From around 18/19 weeks, I started wearing maternity clothes because mine were getting too tight and I didn’t want to stretch them."- Mumsnet user BeingATwatItsABingThing. According to midwife Marie Louise, 'Very accurate when taken at the best time. Always do ensure you read the test instructions and result properly. I’ve looked after a few mums who have misread results or taken a test too early, got a false negative and not repeated the test.' Are cheap pregnancy tests accurate? However, a handful of customers did mention that they found a strip or two in their kit that were defective or inconsistent in their results. Ovulation usually happens about 14 days after the first day of your last period. But Prof Harper is keen to stress this is not an exact science. 'Every woman is very individual,' she says. 'It depends on a woman’s cycles. If she is using a good fertility app that can help her understand her cycle and learn about her ovulation – the app will suggest when she should start testing.

An ovulation test will only tell you when you are likely to ovulate, it will not tell you anything else about your chances of getting pregnant, or how many more ‘fertile years’ you have ahead of you. From digital to strips to apps, ovulation tests come with many different result images, but some of them can be hard to read. Digital tests may have a smiley face while strips will show you lines. More modern and tech-forward options allow you to scan your results through an app for ultra-clear results. Depending on your comfort level, you'll want to choose a test you feel confident reading. The usual range for LH levels is 1.9-13.6 IU/L, but when a woman is fertile, that number can reach as high as 118 IU/L. The sensitivity level should be written on the test or in the description of the product online.You won’t have to faff about trying to detect lines either. Instead, there’s an easy-to-see smiley face which appears when your LH surges. Interpreting results - How easy is it to interpret your results? Some Mumsnetters have found themselves doubting the visibility of lines on dye-based pregnancy tests, with pink dye often being easier to view than blue. If you’re after a simple yes or no, then the digital tests may be the safest option. It’s also important you follow the instructions with dye-based tests, as reading them outside of the measurement window can lead to evaporation lines. I used them for the first time last month and they seemed pretty easy to use with the app."(Tried and tested by Mumsnet user mooloop) Our verdict Pregnancy tests detect the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG), in your urine. This hormone starts to be produced around six days after fertilisation.

The Clearblue ® Digital Ovulation Test detects this rise LH, so you can identify your 2 best days to get pregnant. When can I take an ovulation test? I would always recommend going with a well-known brand,' advises Prof Harper. 'But I appreciate there are others that are much cheaper.' The Clearblue Digital Early Detection test can be used dipped in urine or under a urine stream and comes with an extra-wide tip (which, to put it bluntly, can help avoid any mess if you have a questionable aim!) Free 50 Urine Cups: The kit includes 50 urine cups, which is a convenient addition. Some providers do not include urine cups with their test kits, so this ensures you have an adequate supply for the ovulation test strips. You can also use our when to start ovulation testing tool to find the right day to start testing for you. You just need to input your average cycle length, the day your last period started and which ovulation test you’re using. Which ovulation test is right for me?In one 2020 study, women who used home ovulation tests with a connected app were twice as likely to conceive during the first cycle than those who did not. A similar 2019 review suggests that at-home OPKs may improve fertility management.

I used the Clearblue advanced digital opks last month and went straight from low fertility to peak (no high days!) and conceived."(Recommended by Mumsnet user BaaBaaEmily) Ovulation results become clearer with our first Digital Ovulation Test, which gave you clear results with a simple smiley face. If you’re keen to test early, but don’t want to leave yourself squinting into the sunlight or editing photos of your pregnancy tests to see if that line is solely in your imagination, the Clearblue Digital Early Detection Pregnancy test can make the testing experience a whole lot simpler. Unlike dye-based tests that require looking out for a line or cross in the results window, these tests use digital technology instead. Whether you're trying to conceive or not, if you think you might be pregnant the last thing you need to worry about is whether or not you can trust your pregnancy test results. We've consulted maternity health experts as well as Mumsnet users - the largest online network of mums in the UK - to help narrow down a shortlist of the best pregnancy tests currently available, from those you can use up to six days before a missed period to others which give you your answer in just 45 seconds.However, LH surges may not always indicate actual ovulation. An older observational study states that LH surges are variable and have several types. For example, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) tend to have high LH levels or multiple peaks. However, the world of maternity wear has come on in leaps and bounds since the days of unflattering tent-dresses, and we're confident our guide has something for everyone, whether your preference is soft, stretchy leggings, on-trend maternity jeans or sophisticated work-wear. Is 12 weeks too early for maternity clothes? One Step is the best cheap ovulation strip test we’ve found. Each test strip is wrapped individually with the instructions clearly printed on it to avoid confusion. A positive test result (as in diagram A or B) shows that the LH surge has been detected. Your 2 most fertile days are today and tomorrow so if you have sex in the next 48 hours you will maximise your chance of getting pregnant. What do I do if my test is negative (No LH surge)?

Fast, simple and reliable, the First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test (or 'FRER' as it's more commonly known on Mumsnet) is one brand of pregnancy test which has been highly recommended by Mumsnet users for years for providing the most accurate results. One 2018 study states that estrogen and progesterone measurements through blood or urine provide more precise indicators than natural family planning methods. No, you can stop testing once you have detected your LH surge. Can any medication or medical conditions affect the result?I used the advance one, I had a chemical pregnancy in cycle one and was wanting to maximise chances after that, it was very helpful, I ovulated a couple of days later than expected, pregnant 4th cycle (now 16 weeks) and dates spot on with ovulation test."(Tried and tested by Mumsnet user HeyBlaby) Our verdict Most pregnant women start to wear maternity clothes around the 20 week point of pregnancy - but everyone is different. Some will want to embrace the comfort and stretchiness of maternity wear as early as the first trimester (and why not? You might as well get the most out of them) while others may not need to size up until well into their third. Some women don't show at all! In my experience I found them really reliable and have got pregnant twice using them. I've used them three times per day."(Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Chanel05) Our verdict Generally speaking, as the levels of the pregnancy hCG hormone rise every two or three days during pregnancy, a pregnancy test will be more accurate the later you leave it after having unprotected sex. We know just how important it is to be able to trust the brands you are using for such a key moment in your life. For that reason, we thoroughly researched and vetted the brands and pregnancy tests included in this round up to ensure they were well-regarded by medical professionals, with many of these tests being recommended and rated by doctors and family planning clinics. In most cases, medics agree that whilst they may vary in sensitivity levels, home pregnancy tests are generally an accurate way to detect pregnancy, so long as they are used correctly.