Ovulation Predictor Kits: Find Your Window Of Opportunity For Conception
Determining when you ovulate is made easier with the use of ovulation predictor kits - or 'OPK's' for short. Of course, ovulation is essential for conception to occur!
Ovulation occurs when a ripe egg is released. Ideally for conception to occur, sperm should be ready and waiting for that egg - or at least arrive before the egg is gone.Using OPK's helps to determine when ovulation will most likely occur during your cycle.
How Ovulation Predictor Kits Work
The egg is forced out of the fallopian tube with the assistance of a hormone, called luteinizing hormone (or LH). LH surges just before ovulation, and OPK's detect this surge. Thus, if an LH surge is detected, ovulation will most likely occur within 12-36 hours.
Unlike charting your basal body temperature or cervical mucous, these kits PREDICT ovulation. Charting simply tells you that ovulation has just taken place. Charting is effective when it's done for a few consecutive months to give an indication of what day during a woman's cycle ovulation occurs.
Tips On Using Ovulation Predictor Kits
- It's helpful to test daily at the same time every day, preferably in the early afternoon. If, for example, you measure one day in the morning, and then not until the late afternoon the next day, more than 24 has passed. The LH surge doesn't last very long, so you may actually miss the surge if you let more than 24 hours pass;
- Test in the early afternoon - around 2pm is best. LH is usually produced in the morning, so you will be more likely to detect the LH surge in the afternoon;
- Start testing with ovulation predictor kits on approximately Day 8 of your cycle. If your cycle is long - such as 32 days or more - start testing around Day 11 or so. If your cycle is short - such as 21 days - start testing around Day 5. This will minimize the risk of missing the surge of LH.
Optimize Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant!
Don't forget that once the LH surge is detected, ovulation will most likely occur within 12-36 hours. This ovulation "window" is short - the unfertilized egg generally has a 24-hour life-span - and only happens once a month. It's imperative to take advantage of this opportunity and have sex within this time frame.
Please note that it is possible not to ovulate on a given month, despite detecting an LH surge. Ovulation doesn't necessarily happen every cycle. Also, there may be some women who don't ovulate at all. This is something that should be followed up with a doctor.
Maximizing Chances of Conception With OPK's
- If you start testing on Day 8, start having sex on Day 6 - a couple of days beforehand;
- Have sex every other day until your OPK turns positive. This will give your partner's sperm a couple of days to build back up the next time you have intercourse, and it won't dry out your cervical mucous;
- Start having sex every day for 3 days straight days once the LH surge is detected.
If you have intercourse just before you ovulate, sperm will already be present in your body when the egg is released. This is optimal for conception!
- Lisa Simonelli Rennie, author of complete-pregnancy-guide.com. This website has all the info you need on conception, pregnancy, childbirth and labor, including a week by week guide.
Visit www.complete-pregnancy-guide.com
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