How do ovulation predictor kits work?
Just preceding ovulation, women experience a surge in Luteinizing Hormone (LH). LH is the hormone that facilitates ovulation by causing the egg to separate from the ovarian surface. Ovulation tests work by detecting LH, allowing a woman to accurately predict when they will ovulate. A positive result on an ovulation test means that the woman will most likely become fertile over the next three days, with peak fertility at 36 hours following the onset of the LH surge.
Depending on which ovulation predictor kit you buy, most of them will detect an LH surge 24 to 36 hours before ovulation occurs with a darker line than the sample line on the test stick. A line that is lighter than the sample line indicates that you are not within 24 to 36 hours of ovulation. How do I use the Ovulation Predictor Kits? You will need to read the instructions on the box for details on how to use the specific type of ovulation predictor kit that you bought. Generally, you urinate directly on the test stick and then wait about 5 minutes for the results. One line will be the test line (sample line to go by) and one line will indicate whether you are near ovulation. Most OPK’s will detect within 24 to 36 hours of ovulation (LH surge). The line will be either lighter or darker than the test line. If the line is lighter, you are not within 24 to 36 hours of ovulation and may need to retest in a couple of days. If the line is darker, you are ovulating, near ovulation or ovulatio
Available at drugstores and grocery stores without a prescription, ovulation predictor kits detect the surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine just before ovulation. They’re easier to use and often more accurate than the BBT method, and they can predict ovulation 12 to 36 hours in advance and help you maximize your chance of conception the very first month you use them. But they’re not foolproof. Rarely, they can measure LH (you get either a positive or a negative result, not a number), but can’t indicate whether you ovulate after a positive response; LH can surge with or without the release of an egg. False LH surges can also take place before the real one. For maximum accuracy, follow the kit’s directions to the letter. However, if the instructions say to test your first urine of the day, you may want to test your second catch instead. Your urine can become concentrated overnight and might give you a false-positive result. Your cycle starts on the first day you have your peri
