What do ovulation kits test for

OPKs are widely available. You can get them over the counter at drugstores, pharmacies, and even major supermarkets and convenience stores, without a prescription. OPKs are easy to use.

Ovulation kits are similar to home pregnancy tests — you simply urinate on the test stick, activating a chemical that can detect your LH surge. Most OPKs contain between five and nine test sticks. OPKs don't work when certain fertility drugs are present in the system.

OPKs do not work consistently on women over Some women in their 40s , especially those approaching menopause, have increased levels of LH in their systems at all times, rendering the tests invalid. OPKs don't come cheap. Each is good for a single cycle. By Deborah Gaines. Ovulation predictor kits have two lines. One line is the control line.

This just lets you know that the test was used properly and is working. The second line is the test line. When the test line is as dark or darker than the control line, LH is surging.

This is when you should start having baby-making sex. Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor works differently from regular ovulation predictor kits. You need to start testing on the first day of your period. Whatever ovulation test kit you use, be sure to read the instructions carefully for the best results. Relatively easy to use. Unlike BBT charting, they tell you when ovulation is approaching , not that it's already passed.

Morning urine is best, but taking the test within the same six-hour window every day should give accurate results. If you're not comfortable checking for cervical mucus , you may feel better using the test strips. Using one month after month can get expensive. This is especially so if your cycles are irregular and you need to use more than five test strips.

Some people have trouble reading a positive ovulation test result. Ovulation tests may not work well for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, who can have several LH surges or high levels of LH throughout their cycles.

Since ovulation kits test for LH, they may yield positive results all the time or on several days. These positive results are false-positives—they don't mean you're ovulating. They can signal that your body is trying to ovulate, but they can't confirm that ovulation happened.

It's possible for LH to surge and an egg to never release. While ovulation predictor kits cannot confirm that ovulation actually took place, body basal temperature charting can. Ovulation predictor kits can be used alongside other methods of ovulation detecting, like BBT charting.

This can give you more assurance and help you get to know your body better. You may want to use an ovulation predictor kit when you just start fertility charting for added confidence. Once you get the hang of charting your BBT and cervical mucus, you can drop the expensive ovulation test strips. For women who find fertility charting stressful, though, ovulation predictor kits can be a great way to predict ovulation and time sex for pregnancy.

Why might this happen? One possible reason is you started testing too early in your cycle. Day 17 would be your last test day. Another possibility is you started testing too late.

In this situation, you may miss the LH surge. This is one reason it helps to have an idea of when you tend to ovulate depending on the length of your cycle. The longer your cycles are, the more likely it is that you ovulate later than average.

The kits also tend to be more accurate for some women than others. Ovulation predictor kits work best for women whose cycles are relatively predictable. But they might be less reliable if you:. Have very irregular periods. That can increase the chances for using an ovulation predictor kit too early or too late and missing the ovulation window altogether. Have a health condition like PCOS. That could make test results unreliable.

Are taking certain medications. Fertility drugs , hormones like birth control pills and antibiotics can all make ovulation test strips inaccurate. Prices vary based on factors like brand, the number of strips in the kit and whether the test has a digital reader. The tests may available for reimbursement with a flexible spending account, health savings account or health reimbursement arrangement.

A test could potentially indicate a false positive if LH levels surge without ovulation occurring, especially if you have PCOS or are taking certain medications. And you could end up testing too early or too late — and missing your ovulation window altogether — if your periods are highly irregular.

What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. An ovulation home test is used by women. It helps determine the time in the menstrual cycle when getting pregnant is most likely.

The test detects a rise in luteinizing hormone LH in the urine. A rise in this hormone signals the ovary to release the egg. This at-home test is often used by women to help predict when an egg release is likely. This is when pregnancy is most likely to occur.

These kits can be bought at most drug stores. LH urine tests are not the same as at home fertility monitors. Fertility monitors are digital handheld devices.

They predict ovulation based on electrolyte levels in saliva, LH levels in urine, or your basal body temperature. These devices can store ovulation information for several menstrual cycles. Ovulation prediction test kits most often come with five to seven sticks. You may need to test for several days to detect a surge in LH.