Pregnancy and Ovulation Testing – what you need to know

Finding out if you are pregnant can be emotional - you just want to know the result as soon as possible.
Is it Yes or No?
If you are actively trying to get pregnant then you may be using ovulation predictor kits as well as pregnancy tests. To make sure you get the fastest and most accurate results out of both tests it will help to know how they work.

Home ovulation and pregnancy tests work by binding a specific hormone in your urine to an antibody and indicator that are concentrated in the coloured lines on the test sticks. The antibody in ovulation predictor tests will only bind to luteinizing hormone (LH), which is present when you are ovulating, and in pregnancy tests it will only bind to human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ( hCG), which is present when you are pregnant. Other hormones will not give a positive test result. When the hormone is present, the indicator lines will change colour. The control lines that appear indicate whether or not the test was completed correctly.

Ovulation Testing

The Life Brand One-Step Ovulation Predictor is more than 99% accurate and helps predict the time of your ovulation; in other words, the days when you are most likely to become pregnant. When you are about to ovulate, your body produces a large amount of LH which triggers the release of a ripened egg from your ovary. This LH surge usually takes place in the middle of your cycle. Using a series of tests at this time detects the presence of LH and can identify the timing of your LH surge. Pregnancy is more likely to occur if sperm fertilizes the egg within 24-36 hours after its release. Track your cycle and follow the instructions carefully to make sure you find your LH surge using the least number of test sticks. There are many other factors that can influence conception. Now and again, a woman might not ovulate, so a surge might not be detected.

The ovulation predictor test cannot be used for contraception purposes. LH levels can also be affected by hormone-related medical conditions, such as pregnancy, untreated hypothyroid, menopause or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Certain fertility drugs can also affect the test, so check with your Doctor first to make sure this test is right for you.

Pregnancy Testing

If you suspect you might be pregnant and want to know as soon as possible – even before your period is usually due – you can. With both the Life Brand One Step Pregnancy Test and the Life Brand Digital Pregnancy Test you can test as early as 4 days before your expected period. When you are pregnant, your body produces the pregnancy hormone hCG. The test can detect tiny amounts of hCG in your urine. The amount of hormone present increases in the early stages of pregnancy and on the first missed day of your period you will have enough hCG in your urine for the test to be more than 99% accurate. If you want to test up to 4 days earlier, the test will still work, but is not guaranteed at the full 99% accuracy level. So, if you can wait a few days, the accuracy will increase. If you cannot wait, then make sure that you use your first morning urine, as it tends to be the most concentrated. Follow the product instructions very carefully.

Some conditions, such as recent pregnancy, ovarian cysts, or menopause as well as some medications, especially fertility drugs that contain hCG, can affect the result and give you a false positive on your pregnancy test. If you have recently stopped taking the pill, or are using fertility therapies, your periods may not be regular enough to use the test.

Check with your Doctor or Pharmacist if you have questions. And, good luck!