In this solo episode, I am tackling the topic of Ovulation Predictor Kits! I talk about OPKs and why I don’t think they are all they’re cracked up to be. I share why relying solely on OPKs can reduce your chances of conception in some cases, and why your body gives you much more reliable signs to go on when you pay attention to it!
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- Why relying primarily on Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) can actually lower your chances of conceiving
- How OPKs can inadvertently lead you to use the rhythm method
- The impact of stress on your menstrual cycle
- Why the key to timing sex correctly is not about having sex on ovulation day
- Why women with PCOS often can’t rely on OPKs to identify ovulation
- How relying on OPKs can result in you ignoring your body signs
- Why monitoring your cervical mucus observations is more effective than relying on OPKs
- Why waiting for a positive OPK to have sex will often cause you to miss out on several fertile days prior to ovulation
- The importance of understanding your fertility signs first and using OPKs second
- The benefits of using OPKs when you understand and pay attention your fertile signs first
- Using Fertility Awareness to optimize your chances of conception
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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic
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Although much of what you shared in this podcast on ovulation predictor kits I already knew, it was still useful to listen to the facts about OPK’s again.
Critical indications such as the consistency of cervical mucus , charting and FAM and so on, being a more accurate indicator of what part of one’s menstrual cycle is presenting than OPK data. Great to hear it presented in such simple but completely accurate terms.
I do disagree with you on one statement: that OPK’s are neither good or bad. Vast majority of OPK’s use the testing of urine for levels of luteinizing hormone.
OPK’s were developed by doctors and scientists (mostly male, in other words) to make profits for the companies that market them. These companies rely on the relative ignorance of women to see them as a full proof indication of the exact day of ovulation. I believe that if women realized that this is a kind of subtle misrepresentation of what OPK’s actually do, less women would buy them.
As far as I know there is only one or two ovulation predictor systems that don’t rely on LH levels in urine as a so-called reliable predictor. One is Ovu-Sense that uses a vaginal sensor inserted into the vagina to record BBT temperature every five minutes during sleep. The data is transferred to a phone app. The Ovu- Sense promotion states that the levels of progesterone can be accurately (99% accurate) indicated – implying that the days of highest progesterone levels are always an indication of ovulation.
Nonetheless, none of these “tests” or testing systems are as accurate as tracking cervical mucus, BBT, position of cervix, and charting this data along with a journal of general well-being and mood on a daily basis.
I contend that they are not good because they are misleading in the sense that they create a false sense of certainty in the women who use them. That reality combined with the reality that they are produced by companies that prioritize profit over full disclosure and accuracy.
As perhaps you may remember I was lucky enough to have had a mother who taught me about the relationship between the consistency of cervical mucus and what stage of one’s menstrual cycle is presenting. She taught me this at the early age of 16. This method helped me to plan all my pregnancies and avoid when my husband and I chose to. I was also very lucky to have a very supportive husband who helped me have, in concert with experienced midwives, all our children at home – even twins.
My mothers approach to fertility awareness and family planning was part of an overall approach to life she called BAM – Body Mind Awareness.
This was before charting came into the mainstream of fertility awareness, however, A large part of the method is to have a daily diary. This was/is extremely useful with respect to finding trends in behavior, mood, health and decision-making – using that knowledge to make any constructive adjustments we felt were necessary.
This is why charting has been such an exciting involvement for me because my husband and I have been TTA – both feeling strongly that three children is enough. We could have just moved on with the CM and cervical position approach but charting over a period of months and beyond makes the fertility awareness approach much more accurate.
I can’t thank you enough, Lisa, for your podcasts. The knowledge and wisdom that is provided by you and your guests are priceless. I haven’t missed one since I started listening about 10 weeks ago and I’ve also been trying to catch up on the scores of podcasts I missed.
With Gratitude,
Julianna
Hello Lisa,
I understand really well your position about OPK. I bought a box of 10 tests of ovulation for the first time recently because my husband and I are trying to conceive and it doesn’t work. I breastfeed my 9 months old baby. My period came back twice. I had 2 and now I can see that I am entering in my third period of discharge of mucus. I had/have A LOT of cervical mucus, way more than I used to have before I gave birth. I’m happy I just listened your podcast because I was about to tell my husband that we don’t need to have sex because today my test was negative about my ovulation (but I have cervical mucus, – I think).
But do you think, in my case, because I’m not back to a regular cycle, and my mucus isn’t like it used to be, the OPK can help me at least to see if I am fertile, or do you think it’s useless completely?
BTW I tried to take my temperature and it didn’t work, probably because I still get up during the night for breastfeeding.
Thank you very much,
Joanie