Generally a woman's menstrual cycle lasts for 28 days. However, many women experience longer or shorter period. Though it is not a health problem, but it may pose difficulty in predicting the best time to get pregnant. There is a simple rule of thumb that states that a woman is most fertile about 13 to 15 days prior to the first day of her next monthly cycle. This is the time when ovulation occurs and a woman's body releases a new egg. So, if you are also willing to get pregnant and want to know your most fertile period then you can use ovulation predictor test - this test is performed using an ovulation predictor kit (OPK).
The test is done to know the exact dates when you are going to ovulate. The time span for OPK varies from 12 to 48 hours. The main purpose of this test is to identify the presence of the Leuetenizing hormone (LH). The presence of LH in the blood confirms that the ovaries are prepared to release the egg, and thus you can plan the conception accordingly.
Basically, there are two types of ovulation predictor test namely Urine test, and Saliva test.
Urine Test: You can buy ovulation predictor kit from a pharmacy shop easily. The kit is a form of test strip and the urination must be allowed to fall on the test strip while mid stream. A narrow line appears near to the control line that indicates the amount of LH present in the urine. This line is called the test result line. If you find the test result line darker or of the same shade that of the control line then it indicates a hormone surge. This surge is generally noticed 12 to 36 hours prior to ovulation, and therefore, provides an ample amount of time to prepare you for conception. Generally, this test is performed in the morning, but if the surge does not show as per your estimated chart then you can repeat the test in the afternoon and evening time.
Saliva Test: It is a microscopic device where the sample i.e., saliva is placed right on the lens. This test can detect ovulation 72 hours in advance. You are required to place the saliva on the test slide - if it is just a fem like pattern then it indicates that you are about to ovulate. And if there are only bubbles then it tests negative.
Use these tests and confirm your ovulation to ensure successful conception.
James Copper is a writer for Infertility Solutions where you can find information about the ovulation tracker
