You can know you’re pregnant or ovulating by paying attention to body changes. But these changes aren’t always accurate, hence, the need for test kits. This article describes a pregnancy and ovulation home kit and how you can use them to check fertility.
Anyone trying to conceive should understand their ovulation patterns. Happening midway into your menstrual cycle, ovulation is the monthly release of a developed egg by an ovary. This is the best time for sex if you want to get pregnant since you’re at peak fertility. You may experience a higher sex drive, basal body temperature fluctuations, light spotting, and lower abdomen cramps. But women’s cycles differ, and your ovulation patterns might change every month. What’s more, ovulation only lasts 12-24 hours. That’s why you need an ovulation home test kit.
What is an Ovulation Home Test Kit
You may wonder how most ovulation home kits measure a surge of which hormone. The ovulation home kit is a urine-based test measuring luteinizing hormone amounts. Triggering the egg’s release from the ovary, this hormone spikes approximately 36 hours to ovulation. These gadgets take different forms.
Take the case of the ovulation home kit that involves dipping test sticks or strips in the urine. Most kits have control and test line. While the control line indicates the kit is functioning correctly, the test line becomes darker or lighter subject to whether you’re ovulating. A dark line on the ovulation home kit indicates LH level surges, hence, high conception possibilities. On the other hand, you have low LH amounts if the ovulation home kit displays a lighter strip. Your ovulation home kit might even have a digital reader that compares current LH levels to previous days.
Use the ovulation home test kit two days before your expected ovulation to capture LH surges. Additionally, use the ovulation home test kit at similar times daily until you test positive. You can also substitute your ovulation home kit with basal body thermometers. Because temperatures rise slightly after ovulation, sex at this time could lead to conception. However, take the test under basal conditions, for instance, before drinking, eating, or leaving the bed. Another ovulation home test kit alternative is fertility monitors. These devices are more accurate than an ovulation home kit since they detect estrogen and luteinizing hormone.
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What About Pregnancy Home Test Kits
As the name suggests, pregnancy kits test for pregnancy. But how do home pregnancy test kits work? They measure HCG amounts, a pregnancy detection hormone present in the urine and blood approximately two weeks after conception. Negative HCG results fall below five mIU/ml, while positive ones are equal to or higher than 25 mIU/ml.
Like an ovulation home kit, pregnancy tests involve dipping the stick in urine or putting the sample on a test strip using a dropper. The results are ready in approximately two minutes. According to most tests, one line shows negative results, while two lines mean you’re pregnant. You may need to see a doctor for a blood test if a faint line appears. A faint positive line could signal a miscarriage since your body has residual pregnancy hormones though you’re no longer expectant.
However, some gadgets deliver results as color changes or words in the test window, for example, “Pregnant” and “Not Pregnant”. Read the test’s instructions to know how to use a pregnancy home kit. Some brands specify sample amounts and timing. When to use a home pregnancy kit is a personal decision. Taking the test two weeks after possible conception ensures reliable results. Another option is taking it after a missed period. Though you can delay the test, knowing the results sooner lets you make lifestyle changes for a successful pregnancy and delivery. Mornings are perfect for taking the test since urine samples are concentrated.
Factors Affecting Test Results
Several factors affect ovulation home kit and pregnancy home test kit accuracy. The first one is medications such as tranquilizers, antipsychotics, opioids, diuretics, and sleeping pills. Though alcohol doesn’t change results, drinking during pregnancy invites miscarriage and premature birth. Sometimes, you may get positive results when you’re not pregnant because of high HCG levels. That’s because of conditions like gestational trophoblastic neoplasms, immunoglobulin deficiency, and renal cancer.
For an ovulation home kit, inaccuracy stems from conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome that increase the frequency of LH surges. The same applies to fertility drugs and birth control pills. Another cause of ovulation home test kit inaccuracy is irregular periods. Since you’re not sure when you’ll start ovulating, you may use the ovulation home kit too late or too early.
Conclusion
A pregnancy and ovulation home test gadget takes the guesswork out of fertility cycles. However, the tests aren’t foolproof. In addition to your ovulation home kit, you can track your fertility by monitoring bodily changes, documenting your periods, and following advice from your gynecologist.
