How to Tell If Your LH Surge Has Gone Down

During the first half of your menstrual cycle, the pituitary gland secretes the hormone LH, or luteinizing hormone, to stimulate a growing follicle in your ovary to produce estrogen. After the amount of estrogen reaches the appropriate level, the pituitary gland generates a surge of LH. About 24 to 36 hours later, the follicle releases an egg in the process called ovulation. If you are trying to become pregnant, the ability to recognize when this LH surge begins and ends improves your chances of becoming pregnant by helping you time intercourse to coincide closely with your ovulation.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 to 20 ovulation predictor kits

Instructions

    • 1

      Test daily with ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) starting a few days before you expect to ovulate. If you know approximately when you ovulate, start testing at least three to four days before your normal ovulation date. If you have no idea when you might ovulate, start testing 17 to 18 days before you expect your period to begin. If your cycle length varies, use your shortest cycle in the last six months to determine when to expect your period. Test between noon and 8 p.m. for the most accurate results.

    • 2

      Watch for your OPK to turn positive. You will always see two lines on an OPK because you always have a small amount of LH in your system. However, when you have your LH surge, the second line on the OPK will turn as dark or darker than the control line. Make sure to read the instructions that came with your OPKs to know how to interpret the results. Some brands require a line to be darker than the control and consider a line that is equally dark to be a negative result.

    • 3

      Continue testing with OPKs until your test turns negative again. Usually you will only see one day with a positive OPK, but it is normal to have positive results for two days. Once the test line turns light again, your surge has ended and ovulation should occur within 36 hours.

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