Saliva Ovulation kits?

Question

It has been 6 yrs since my son was born. I have not used birth control since 3 months after he was born. Dr. is concerned that I haven't gotten pregnant...he says odds are that I should have been by now. He was concerned that I wasn't ovulating.
I've been using one of those saliva ovulation kits for 3 months and it says I am ovulating, but still...not pregnant. Are these accurate? They are kind of hard to read. Has anyone had any results with these?
What is a good (fairly inexpensive) kit to use?

Also...anyone have any good sites about concieving problems/info?

Answer 1

There is a learning curve to using them...but they are great tests. They won't work for certain women. Here are some facts for you:

FAQS:

Q: I am trying to get pregnant. When is the best time for intercourse?

To increase your chances of getting pregnant, it is recommended that you have intercourse as soon as you start to see the ferning pattern begin.

Q: Will all women’s ferns look the same?

No, because different women produce estrogen in different amounts, each woman will have her own unique ferning pattern.

Q: How will I know if I am seeing ferns?

For the first several months you use the tester, you may want to test for more than just the fives days around ovulation. That way you will see the different patterns that develop throughout the month and have a clearer understanding of what your ferning patterns look like.

Q: Will I see ferns at other times of the month other than around the time of ovulation?

Some women will, on occasion, see ferns at other times of the month. This is primarily due to a second estrogen surge near the end of your cycle. This is also why you calculate the expected time of ovulation, and look for the ferning patterns then.

Q: Is it all right to use my Saliva Ovulation Predictor Test all month long?

Yes, you may use your tester all month long. Please note the question above and pay particular attention to the patterns that develop around the time of expected ovulation.

Q: Why would it be that I am not seeing any ferns?

There could be several reasons:

First, make sure that you have not eaten, had anything to drink, brushed your teeth or smoked for at least two hours prior to testing.

Second, be sure to swish saliva around in your mouth and gather fresh saliva from the saliva glands under your tongue.

Third, you may have miscalculated the time of ovulation. Make sure you have accurately kept track of the length of your complete menstrual cycle.

Fourth, your body may not be producing enough estrogen. If you think this is the case, please consult your physician.

Q: I am seeing ferns all the time. Why is that?

A small percentage of women produce a high amount of estrogen all month long. One reason could be that you might not be producing enough progesterone. If you think this is true in your case, please consult your doctor or health care provider.

Q: What else could interfere with my test results?

Possible things are: pregnancy, recent pregnancy, have reached menopause, have just stopping taking birth control pills, or taking injections for birth control. This would also be true if you are taking hormone replacement therapy, such as supplemental estrogen.

Q: How long before the fern will disappear off the slides?

If the slides are kept in a dry environment, the slides will keep their ferning patterns for many months.

Q : I am trying to be come pregnant. Should I use any other types of ovulation detection, such as a LH kit?

Although the Saliva Predictors are very accurate, if you are trying to become pregnant, you may use as many kinds of ovulation testing as you would like.

Answer 2

Skip the ovulation predictor kits. They're a waste of money for many women. Instead, try observing fertility signs--it's just as accurate and it's *free*.

The problem with ovulation kits is that they don't measure when you *will* ovulate, they measure when your body is *preparing* to ovulate, then guess from that. What can happen is that your boy prepares to ovulate, then "changes its mind" and doesn't--but then you *do* ovulate several days later, after you may not be having sex because you think it's "too late".

Please read _Taking Charge of Your Fertility_ by Toni Weschler; it will give you accurate information that will let you *know* when you are fertile, rather than relying on some inanimate object's "best guess".

Good luck!!

Answer 3

First off, I know an awesome site about conceiving problems. It's called Baby Wishes. It;s a forum that is full of supportive women who have boundless knowledge about trying to conceive. I learnt so much there that I doubt I would have learnt otherwise. Hope you sign up!

I'm a little concerned that your doctor recommended that you take a saliva ovulation kit instead of him giving you a blood test. Perhaps you should look for a second opinion?

Answer 4

my Doctor thinks they are a joke. Eating various types of food can change the way that it reads. She said told me to try the ovulation kits that test your urine. you can find them in nearly every place that sells home pregnancy tests. Best of Luck

Answer 5

Honestly, I found the salivascope to be complete and utter crap. Have a look at www.fertilityfriend.com or www.tcoyf.com for info about fertility. It might be worth having some investigations done (simple blood tests for you, semen analysis for your husband). Also try googling "secondary infertility".