05-2-2009 - Q&A

My mood while writing this blog: Happy

The below questions came up in the forum this morning, after a little research I found answers to the questions and wanted to repost this information in hopes it might be useful to other TTC'ers

Q: What if my OPK is positive for several days in a row?
A: It is possible, in a normal ovulation, to have a positive OPK for several days in a row. This is because LH peaks (surges) about 12-36 hours before ovulation occurs, and then dissipates. So, you could theoretically detect this high level of LH with positive OPK's from the time it begins to the time it dissipates-- over 36 hours. It is also possible that your body is 'gearing up' to ovulate, and you have an LH surge-- and then, for some reason (such as stress, illness, travel, or random fluke), your body fails to release an egg . . . then tries, tries again ASAP with another, or overlapping, surge. If you see a positive OPK for longer than 3 consecutive days, your egg is probably just having a little trouble getting out of the starting gate. If this happens to you occasionally, it's no big deal. If it happens a lot, talk to your doctor.

Q: I used an OPK, my timing was perfect, why didn't I get pregnant?
A: It often takes a number of perfectly timed cycles before pregnancy is achieved. The chances of getting pregnant each cycle varies a bit with age. If you are 20-25, your chance per cycle are about 25%. From there they begin to fall off. At 25-30 your chances are about 20%. At 30-35 they are about 15%. After 35 they may be about 10% per ovulatory cycle, and the chances continue the downward trend. This means that the average woman under 30 will get pregnant within 6 cycles. If you don't succeed after a year, it is a good idea to consult a fertility specialist. Women in their early 30s get pregnant on average by the end of 9 cycles. Mid-30s would be a year. If you are over 35, you should consult a fertility specialist if you have not achieved pregnancy within 6 months. Why 6 months when it can take a year? Because your chances of conception are lower and miscarriage rates are higher -- it is better not to waste time.