How to correctly use ovulation test strips for measurement
With the improvement of people\’s quality of life, more and more families are starting to plan their families. Ovulation test strips are one of the important tools to help women determine their ovulation period. How to correctly use ovulation test strips for measurement? We can elaborate on it from the following aspects:
What are ovulation test strips
An ovulation test strip is something similar to a urine test strip that measures whether a woman has reached ovulation during her menstrual cycle. The principle of ovulation test paper is that it can detect the content of luteinizing hormone. Luteinizing hormone is produced by the ovary after a woman ovulates. It is an important hormone that can increase body temperature, affect endometrial secretion, and change cervical secretions. Therefore, changes in luteinizing hormone levels can reflect whether a woman is ovulating.
How to measure ovulation test paper
First, choose a suitable time to measure. Because women\’s menstrual cycles vary in length, generally the shortest number of days in the natural cycle minus 18 days is used as the starting point for measurement, and the longest number of days in the natural cycle minus 11 days is used as the end of measurement. For example, if a female cycle lasts 29 days, the starting point of measurement is 29-18=11 days and the end time is 29-11=18 days. During this period, ovulation test strips should be measured every day.
Second, have your measuring tools and containers ready. We need a urine cup without impurities to collect urine, a sterile ovulation test strip, a comfortable tissue or towel, and a recording form.
Finally, take measurements. First, use sterile gloves to remove the ovulation test strip, being careful not to touch the test area on the test strip. Then unscrew the lid of the urine cup and collect the urine into the urine cup. Be careful not to touch the inner wall of the collection container or come into contact with other sources of contamination. Next, dip the test strip into the urine and wait according to the package instructions, usually between 10s and 30s. When the time is up, take out the test paper, place it on a flat surface, look at the test zone boundary, and compare it with the packaging instructions to determine whether it is a strong positive or a weak positive. Once completed, the results of the test can be recorded.
Precautions for using ovulation test strips
1. When measuring, be sure to use a clean and sterile urine cup to ensure that the sampled urine is not contaminated.
2. The test paper packaging will indicate how and when to use the test paper. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and follow the instructions when using the test paper.
3. The measurement time should be fixed at the same time to eliminate interference from physical and environmental factors.
4. You can record some basal temperature values when you start measuring, and list the measurement results in time after each day\’s measurement, so that you can observe physiological changes during later ovulation.
Measurement errors and solutions of ovulation test strips
In the process of using ovulation test strips, some errors may occur, such as non-standard urine collection, too long test time, etc. Therefore, when our measurement results are not very accurate, we can consider the following solutions:
1. Maintain sufficient water: Let the discharged urine contain enough hormones to provide a stable basis for accurate measurement by the test paper.
2. Standard and stableMeasurement period: within a period of time, such as 7 to 10 days, measure at the same moment without interruption to reduce errors.
3. Prepare at least 2 test papers for comparison: there is a control area and a test area on the ovulation test paper. If the color of the test area is suspected to be positive, 1 to 2 test papers from other manufacturers will be used at the same time for comparison to ensure accuracy.
In short, ovulation test strips can provide us with important reference and judgment basis for determining ovulation period and family planning. However, the correct usage and precautions are equally important. Only by mastering the correct usage and precautions can measurement work be carried out effectively.
