How to Take a Home Fertility Test

Technological advances continue to make family planning easier and more convenient. Some over-the-counter fertility tests can predict ovulation, while others allow women and men to test basic fertility factors in the privacy of their own home. Here's how to take a home fertility test and work toward creating a family.

Instructions

  1. Ovulation Predictor Kit

    • 1

      Get an ovulation predictor kit at a local drugstore. Ovulation occurs in the middle of a woman's menstruation cycle, so it's important that you know the length of your cycle to maximize the accuracy of test results.

    • 2

      Follow the kit's instructions. You can usually either urinate directly onto a test strip or into a sterile, dry container in which you dip the test strip. The strip will develop for interpretation in a few minutes.

    • 3

      Read the results. The color of your test strip will coincide with a chart provided in your kit. The color codes correspond with levels of leutenizing hormone, a pituitary secretion that induces ovarian egg release. Some expensive tests have electronic monitors that read test results so you don't have to.

    • 4

      Repeat the test at least once per day until the test detects sufficient levels of leutenizing hormone. You can use the predictor kit in conjunction with other ovulation detection methods such as examining cervical mucous or monitoring your basal body temperature. Take home fertility tests at about the same time each day for more accurate results.

    Fertility Test Kit for Men and Women

    • 5

      Understand the purpose of the test. The kit consists of two test kits, one for women and one for men. The woman's test measures levels of FSH, follice stimulating hormone, an important factor in determining the age of ovaries and their ability to produce eggs for fertilization. The man's test measures sperm motility, or the concentration of sperm able to swim to an egg for fertilization.

    • 6

      Read test instructions carefully. Women should take the urine test on the third day of their period, using the dipstick during the first urination of the day. Men should provide a sperm sample at least 2 days, but no more than 7 days, after their last ejaculation. You must follow the directions for accurate results.

    • 7

      Read the test results according to the manufacturer's instructions. If FSH levels are too high or sperm motility levels are too low, call a doctor for further testing. The home fertility test measures basic fertility signs and cannot diagnose or treat specific fertility problems.

    • 8

      Record your test results. Many doctors will not provide fertility treatment until a couple has tried unsuccessfully to conceive for six months to one year, depending on the couple's age. If you can identify a possible fertility problem and share your findings with a doctor, he may recommend further testing or earlier intervention.

    2. Previous:

    Next: