Ovulation kits can help take the guesswork out of when your fertile window might be. In other words, they help you determine when to have sex if you’re avoiding or trying to get pregnant.
We love ovulation kits because they are precise. Unlike tracking your temperature daily in an effort to witness tiny spikes, or (even more fun) checking your cervical mucus, an ovulation kit will tell you more clearly — based on hormone levels in your urine — whether your eggs are getting ready to be released and meet sperm.
They’re also pretty easy to use. After peeing on one, the test measures your Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels to see if you experience a surge. While you’ve always got LH hanging out in your body, you experience a sharp increase (up to 5x your normal amount) a day or two before ovulation.
Your fertile window is 12-36 hours before the start of the LH surge, and when your egg is released. If you were trying to get pregnant, the general rule of thumb is to have sex at least once within 3 days of getting a positive result. Or if you're trying to avoid pregnancy, avoid sex during that time frame.
So, which ovulation test is right for you? There are tons out there, which can be pretty overwhelming. We’ve broken down the deets so you can make an educated decision.
Mira Max Starter Kit
The lowdown
If you want to get super serious about understanding your cycle, nothing tops the Mira Max Starter Kit. This technology is LEGIT — measuring your LH to a degree that was found by hospitals to be equivalent to leading lab grade readers. No more smiley faces or interpreting blurry lines.
What makes it unique
Mira provides actual mIU/mL concentration levels to predict ovulation and sends this data directly to the corresponding app without any manual data entry. If you're having difficulty pinpointing exactly when you ovulate, this is truly the most modern and precise ovulation tracker we’ve seen. It's basically lab-grade technology, without going to a lab.
The Mira Max Starter Kit is a big ticket item, but in our opinion, it's really worth it. Ovulation test kits can really add up, so if you're going to spend some cash, you might as well know that you're getting the best. They also. offer 24/7 customer support, which we love.
To purchase the Mira Max Starter Kit, click here. Be sure to use code COFERTILITY for 12% off your purchase!
Natalist Ovulation Test
The lowdown
We bet you never thought you'd hear the words "pretty" and "ovulation test" in the same sentence. But Natalist makes, hands-down, the prettiest products we've ever seen. Aside from their gorgeous design and packaging, Natalist's ovulation tests also include instructions that are totally jargon-free, super clear, and includes a tracker where you can save your test strips. Since we're big fans of anything that helps un-complicate the fertility journey, we're v into that.
And, by using code COFERTILITY20 at checkout, you can score 20% off all Natalist products. Yep, that extends to their supplements, too. This code is limited to one use per customer, though, so make sure to stock up before you check out.
What makes it unique
We've always scratched our heads at why more ovulation test companies didn't offer bulk pricing — until Natalist came along. At the time of writing this, you're able to save when you purchase 3 or 5 boxes, making the price of each test less than $0.60. In our opinion, it could be really worth it to bundle.
To get Natalist’s ovulation test kits, click here.
The more you know
Irregular cycles = more tests
Ovulation tests are awesome, but they aren’t the end-all, be-all when it comes to understanding your menstrual cycle and fertility outlook. If your cycles tend to be unpredictable, you may want to use a test with many strips, so you can start early and have enough if you ovulate later (or not at all).
False positives are possible
It’s possible to experience a false LH surge on an ovulation test, due to small LH peaks before the big kahuna. This is especially common among women with PCOS, so if that’s you, make sure to talk to an RE in addition to tracking at home, so you can get your timing totally right.
The test may not show a surge
There’s also a chance you may not experience a positive ovulation test at all. Chat with an RE if you think there’s a chance you aren’t ovulating, and hopefully he/she can get you back on track.
That said, it may be in your best interest to continue testing at home vs. only relying on doctor’s visits and bloodwork. You may have just had a very quick LH surge, and the ovulation test could have missed it. And while there’s definitely such a thing as information overload, ovulation kits can help you learn more about your cycle. That knowledge is invaluable.
FAQs about the best ovulation test kits
How soon after a positive ovulation test do you ovulate?
If you experience a positive ovulation test, you will likely ovulate a day or two later. An ovulation test measures your Luteinizing Hormone (LH) to see if you experience a surge of up to 5 times your normal amount. If you’re trying to get pregnant, the usual recommendation is to have sex at least once within 3 days of that positive result. Or if you’re trying to avoid pregnancy, avoid sex during those days.
Which ovulation test is most accurate?
In our experience, the Mira Fertility Tracker is the most accurate ovulation test out there. It measures your Luteinizing Hormone (LH) to the exact mIU/mL concentration degree equivalent to leading lab grade readers. No blinking smiley faces or lines to interpret. It’s also a super accurate ovulation test because there’s zero manual data entry involved. The Mira ovulation test automatically sends your data to its app, leaving pretty much no room for error. We’re into it!
What time of day is best for an ovulation test?
There is no best time of day to take an ovulation test, as long as you’re consistent — so if evening is best for you, make sure to test at the same evening time each day. Note that you should limit your fluid intake about 2 hours prior to testing so as not to dilute the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. This explains why many women prefer to time their ovulation test kits for when they first wake up, so they can use first-morning-urine.
Are ovulation tests worth it?
We say, knowledge is power — so yes, ovulation tests are so worth it if you’re looking to get a handle on your cycle. Understanding your cycle is pretty key if you’re trying to conceive (or on the flip side, trying to avoid getting pregnant).
Are ovulation strips accurate?
The most accurate way to test ovulation is via blood tests to measure hormone levels, vs. strips that may leave wiggle room for interpretation and error. That being said, ovulation tests are the second most accurate way of testing ovulation, certainly over temperature tracking and checking your cervical mucus (which may drive you insane anyway). Ovulation strips are one way to check for hormone levels in your urine that indicate if your eggs are about to be released.
Why are my ovulation tests always negative?
If you’ve tested for a few cycles and your ovulation tests have always been negative, chat with your gynecologist or reproductive endocrinologist. There may be a few reasons why you may not be ovulating, and your doctor can hopefully help you get back on track. It’s also possible that the ovulation tests are negative because they simply missed your Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge. If it’s a huge pain to head to your doctor, it may be worth taking a few more home tests to be sure you aren’t ovulating before making the trip.
How many days do you ovulate?
Ovulation typically lasts for about 24 hours (1 day), during which your ovaries release one or more eggs to potentially be fertilized by sperm. If you’re actively trying to conceive, experts usually recommend having sex at least once within 3 days of a positive ovulation test result, or avoiding it during that time if you’re trying not to get pregnant.