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Pregnancy Symptoms
11/29/2008 - by Anne Marie Nielson
Ovulation
Tests
Ovulation tests, also known as OPKs, are tests designed to
detect luteinizing hormone (LH). This is a hormone that is
released just before ovulation. While a small amount of LH is
produced throughout the menstrual cycle, in the middle of the
cycle, a burst of this hormone helps your ovary release your
matured egg. OPK tests will let you know this surge is
happening so you can time intercourse to catch the egg and get
pregnant.
This surge of LH is of very short duration. By testing at the
right time of the month at the right time of day, you'll have a
really good idea of when you will ovulate. When you get a
positive reaction to your OPK, fertilization can take place
within 1 to 3 days. The peak opportunity for fertilization is
36 hours after the surge of luteinizing hormone.
OPK tests resemble pregnancy tests, but they don't test for the
same thing. A pregnancy test detects human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG), while an OPK test detects luteinizing
hormone. While a pregnancy test is positive as long as you can
see a second line, no matter how light it is… an OPK doesn't
work like that.
An OPK test is only positive if the test strip is of equal or
greater intensity of color as the control strip. An OPK is
considered negative if the test strip is nonexistent or paler
than the control strip. A negative result means the LH level is
at normal levels.
Like a pregnancy test, however, OPKs come in two types… dipping
test strips and midstream tests. The dipping test strips can be
dipped into a container of urine for several seconds. The
midstream test can be held in your stream of urine. Both types
are reliable, but be sure to read the instructions that come
with the OPK carefully.
Unlike a pregnancy test, you should not use first morning urine
with an OPK. LH is made by your body early in the morning, and
it is not in your urine until the afternoon. If you can test at
2 pm in the afternoon, you may get the best results, although
testing can take place anytime between 10 am and early evening.
Try to test at the same time every day for the best results. Be
sure you cut back on drinking liquids about two hours before
you test to concentrate your urine.
To figure out when to begin testing, take a look at the length
of your menstrual cycle. It lasts from the first day of your
period to the day before bleeding begins on your next cycle.
Keep track for a few months to see if your cycle is regular.
You'll want start testing two days before you are expecting to
ovulate. For example, if your cycle is 28 days long and you
think you normally ovulate on day 14, you'll want to begin
testing on day 12. If your cycle is 32 days long usually, begin
testing on day 16.
To increase your chances of getting pregnant, you should have
intercourse on the day you detect a surge of LH, and again
every other day to increase your chances.
At From Pregnancy To Baby, we try
to provide you with all of the latest information about going
through your pregnancy from your first trimester to the first
years of your new babies life. We also provide the highest
quality books and products to help you through that time.
Source: http://www.frompregnancytobaby.com/ovulation-tests.html
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