Get Pregnant Faster With an Ovulation Kit

The key to getting pregnant faster is to know when you're ovulating. Ovulating is the process where the ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tubes. The egg remains in the fallopian tubes for 24 hours where it waits to be fertilized. If no fertilization occurs, the egg is absorbed back into the body and the uterine lining is shed as menstruation.

A Closer Look at Ovulation

The process of ovulation is controlled by the hypothalamus part of the brain and secretions by the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is a chamber of the brain is located just above the brain stem and is responsible for specific chemical reactions in the body also called metabolic processes. One of the tasks of the hypothalamus is to make and release neurohormones which control a variety of things in the body including fatigue, sleep, body temperature and even hunger and thirst. The pituitary gland is the size of a pea and is located directly below the hypothalamus. It controls a variety of body processes including blood pressure, labor, converting food into energy, temperature regulation, breast milk production and the body's water balance. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland release two ovulation-causing hormones called the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The FSH stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles. The LH is directly related to the release of a mature egg and helps with the development of the uterus lining that gets shed if no pregnancy occurs. A significant rise in the luteinizing hormone is a sign of ovulation. This significant rise is called an LH surge.

How Ovulation Kits Help

Ovulation kits are one of the ways you can identify your fertile period so you can time sex during this time. Experts recommend sex every two or three days throughout your cycle to increase your chances of getting pregnant, but this isn't always practical. Often sex becomes less of a priority and more of a chore if life is busy with work and caring for existing children. Sometimes one or both partners travel a lot for their work. An ovulation kit will help you figure out when to time sex for the greatest chance of conception. If you suspect you aren't ovulating, the test can be the first way to find out. If you're consistently getting negative results from the test, it's important to see a doctor to find out exactly what the problem is.

How Do They Work

Ovulation predictor kits work either through a urine or a saliva test. With the urine test, the strip detects the LH surge that happens about two days before ovulation. The numbers increase by two to five times 12 to 36 hours before ovulation.

The saliva method tests for rising estrogen levels. As estrogen levels rise, the salt in your saliva increases. When the saliva dries, it crystallizes into a fern-like pattern. With this test you provide a saliva sample every day, usually first thing in the morning, and look at the pattern it creates when it dries. The saliva-based test provides the slides for the samples as well as a portable, pocket-sized microscope. Ferning is supposed to occur a few days before ovulation.