Ovulation Test – What It Is and How to Do an Ovulation Test

Today, in just a few minutes, we can learn about processes in our bodies without even leaving home. We no longer need to rely on signs or decipher our body’s behavior; it is enough to take a home test and track the onset of such an important stage of the cycle as ovulation.

What is ovulation

Ovulation is the process of releasing an egg from the ovaries. Without this process, pregnancy is simply not possible. Ovulation occurs 36-40 hours after the production of the luteinizing hormone, which ensures the normal functioning of the reproductive system.

During ovulation, the egg cell begins its journey through the fallopian tubes, where it must meet the sperm for fertilization. If you want to conceive, a woman needs to monitor the stages of egg maturation and know exactly when ovulation occurs.

Physically, ovulation may not manifest itself. Only occasionally can the moment of ovulation be characterized by intermenstrual pains. But this factor is more the exception than the rule. That is why it is necessary to track the moment of ovulation using a home test.

What is an ovulation test? Principle of the test

An ovulation test is similar to a pregnancy test in its operation. In a few minutes, it detects the presence of a hormone (in this case, we are talking about the aforementioned luteinizing hormone) in a woman’s urine or saliva, depending on the type of ovulation test. The highest peak concentration of the hormone occurs 36 hours before ovulation.

Types of Tests

Today, there are many different ovulation tests available. Each can show results, and the choice depends on your personal preferences.

Saliva Ovulation Test

You can purchase an ovulation test that analyzes saliva. It will be the most accurate since the highest concentration of the hormone gathers in saliva. For such testing, you need to apply a drop of saliva to the designated area and compare the results with those in the instructions.

Urine Ovulation Test

The most common type of tests are urine tests. They can be purchased at any pharmacy. Moreover, you can choose a type of urine test that suits your needs:

1. Reagent paper strip. This is the most affordable test option with a small drawback — discomfort in use. You will need to find a container for collecting urine, spend time waiting for the result, and dispose of it.
2. Tablet tests are more comfortable to use. The principle of the test is the same — a reagent paper strip. However, this strip is enclosed in a plastic casing, and to conduct the test, it is enough to apply a drop of urine on the screen.
3. The simplest, most accurate, and cost-effective are the midstream tests. Just direct the urine stream onto such a test to get the result. Moreover, these tests are considered the most accurate.

Today, electronic and reusable tests are also available. They are convenient, accurate, and expensive. If you plan to measure ovulation over a long period, or travel frequently where single-use tests are inconvenient, it might be worth purchasing a modern test. However, this purchase is generally not financially justified.

How to Properly Use the Test (Instructions)

No matter which test you choose, it is essential to use it correctly. Each test comes with a manual that provides recommendations for use. We have decided to highlight the main steps that will allow you to conduct testing more easily, quickly, and effectively.

Preparation

Before taking an ovulation test, it is important to properly prepare your body for testing; otherwise, the results may be skewed, especially if the test used is not of high quality. During the preparation stage for testing, it is important to:

1. Do not take hormonal medications, including creams containing hormones. It is important to discuss this matter with the doctor prescribing hormonal medications.
2. Track your cycle. To accurately determine the moment of ovulation, the cycle must be regular.
3. Monitor your fluid intake.
4. Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages before testing.
5. Do not urinate for 4 hours before taking the test (if you are determining ovulation using urine tests).

Note! If using a paper test strip, pay attention to the container for collecting urine. It is better if it is a clean disposable container.

When to take

You can take an ovulation test at any time. It’s best to conduct it twice a day — in the morning and evening. However, to avoid endless testing throughout the month, it’s worth choosing the optimal day.

When to test with a regular cycle

With a regular menstrual cycle, you can start taking the test on the 11th day. Continue testing until you get a positive result. Once you receive a clear positive result, you can expect ovulation to occur within 24-48 hours.

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Important! For more accurate results, do not use morning urine to perform the test.

When to test with an irregular cycle

If testing with a regular cycle is clear, it’s still unclear what to do if the cycle is irregular. Let’s try to understand the complex math of our bodies.

To properly conduct an ovulation test, it is necessary to refer to statistics. Calculate your shortest menstrual cycle over the past 6 months, and based on this, determine the day to take the ovulation test.

Example calculation: if your shortest cycle lasted 19 days, and the luteal phase lasts 14 days (this can also be determined during a medical examination), then using the formula 19-14 = 5, you find that ovulation is expected to occur on the 5th day after menstruation. This way, you will know on which day the test indicates ovulation. Remember that testing should be conducted a couple of days before the expected date, and a couple of days after it.

How to do it

The method for conducting the test depends on the type of test. If you are using a strip, you need to collect urine in a clean disposable container, dip the test in for no more than 10 seconds, and evaluate the results in 7-9 minutes.

Using the strip test requires a drop of urine on the screen. After a few minutes, it will show you the result, which you can interpret with the help of the instructions.

Other tests have their own application features. It’s important to always follow the above-mentioned preparation rules and choose the right day to conduct the test. If you are unsure about your calculations, you can take the test throughout the menstrual cycle until you get a positive result. You can also consult a specialist who will precisely calculate the days when you should conduct home testing.

Decoding Results

After conducting the test, it is important to correctly interpret the result obtained. Regardless of the test type (not including electronic ones, as their result display system may be more intuitively understandable), all tests show the final result in the same way. 

You will need to assess the location of the developed strips in two areas — the control (C) and test zone (T). You should also consider the intensity of the color of the developed strips. They should be clear and vibrant. 

After completing the test, you will have three possible outcomes that the test may show:

1. Option 1 — You see two clearly defined strips. This means the test was successful, and ovulation will occur within 24-48 hours.
2. Option 2 — The strip in the test zone did not appear, or it has a very faint color. In this case, ovulation has not occurred, and the test should be conducted later.
3. Option 3 — If the control strip does not appear at the end of the test. This indicates either a defective test strip or incorrect testing. In such cases, it is recommended to immediately retake the test (provided the test preparation instructions were not violated).

Always remember to continue testing for ovulation on the expected days. Due to individual body characteristics, your ovulation may “arrive” late. If ovulation does not occur throughout the menstrual cycle, it is advisable to consult a doctor. This may be a sign of a condition or a rare malfunction in the body due to stress and other factors.

Test Reliability

The essence of the ovulation test is to determine the presence of luteinizing hormone in the body at the current time period. Their operating system is simple, which makes the tests highly effective. Of course, you might encounter a poor-quality test, a test that was stored improperly, or make a mistake during testing, reducing the accuracy of the study, but overall, the tests are quite effective.

There are also a number of objective reasons why a test may decrease its effectiveness:

1. If you have a dysfunction in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. This can lead to elevated hormone levels without ovulation.
2. The test can also show an increase in hormone concentration with polycystic ovary syndrome.
3. The hormone level also fluctuates with the syndrome of luteinization of a non-ovulatory follicle.

If you monitor your health and use additional methods to track ovulation (such as measuring basal temperature), the possibility of incorrect results decreases. Additionally, it’s important to remember that the chosen day of testing significantly affects the result. If you want reliable results, be sure to use the momslab.app, which will help you track the day of ovulation.