Ovulation tests
Tests & Ovulation Predictor Kits
Ovulation tests work by detecting the pre-ovulation LH Surge in your body. These are very popular, can be used at home and allow you to predict, with great accuracy, your most fertile time of the month.
The dynamics of the menstruation differ greatly among women. Length and regularity of the cycle may vary between women or for a particular woman over time. However, if your menstrual cycle occurs more frequently than every 21 days - or if your cycle is longer than 35 days, your cycle can be considered a bit irregular. If it consistently lasts more than 45 days, you may want to talk to your doctor. An irregular cycle or missed period is not necessarily a sign of a medical issue and can be influenced by diet, stress, and increase in physical activity, or illness. However, prolonged irregularities can indicate irregular ovulation, or anovulation (no ovulating at all). In such cases, contact your doctor to discuss your symptoms.
Pregnancy tests and Trying to Conceive
How Do They Work?
Pregnancy Tests determine pregnancy through the detection of the hormone hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in a woman’s urine. hCG is secreted by the developing placenta shortly after a fertilized egg has implanted in the uterine lining. The makes hCG an excellent, reliable marker for discovering if you are pregnant. Pregnancy tests come in two common formats - tests strips and midstream tests. To use a pregnancy test strip, you fill a container with urine and hold the test strip in the container for several seconds. With midstream tests, you simply hold the test in your stream of urine. Please do read the pregnancy test instructions carefully, as well as our FAQ and testing tips. For example, a first morning urine sample will provide a more concentrated presence of hCG, allowing you to detect pregnancy sooner. Also, flushing the body with liquids before collecting a sample may dilute the presence of hCG.
Early Pregnancy Tests: How Soon Can I Test?
The most sensitive pregnancy tests can detect hCG levels at as low as 20 mIU (International Units). This level of hCG is present in the urine of pregnant women at about 7 to 10 days past ovulation. If you are fertility charting with a basal thermometer, or using ovulation tests, you’ll now when to begin testing for pregnancy. Test sensitivity equates with early-detection - and the lower the number, the sooner a test can detect pregnancy. If pregnant, the amount of hCG in your system should be around 25 mIU at 10 dpo (days past ovulation), 50 mIU at 12 dpo, 100 mIU at around two weeks dpo. Our pregnancy tests are the most sensitive available, sensitive to 20 mIU/hCG. For earliest detection of pregnancy, use first morning urine, as this urine sample contains the most concentrated amount of hCG.
How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?
A home pregnancy test (hpt) is very accurate. Most are over 99% accurate. Correct procedure and observing test-taking tips will maximize accuracy: If a test is not done correctly, it will be less accurate. Always check the expiration dates of pregnancy tests! Ours at Early Pregnancy Tests exhibit the maximum-allowable 2-year expiration date.
If you use a home pregnancy test too early in your pregnancy, you may not have enough of the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine to have a positive test result. Most HPTs will be accurate if you test yourself around the time your period is due (about 2 weeks after you ovulate, or release an egg from your ovary). You can get a negative test result if you are not pregnant or if you ovulated later than you thought you did. You may also have problems with the pregnancy, which affects the amount of hCG you have in your urine. If your HPT is negative, test yourself again within a few days to 1 week. If you keep getting a negative result and think you are pregnant, talk with a health care provider right away.