When to start testing ovulation
How To Get Pregnant - Using An Ovulation Prediction Kit (OPK) - Series 1 - Episode 7
I'm Dr. Tash. This is an ovulation predictor kit. Here's how to use it.
There are two types of ovulation predictor kits. One uses saliva, the other, urine. Today
we're going to be focusing on urine.
People often get the timing wrong and then they wonder why they're not getting pregnant.
The great thing about the ovulation predictor kit is it tells you when to start having sex,
because you want to start having sex before the egg is released. Because really the sperm
should be there when the egg is released to maximize the chances of fertilization and
pregnancy.
These kits are a great way of you monitoring your fertile window at home. And that's really
important, because once you've ovulated, that egg only has 12 to 24 hours to become fertilized.
So it's really important you're aware of your fertile window before you ovulate.
The kit works by detecting luteinizing hormone, or LH, levels in your urine. Now, about 24
hours before you ovulate, LH levels surge. They rise quite quickly, and that is an indicator
that you're going to ovulate quite soon.
There are many different kits on the market. Just read the instructions. In general, I
recommend you don't pee for about four hours before you use the kit and when you detect
an LH surge for the first time, that means you need to start going for it. You need to
start having sex, because it means the fertile window is open.
People often ask me, "How often should we have sex?" I recommend that as soon as you
detect that LH surge, have sex every day, every day in the lead-up to and the day of
ovulation. That'll maximize your chances of falling pregnant.
