Ovulation happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle, which starts on the first day of your period. When your ovaries release an egg, it survives for about 12 to 24 hours. This is a small window of time to conceive a baby every month.

Fortunately, sperm can stay in your body for around 5 days. So, even if you don’t have intercourse during that 24-hour ovulation window, you may still conceive if you’ve had sex a few days before. But to go through this entire process, you need to know when your ovulation exactly begins.

Let us look into when and how to take an ovulation test.

What day should you begin ovulation testing?

The most optimal time to start testing ovulation is a few days before you are about to ovulate. Ovulation takes place midway through your menstrual cycle, give or take a few days.

Your most fertile days in a month are 1 to 2 days before and after the ovaries release an egg. Sperm can survive in the body for 5 days. Therefore, conception can happen if you have sex 5 days before ovulation, and up to 1 day after it.

Forecasting ovulation is easier when you have a regular menstrual cycle. With a 28-day cycle, you are likely to ovulate on or around day 14, so you must start testing around day 10 or 11.

If you have a short cycle, your ovulation will most likely happen within 4 days of your cycle’s midpoint. So, you should begin using an ovulation test kit 4-6 days before your cycle’s midpoint.

When is the best time of the day to test?

There’s no specific time of day for ovulation testing. Some prefer to test their urine in the morning, while others test it in the afternoon or evening. Whatever time you choose, ensure that you test at the same time every day.

Testing with an irregular menstrual cycle

Ovulation test kits give more accurate results when you have a regular cycle because it’s easier to assume the midway point of your cycle. But don’t worry — ovulation testing can predict even if you have an irregular cycle. You will just have to test more regularly.

Even with an irregular cycle, you can look for the signs of ovulation signifying that it’s time to do tests. You will have to pay attention to bodily changes such as vaginal discharge and basal body temperature.

How to do ovulation testing?

Ovulation test strips are made to check levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. This hormone indicates ovulation, which is the release of an egg from ovaries in the fallopian tube.

While ovulation test strips can detect your most fertile days, they are not 100 percent accurate. But you don’t have to worry too much — they can have an accuracy rate up to 99 percent, all depending on your menstrual cycle.

To carry out ovulation testing, you can urinate on the test stick, or urinate in a cup and place the stick in the urine. Results are generally available after about 5 minutes.

With such a short window to conceive every month, using an ovulation test kit simplifies predicting your most fertile days. The information lets you know the most effective days to have intercourse for the best time of conception and can increase your probability of getting pregnant.

Consult or book an appointment with IVF specialist & know more about ovulation