Could Your Ovulation Tracking App Alone, Be Misleading You?

Could your Ovulation tracking App alone, be misleading you? You should be testing your key fertility hormones too, here’s why:

“If we knew then what we know now, we would have tracked our Fertility more accurately, with the help of hormones and not just Ovulation prediction apps.” We are hearing similar statements more and more often says Chelsea Snyman from the Fertility Solutions.

There is a growing demand for effective Ovulation tracking. We need to know when our TRUE Fertile window is (6 days before Ovulation) and when we will be Ovulating in order to increase our chances of conception.
Tracking your True Fertile window and Ovulation by using an app alone, is not enough. As hormones fluctuate, so does our predicted day of Ovulation.

What exactly is an OPK? (Ovulation Prediction Test/ Kit)


The basic tests in this filed measure the increase/ rise of the LH Hormone (Luteinizing Hormone) which typically occurs before ovulation and triggers it. Majority of the OPKs comes with LH test strips to measure the concentration of this hormone in your urine, in order to tell you when ovulation is approaching. (24-36 hours).

Standard OPKs


Standard test strips generally have two lines. The control line, which will indicate that the test is working. And a second line: the test line. Most OPKs would allow you to check with the human eye weather the test strip is dark enough compared to the control line.

If you are trying to conceive it is important to know when your FERTILE WINDOW would be 3-6 Days leading up to Ovulation, and the expected date of Ovulation. Standard Ovulation test strips only allow gives you a fertile window of 24-36 hours.

Advanced Ovulation Prediction Kits

It can be hard trying to determine if the line is dark enough or not, so we are finding more women are searching for digital solutions. Digital OPK’s can also be confusing or in accurate as it may only let you test according to an app’s prediction on the rise of your LH hormone alone, which you could completely miss if you are not testing every day. As you may be in your Fertile Window Period already.

It is important to remember that in many cases sperm can survive for up to 5 days, patiently waiting for the egg to be released.

Taking advantage of your full fertile window could increase your chances of conception and decrease the pressure of having to have timed intercourse after the LH rise alone.

What to look out for when buying OPK’s

  • How many hormones it tests? How often does it test, and which hormones do they test?
  • How do they let you know that you are entering your fertile window period/ or that you are about to Ovulate, and when that date will be?
  • Most OPK’s only test the rise in the LH hormone indicating Ovulation is about to occur. OPK’s that tests the FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) too can indicate the Fertile Window up to 6 days in advance as opposed to only 2 days with the LH hormone test strips alone.
  • Look at the technology behind your preferred, digital OPK. How does it digitize the test results? How transparent does it show your cycle data and how many days of your cycle data is included in its calculations?

How many hormones it tests? How often does it test, and which hormones do they test?

How do they let you know that you are entering your fertile window period/ or that you are about to Ovulate, and when that date will be?

Most OPK’s only test the rise in the LH hormone indicating Ovulation is about to occur. OPK’s that tests the FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) too can indicate the Fertile Window up to 6 days in advance as opposed to only 2 days with the LH hormone test strips alone.

Look at the technology behind your preferred, digital OPK. How does it digitize the test results? How transparent does it show your cycle data and how many days of your cycle data is included in its calculations?

What we recommend?

  • We recommend using OPK’s that tests more than one KEY Ovulation Hormone. For an example Ovulation prediction kits that measures both the LH & FSH Hormones to identify more fertile days.
  • OPK’s that measure your full cycle period, considering YOUR unique cycle length, expected date of Ovulation and your Fertile window, especially if you have PCOS.
  • OPK’s that makes use of an app, test strips and that can give you results in a digital format, based on your unique cycle length and hormone pattern.
  • OPK’s that you can use if you have endometriosis or PCOS.
  • Using OPK’s with Colorimetric digitization technology. This means the technology is being used to read the lines of your hormone test strips thoroughly through the lens of your smartphone camera and digitizes the result right away on your phone. Giving you an overview of your FULL CYCLE and not just the two days leading up to Ovulation.
  • A digital OPK that allows you to track your cycle, FSH & LH Hormones and that reminds you when you are most fertile and when to test which hormone throughout your cycle period.

How to use your OPK correctly?

Always measure your hormones with first morning urine. Or the urine after your longest and deepest sleep. This is because the metabolites of the hormones you are testing accumulate during your deep sleep phases.

Stick to using ONE brand only, as many OPKs works differently. Using more than one OPK could decrease your chances of conception if they are giving you different results. Different brands have a different method of predicting your Fertile Window.

You could choose a few brands, use them in one cycle period and then decide which one works best for you.

At Fertility Solutions we prefer the Pearl Fertility Ovulation Tracking Kit. Here is why:

The Pearl app tracks your unique cycle and 2 key fertility hormones, when it comes to Ovulation, throughout your unique cycle period.

It tells you when you are most fertile and when your best chances of conception would be. Accurately tracking your FERTILE WINDOW (up to 6 days including the date of Ovulation and thereafter)

It digitalizes all your results on its in vitro registered medical app. This way you have an overview of your whole cycle, which you can also share with your medical practitioner if need be.

The Pearl Fertility Kit is 99.9 percent accurate in predicting your fertile window based on your cycle length and hormone results. Individualized cycle tracking at your fingertips.

The Pearl fertility kit can be used if you have PCOS.

The Pearl Kit includes:

  • 15 FSH Hormone Test Strips
  • 15 LH Hormone Test Strips
  • 2 HCG Pregnancy Tests
  • Unique Access code to the Pearl Fertility App
  • Reusable Test Strip Holder

YOU CAN PURCHASE THE PEARL FERTILITY KIT HERE.

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