Ovulation – Definition, Timing Ovulation To Increase Fertility
How would you react if you came to know that a substance from the body could act as a marker for your fertility? You will be pleased to know that there is a hormone called LH which serves this purpose. It is all the more necessary to know about it if you suspect infertility in your body.
What is LH?
LH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Throughout the menstrual cycle, it is secreted in very low amounts. But once you reach the mid-point of your menstrual cycle, the point when the egg follicle attains a specific size, the LH secretion starts rising to very high levels. The surge catalyzes the process of ovulation which occurs 2 or 3 days later. After the mature egg is released from the ovary, the empty follicle in the ovary is converted to corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone. This is done in order to prepare for a pregnancy. If the expected pregnancy doesn’t occur, it leads to drying out of corpus luteum. This leads to stoppage of testosterone production and the body starts preparing for the menstrual period.
How is LH surge beneficial to us?
Knowing your LH level is crucial for couples who are trying to conceive. The period with LH surge is the best time to ‘try’ for a baby.You will be surprised to know that the egg once released will get successfully fertilized only within 24 hours.If the requisite process fails to happen on time, your chances of conceiving will be reduced to zero. So it is vital that you use this knowledge to identify and make full use of your fertile period.
How to know your LH level
Knowing your LH level is not a big deal. You can easily avail the online kits available for the same. You could also find them on most of the pharmacy shops. Their look and function are quite like the pregnancy test kits. The kits may vary with the company so make sure you read all the instructions carefully. A positive result shows that your LH levels are high. If you are in the crucial fertile period, then only the result will be shown as positive.
Testing-how often should it be done?
Testing it every day can be quite expensive. Note down the dates of your last period. Now considering that your next period will occur within 32 days, the ovulation should happen 14 days prior to the next period. The LH levels are sure to surge 24 to 48 hours before that. Now it should be easy for you to know when to start testing your LH level. Most likely, you should record a high LH level on the 16 the or 17th day from the starting date of your last period. You could also benefit from starting testing on the 13th day to be exactly sure that you catch the fertile window period on time. Once you know that your LH is at the required level, it is time to initiate some love making overtures to your spouse. It will be better if you have 2-3 sexual encounters within the next two days.
You might soon be successfully on the family way, thanks to your LH testing kit. But it may not prove to be effective if your periods are irregular. Women with PCOS also might not benefit from it as they have high levels of LH all through their menstrual cycle.