days will be undesirable for sexual intercourse.

Kinds

What can be called the best ovulation tests among the existing ones? Ovulation tests are offered to consumers in several types:

• A test strip is a special strip of paper soaked in a reagent. When immersed in urine, a reaction occurs and the result appears, its accuracy is high.
• The test tablet is a small plastic case with a window. You can place it under a stream of urine or drop a little on it, and the result will appear in the window. These devices are more reliable in terms of the accuracy of the results, but they are also more expensive.
• The jet test is the most reliable among the proposed options; it is either substituted under a flowing stream of urine, or immersed in a container with urine and after a few minutes gives a ready result.
• A reusable test is a device with a set of disposable strips, which was mentioned above.
• An electronic test is a device that determines the degree of fertility not based on urine, but on saliva, which is placed on the lens. Its pattern is being examined. The meanings of the patterns are described in the instructions. This test, although quite expensive, is the most accurate.

But, focusing on the test readings, you should understand that they do not show the exact date of ovulation, but only the period of increasing LH levels in the female body. Ovulation occurs shortly after this, and this must be taken into account in your calculations.

When to do it?

When is the best time to take an ovulation test? This is one of the questions that is of extreme interest to women who have set themselves the goal of becoming pregnant. Sometimes inept actions can ruin all efforts to identify the exact time of ovulation. Many women are not aware that an egg can only be fertilized within 24 hours. If you mistakenly believe that after the test shows results favorable for conception, there is enough time to attempt fertilization and there is no need to rush in this delicate matter, you can easily miss this extremely important point. To get the most reliable result, you need to know on what day is the best day to start an ovulation test.

The start of testing is largely determined by the duration of the menstrual cycle, as well as its regularity. The first day in the cycle is considered to be the one on which menstruation began, and its duration is determined by the length of time before the start of the next menstruation. If your cycle is regular and its duration is consistently the same, then you need to start an ovulation test no later than 17 days before the start of your period. For example, if there are 28 days in a cycle, then the start of the study should be on the 11th day, and if there are 32 days, then on the 15th. But when is it better to do an ovulation test if your cycle is unstable? In this case, you need to take the shortest period as a basis and start the study 17 days before this date, but continue to use tests further if menstruation has not started at the estimated time.

An ovulation test can be done absolutely at any time. But it is better to monitor LH levels twice a day - in the mornings and evenings, so as not to miss the expected event. After all, if in the morning your test does not show the required level of the hormone, and the release occurs, for example, during the day, then after the next morning test you may not have time to fertilize, because the egg lives only 24 hours. For this reason, the test is usually carried out somewhere between 12 and 17 hours daily before the test shows a positive result.

How to do? Decoding the results

All ovulation tests have two lines - test and control, on which a chemical composition is applied, giving it a certain color intensity. When the control strip is exposed to urine, it remains pale or becomes brighter depending on the test result. What does a faint line on the test indicate? This means that the result is negative and the level of LH in the urine has not increased. In this case, ovulation tests should be continued. If the second line becomes as bright as the first, and maybe even darker, then in the next 24-36 hours you should expect the release of an egg ready for fertilization. The result is considered positive when the ovulation test shows two lines.

The most popular tests to determine ovulation

Tests from the following brands have proven to be the most reliable and reliable:

• Eviplan.
• Clearblue.
• Frautest.

The latest brand has three options - Ovulation, Planning, Ovulation (test cassettes). The first is suitable for a stable menstrual cycle, the second is equipped with 5 strips, two of which are for pregnancy, and the third consists of 7 cassettes and is very relevant for women whose cycle is always different.

The Eviplan and Clearblue brands have a lower cost compared to Frautest. At the same time, their reading accuracy is the same. The Clearblue test is different in that when a positive result is achieved, a smiley emoticon appears on its electronic display. This device is easy to use; you just need to read the instructions first.

"Clear Blue"

Before use, the Clear Blue electronic ovulation test must be removed from the foil and the cap. Insert it into the device body, align the pink arrow on the body with the same one on the test and insert it until it clicks. When the symbol indicating readiness appears, you can conduct research.

Place the downward-facing absorbent sampler under the flow of urine for 5 to 7 seconds or immerse it in the collected urine for up to 15 seconds. At the same time, try not to get the body wet. During the test, you should not hold the strip pointing up - either lower it down, or place it on a flat horizontal surface. It takes 3 minutes to complete, so when after some time the device starts blinking and notifying you that the test is ready, do not rush to remove it from the urine until you get the result on the screen. The result can only be seen on the screen. The tests themselves do not display any information. After completion of the study, they are removed from the device and discarded.

"Eviplan"

To use the Eviplan test correctly, you will need instructions for use. It is attached to it. Before testing, study it well and follow all steps strictly according to the text. We will consider the features of use further. Please note that you should not use morning urine.

Step-by-step instructions for using the Eviplan ovulation test:

1. Open the box and remove the test from the sealed bag.
2. Collect urine in a dry container. Place the test there to the level indicated by the arrow at the “5 seconds” mark.
3. Place the test on a horizontal, flat surface.
4. Wait 10 minutes.
5. Compare the color intensity of the test strip with the control strip (the control strip is at the end of the field).

If the reaction is positive, both strips will be equally intensely colored or the test strip will be darker than the control. If the result is negative, she will be pale. If after 10 minutes the result does not appear in the window, then the test is considered invalid.

When performing ovulation tests, you need to get results every day until you get a positive reaction. What does it take to do a proper test? Listen to our advice, and your result will be successful and as accurate as possible:

1. Tests must be taken at the same time every day.
2. The best time for the test is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
3. When starting the testing process, exclude from the list of medications you are taking those that contain luteinizing hormone, otherwise the study is meaningless.
4. Limit the amount of liquid 4 hours before the procedure.
5. You must refrain from urinating for 6 hours before the test.
6. Do not use the first daily urine for the test.
7. Do not throw away the used tests so that you can compare the brightness of the second strip with them.

Conclusion

In this article, we tried to clarify as much as possible why, when and how to carry out ovulation tests. If you decide to continue your family line and have a baby, then use these tips and choose the best time to conceive a child.

Recently, various ovulation tests have appeared in pharmacies, offered by several manufacturers. These products have already gained popularity among many women. What are they for, and how can they be useful to the fairer sex?

Ovulation is the most important moment in the functioning of the female reproductive system. Ovulation in gynecology means the moment when the egg leaves the ovary and begins its movement along the fallopian tube, where it should meet the sperm. Since the lifespan of an egg is short - no more than 2 days, the period of ovulation is the most favorable moment for conception.

As a rule, during one cycle (lasting from 21 to 35 days), the egg is released from the ovary only once, but there are cases of double or triple ovulation. However, ovulation is a phenomenon that does not happen every day. And that is why many women strive to find out at what point it will come. Is it possible to do this?

How can you determine the moment of ovulation?

Some women may experience certain physiological signs that indicate ovulation is imminent. This may include slight pain in the lower abdomen, slight vaginal discharge, and increased sexual desire. However, all these signs are purely individual and cannot be used as a reliable criterion.

To determine the moment of ovulation in gynecology, various methods can be used:

• measurement of basal temperature,
• measuring luteinizing hormone levels.

Particular attention should be paid to the last method. It is quite simple and at the same time effective, which made it possible to develop a number of tests based on it that can be used at home.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone that is synthesized in a woman’s body immediately before ovulation (one to two days). Thus, its increased concentration may indicate that ovulation will take place in the coming days. The highest concentration of the hormone is found in urine or saliva.

Due to this circumstance, several portable systems have been developed to detect hormone concentrations. The chemicals contained in these systems react with LH and make its presence known through visual signals.

Let's consider the operating principle of such systems using the example of a simple strip test. The ovulation test includes several disposable paper strips with a reagent applied to them. It is enough to moisten one such strip in urine, and in a few minutes it will give the result. The appearance of a strip on a piece of paper will mean a high level of the hormone and, as a result, a high probability of ovulation within a few days.

In order for an ovulation test to show the correct result, a woman should follow a few simple rules. Firstly, you should not use the very first urine after waking up for testing. The optimal time for urine collection is from 10.00 to 20.00. In addition, you should not drink a lot of fluid before urinating, as this can dilute the urine and reduce the concentration of the hormone. In addition, repeat testing is recommended to increase the reliability of the results.

Ways to use ovulation tests

What can an ovulation test be useful for? Firstly, it can be useful for women who passionately want to get pregnant. After all, ovulation and the few days preceding it are the most favorable period for conception.

Some women use tests as a means to plan the gender of their child. There is a theory according to which sperm carrying the male chromosome are less tenacious, but more mobile compared to sperm carrying the female chromosome. Therefore, the closer to the moment of ovulation sexual intercourse was performed, the greater the chance that the egg will be fertilized by a male sperm.

In other cases, an ovulation test can be used by women who, on the contrary, want to avoid pregnancy. After all, after two days after ovulation, sperm will no longer be able to fertilize the egg. However, this method requires more frequent testing, and given that test strips cost some money, it is associated with some material costs. In addition, this method of protection cannot be called very reliable. After all, ovulation tests report only the concentration of LH, and not the moment of ovulation itself. Not to mention the high probability of obtaining false negative results due to non-compliance with the testing methodology or poor-quality (expired) test strips.

Types of testing systems for PH

In total, the pharmaceutical industry produces several testing systems:

• using disposable strips,
• using disposable cartridges,
• jet systems,
• electronic devices with disposable strips,
• optical instruments for determining LH from saliva.

Testing with disposable cartridges is much like testing with strips. The only difference is that a drop of urine must be dropped into one window of the cartridge, and the result will be displayed in the other window.

The device with disposable strips is similar in principle to devices for testing blood sugar levels. A strip soaked in urine is inserted into a special connector, and the test result appears on the indicator. Read on the official Frautest website about what types of ovulation tests exist.

Carrying out an ovulation test, instructions

Let us describe in more detail the method of testing for PH using disposable strips (strip tests). The most popular ovulation tests of this type are produced under the brand names Frautest, Eviplan, Solo.

Typically, an ovulation test includes several strips for testing for LH. Some also come with additional pregnancy test strips.

Test strips are removed from the packaging immediately before testing; they should not be stored unpacked. To start the test, place the urine in a clean and dry container. By the way, many kits are equipped with special containers for urine. Then the strip should be immersed in the urine for about 5 seconds, then pulled out and placed in a dry place.

Normally, the test strip should be white. After a few minutes (it’s better to check the instructions for the exact time, but usually no more than 10 minutes), the strip may change its appearance.

Possible options for changing the strip:

• there are no lines - poor quality or expired test;
• only one (control) line appeared - no LH;
• one line appeared and next to it a pale second line - there is no LH or its concentration is very low;
• a control line appears, as well as a second line, darker than the control line or of the same intensity as it - a high concentration of LH, ovulation should be expected.

Optical testing systems

Special mention should be made about optical systems that determine the concentration of LH not in urine, but in saliva. They are essentially small microscopes designed to examine droplets of saliva. Analysis results in some of these devices can be provided automatically. In other devices, it is necessary to manually compare the pattern visible in the eyepiece with the template. It has been established that in the case of high levels of LH, a certain structure becomes visible in the saliva under a microscope, similar to a tree leaf or a snow crystal. In general, optical instruments are considered more reliable than systems based on chemical urine testing. In addition, they are much more convenient - after all, it is not always convenient for a woman, especially a busy one, to carry out some manipulations with urine. The disadvantage of such devices, however, is their high price. However, given that devices of this type are reusable, they can be cheaper than traditional strip tests.

Can ovulation test strips show a positive result during pregnancy?

Theoretically, this cannot happen, but in practice such a phenomenon still occurs. The reason for this is that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), released during pregnancy, is similar in structure to LH. Therefore, the LH test may mistake hCG for LH. But this curiosity most likely indicates the low quality of the test for PH.

When should you start testing for ovulation?

You can, of course, carry out the test every day throughout the menstrual cycle, but in most cases this is irrational from a financial point of view (one test strip costs at least 60 rubles, and with an increase in quality, and as a result, accuracy, its price, naturally , increases). Therefore, most women calculate the approximate time of the onset of ovulation. As a rule, ovulation occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle. That is, if a woman’s cycle is normal and lasts 28 days, then ovulation usually occurs on the 14th day. The first day of the cycle is the day the menstruation begins.

However, the exact time of ovulation is impossible to predict (otherwise there would be no need for any tests). The following factors may influence the timing of ovulation:

• infectious diseases,
• psychological and emotional state of a woman,
• changing weather conditions.

Also, the time of ovulation may be “off” after childbirth, abortion, or when menopause approaches. It is for this reason and because it is best to know about ovulation in advance, it is best to start testing a few days before the expected date of this event. Most experts recommend starting testing on the 11th day of your period. In this case, you can conduct not one test per day, but two, every 12 hours. If the cycle length is more than 28 days, then it is recommended to start testing 17 days before the start of the next menstruation.

If a woman’s cycles have different durations, then it is necessary to focus on the shortest cycle. That is, if a woman has cycles of 26 and 32 days a year, then it is better to assume that the expected day of ovulation is the 13th day. Or you can subtract 17 days from the minimum cycle and start testing from that day.

Is testing always reliable?

In what cases are false positive tests possible? LH levels may increase not only due to upcoming ovulation, but also due to ovarian depletion syndrome, hormonal dysfunction, renal failure, and postmenopause. Also, the level of the hormone is highest in the morning - which is why it is not recommended to take the first morning urine for testing. In addition, tests can also respond to increased levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, as well as to phytohormones that can enter a woman’s body with food.

All this suggests that relying only on tests is not the wisest decision. Other diagnostic methods, such as ultrasound, are more reliable than rapid tests.

Home ovulation test- a quick and easy way to determine when you will ovulate. This is a test in the form of paper strips on which a reagent is applied, with which you can simply find out when your luteinizing hormone (LH) is elevated, that is, the days on which the likelihood of conception is highest.

Ovulation tests can be in the form of test strips (the test is carried out by immersing a test strip in a container with urine to a designated level) or in the form of jet systems (the test is placed under a stream of urine or lowered into a container with urine).

When to start taking an ovulation test

First of all, you will need to know the length of your monthly cycle, i.e. the number of days from the 1st day of one period (including this) to the 1st day of the next. Read the label carefully to help you figure out when to start testing.

If your cycle is shorter than 22 days or longer than 38 days, consult your gynecologist. In the case of a non-constant cycle, the shortest cycle must be selected for counting. If you do not know the length of your cycle, start taking the test on the 11th day from the start of your period.

Do the test daily for 5 days or until the LH hormone is detected by the test.

Urine samples for tests:

1. Do not use urine samples collected early in the morning because morning urine does not contain enough ovulation hormone and the test results may be incorrect.
2. For testing, it is best to use urine collected between 10-00 and 20-00 hours.
3. Use urine collected at approximately the same time.
4. Reduce fluid intake 2 hours before the test to avoid reducing the concentration of luteinizing hormone in your urine.

How to do an ovulation test:

1. Before testing, ensure that both the ovulation test and urine sample are at room temperature (18 to 30ºC).
2. Remove the dough from its protective packaging and, if necessary, remove the lid from the absorbent part of the dough.
3. Hold the jet dough stick with the absorbent part facing down. Point the absorbent part of the stick directly into the stream of urine until it is well moistened (about 10 seconds).
4. You can also collect a urine sample in a clean container by immersing the absorbent part of a spray stick or test strip into the collected sample for 10 seconds.
5. Wait for colored stripes to appear on the dough stick. Depending on the concentration of LH hormone, a positive result may appear within 40 seconds. However, to confirm a negative result, you need to wait 10 minutes. Never check the test result more than 30 minutes after urine collection.

Evaluation of test results

The first line on the test (as in pregnancy tests) is a control line; its presence confirms that the test is suitable for use, carried out correctly, and its results are reliable.

Positive result

If two stripes appear and they are bright and equally visible, or the second stripe is brighter and darker than the first, then ovulation will probably occur in the next 24-48 hours. Therefore, if you want to get pregnant, then the best time to conceive is before the end of these 48 hours.

Negative result

If one stripe appears in the control area (or control window) or a stripe also appears nearby, but it is significantly paler than the first, then the test result is negative.

Ineffective (marriage)

If no lines appear, the test was performed incorrectly. Repeat testing using a new strip.

How can ovulation tests help you get pregnant?

At the beginning of the monthly cycle, the level of luteinizing hormone is low, then towards the middle of the cycle the hormone is released, which triggers the ovulation mechanism. It is this peak of the hormone that the test notes. Ovulation on average occurs one day after the test shows two lines. The probability of getting pregnant is very high in 2 fertile days, when there is a sharp increase in the content of luteinizing hormone.

The lifespan of an egg after leaving the follicle is 24 hours, while sperm is capable of fertilizing it within 3–8 days. If sperm enters a woman’s body during the period when the egg leaves the follicle, the chances that conception will take place are very high.

Adviсe:

• During one cycle, it is advisable to use tests from one company.
• Good results can be achieved using comprehensive testing: conducting an ultrasound examination (or taking into account a combination of other additional signs if you know well how your body reacts to ovulation: tingling or slight nagging pain in the lower abdomen) and using ovulation tests. You can not waste tests, but wait until the ultrasound shows that the follicle has reached approximately 18-20 mm and has become capable of ovulating - now you can start doing ovulation tests every day.
• When purchasing, do not forget to check the expiration date of the tests.