ovulations kits and signs of ovulation

[lmk]

Starting a thread for my friend ( I'll be sending her the link to this website)

She is trying to conceive and has been using ovulation kits without success so far. She has mentioned that her signs of ovulation occur on different days to when the kit is +ve for ovulation. Has anybody experienced anything like this?

Any info / tips would be greatly appreciated.

:wave:

[Cat74]

How big a difference are we talking? The ovulation kit I use (and I think they're all similar) indicate a surge in LH. When that surge starts then ovulation will take place approx 24-36 hours after that.

Mine also say not to use them first thing in the morning as you won't get an accurate result.

[lmk]

I'll double check the difference but I think it was a couple of days. I'll also mention to her about testing in the afternoon.

Thanks for your reply, I would also like to wish you all the best. My friend has been trying for the same length of time as you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you also. :fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed::bfp:

[Cat74]

Thanks, LMK. TTC can be quite trying at times. All the best to your friend too! :)

I should also mention that I know of a few people who have found the ovulation kits don't work for them. They just can't get an accurate reading from them. Perhaps your friend should also consider Maybe Baby or Fertility Friend as a backup to the ovulation kits.

Hard to know. I personally find the ovulation kits great as an indicator for me, although no pregnancy yet... :fingerscrossed: it's not too far away.

[bgbgbb]

I'll try to give you as much information as I've gathered for myself over the years.

Ovulation should take place 14 days before your next period is due (for a regular 28 day cycle then it will be on Day 14, a 21 day cycle will have it on day 7 ,or a 32 day cycle would have it on day 18). The 14 days between ovulation and when your period should be due is called the luteal phase. Generally the luteal phase is 14 days (can vary by a day or so). However some people have shorter luteal phases (ie: breastfeeding is one cause). If you luteal phase is shorter than 12 days then there could be a problem in conceiving as there are not enough days after the egg is fertilised for it to implant strongly into the uterus.

That aside, the main signs of ovulation can be:
- ovulation pain (a slight dull ache on one side) which can happen the day of or a day or so before ovulation
- egg white cervical mucus (resembles egg-whites and can be stretched about 4-5cm between your fingers).
- high soft cervix (although this is often hard to pin-point if you dont know what you're looking for - I never get it right).
- some women experience mild period type symptoms like sore breasts and even spotting
- and a rather crazy, but true, sign is that women become more horny - it's natures of way of helping procreation happen at the right time!

If you're charting your temperatures, a day or so after ovulation your temps can go up between 0.2-0.5 degrees and stay up. Some people also get a slight dip in their temps on the day of ovulation. But this is really only a means of knowing you have ovulated, not that you are going to.

Ovulation predictor kits (opk's) are the best way of determining ovulation as they tell you when you're between 12-36 hours off ovulation (in other words, get into bed!!). The surge of lutenising hormone that triggers ovulation occurs around this time, which is what the opk kits detect. The kits recommend testing between 10am and 10pm (and the same time every day) and generally you have experienced the surge if the test line is darker than the control line. However, the surge can be quite brief (only a few hours) so it is adviseable when you are aware that you might be ovulating, to test twice a day (12 hours apart). It's not adviseable to use first morning urine as it takes up to 4 hours for the surge to register in your body after waking so you could get a negative when in fact you are a positive.

I hope this helps your friend!

[lmk]

Thank you both so much for the information you have provided. I think at this stage she is only testing once a day. I'll mention the new points made on both posts.

Thanks:):):):)