When you?re trying to conceive, timing is everything. There?s a small window during which you need to have the sperm ready to meet the egg. So how do you know when your window has arrived" Thankfully, at-home ovulation tests can give you that answer and help you plan the best time for baby making.
1. Urine ovulation tests
The most common tests analyze your urine for an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH), says Beth Taylor, an infertility specialist at Olive Fertility in Vancouver. This hormone peaks, in what?s known as an LH surge, a day or two before an egg is released and then declines once ovulation has occurred.
A positive result on one of these tests?usually indicated by a line that is equal to or darker than the test line?means that it?s time to get busy, says Ashley Gilman, a Toronto OB-GYN who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Since sperm can survive in your cervical mucus for up to five days prior to ovulation and an egg only lasts for about 24 hours, having sex just before you ovulate will help maximum your odds of conceiving by ensuring that you have sperm waiting to meet the egg when it?s released. .related-article-block{display:inline-block;width:300px;padding:.5rem;margin-left:.5rem;float:right;border:1px solid #ccc}@media (max-width: 525px){.related-article-block{float:none;display:block;width:280px;margin:0 auto 2rem}}

   
   

   Understanding ovulation & LH

A few urine tests also look for estrogen, which rises ...