Many couples want to have a baby, but pregnancy is only possible during the woman’s fertile days. To find out the best possible time to conceive, couples need to take a closer look at the woman’s body. Nowadays, there are many helpers for this, such as the ovulation test (ovulation test), which makes it possible to narrow down the woman’s fertile days and thus make the desire to have a child come true.
How does an ovulation test work?
An ovulation test is very similar to a pregnancy test in its application. However, with an ovulation test, the average cycle length must first be determined in order to determine when to start the test. The calculation of the cycle length is as follows: Subtract 17 days from the cycle length (for example, 28 days) (result: eleven). So you start the test on the eleventh day. The test stick must come into contact with the woman’s urine up to the mark. Depending on the test, contact should last up to ten seconds. It is up to the woman whether the test tip is wetted directly with the urine stream or the urine is first collected in a clean cup.
Classic ovulation test
The “classic” ovulation test has a control strip and a test strip in the display. The control strip becomes visible as soon as the test stick makes contact with the urine. The test strip changes color within five to ten minutes depending on the concentration of the so-called luteinizing hormone (LH). If the test strip is as strongly discolored as the control strip, the hormone concentration is very high and the woman will ovulate within the next two days. If, on the other hand, it is only slightly discolored or not visible at all, ovulation is not yet imminent and further tests are needed to determine ovulation.
Digital ovulation test
The digital ovulation test works exactly like the “classic” ovulation test, but here the result is displayed digitally rather than in the form of lines. Usually the result is indicated by symbols like a smiley. It is recommended to perform the ovulation test daily and always at the same time until a hormone increase is noted in the urine. If the ovulation test is positive, there is no need to perform any further tests, because the best time for conception has then already been determined. If the ovulation tests are always negative, the gynecologist must determine possible causes.
Fertility Monitor
The LH tests are the most common ovulation tests for determining impending ovulation. In addition, there is also the fertility monitor, which, in addition to the two most fertile days, also indicates less fertile days, during which pregnancy may well occur. These small computers also work with LH test strips and urine.
Alternative to the ovulation test: The menstrual calendar
Another tool for calculating ovulation is the menstrual calendar, also called the ovulation calendar. For this purpose, the menstrual days are marked in the calendar for at least six months. After that, you can narrow down the fertile days mathematically by selecting the shortest cycle (for example 28 days) and subtracting 21 days (result: 7). The first possible fertile day would therefore be the seventh day of the monthly cycle. By the way, a monthly cycle ends with the first day of menstruation and with the same day the new cycle begins. To find out the last possible fertile day, take the longest cycle (for example 31 days) and subtract 8 days (result: 23). So the last fertile day would be the 23rd day of the monthly cycle. In this example, the fertile days would be between the 7th and 23rd day of the monthly cycle.
The temperature method
Another method for calculating ovulation is the temperature method. Every morning, the waking temperature (basal temperature) is measured with a thermometer and recorded in a calendar. At the end of a cycle, the recorded temperatures are evaluated. As soon as the temperature rises by 0.3 to 0.4 °C and remains elevated until the onset of the period, ovulation has occurred. This method is suitable for women with a regular cycle, but the evaluation requires a little experience. By the way, the calculation of ovulation with the help of the temperature method allows rather to determine the infertile days, because pregnancy is rather unlikely after the rise in temperature – which occurs after ovulation.Meanwhile, there are also special computers with a highly sensitive thermometer that measures the temperature very accurately and registers and evaluates the smallest differences. After a few months, the computer can determine a trend and predict the upcoming fertile days.