Why is opk positive for many days

Women over 40 typically maintain a high level of LH throughout a cycle, increasing the risk of a false positive. Certain conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS , may also produce a false uptick of LH before the actual surge. Be sure to follow the instructions on when to test carefully.

When you start to test depends on your cycle length. For example, if you have a short cycle, you may even need to start testing before your period is even finished. Ovulation trackers typically rely on algorithmic guesses about the average woman's cycle. But studies show most women don't ovulate on day 14 of their cycle, and age as well as ethnicity may also impact whether you ovulate earlier or later than the average.

The trick is to be intimately in tune with your body by keeping tabs on multiple fertility cues, rather than relying on a kit or an app alone. By tracking your LH, CM, and basal body temperature — or even better, continuous core body temperature — you could boost your chances of identifying the fertile window before ovulation.

And one final pro tip: When you get an LH peak, have sex in the next 12 hours if possible, and the next day too. Want to learn more? These are test results from a year old woman with a day cycle who tested every morning starting on cycle day 13 CD On day 15, she saw her peak LH results, where the test line was as dark as the control line. She tested again on cycle day 15 and saved the remaining tests in the box for the next month.

These are test results from a year old woman with a day cycle who tested every 12 hours starting on Cycle Day On day 14, she saw her peak LH results in the evening. She continued testing until Cycle Day These are test results from a 26 year old woman with a day cycle and unexplained fertility. She tested once every morning starting on Cycle day On the morning of Day 14, she saw her peak LH surge. She continued testing until Day These are daily test results from a year old woman who does not have a normal day cycle.

Each kit is a little different in how they register a positive result, so make sure to check the instructions. A positive result indicates the presence of a high amount of LH, or your LH surge. The tests can be expensive to use that frequently. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days before your period. Your LH surge occurs a day or two before that. So knowing how long your cycle is from one period to the next will help you figure out when to start testing.

Day one of the cycle is the first day of your period. Ovulation most likely occurs around day You should get a positive result on an OPK a day or two before that, on day 16 or This is to make sure that you catch the positive result, in case you have a shorter cycle that month. Most experts recommend having sex two to three times over the next 24 to 48 hours. If you have trouble using an OPK, you can ask your doctor to run some blood tests to help you pinpoint your ovulation.

Usually, a gynecologist or reproductive endocrinologist infertility specialist can help you interpret the blood testing results. You may need to have a few blood tests to determine your fertile period. Some doctors may also recommend a transvaginal ultrasound. This allows your doctor to look at your ovaries and see how the follicles are growing. Using an OPK can be a very effective way to help you become pregnant. If you get a consistently positive result, or you never get a positive one, visit your doctor to rule out other medical conditions.

LH peaks shortly before ovulation triggering ovulation , and then falls. So it is most likely you are seeing 4 days of lines on OPKs as levels of LH gradually rise, peak and fall in your body. During your menstrual cycle, there may be multiple waves of follicular growth, and while ovulation only happens once, the final LH surge can cause you to ovulate two or more eggs at the same time.

This only means that no LH surge has been detected at the time you tested, so it is encouraged to keep testing. You may need to test more often, times a day to catch the surge. If your LH levels are low, you may not be getting your period. Because LH triggers ovulation, low levels of LH can prevent ovulation, and thus pregnancy. Low levels of LH are common in: Women with eating disorders. Occasionally some women have an LH surge that is too low for the test to detect, or they do not ovulate during a cycle and in this case they may see lots of High Fertility days but no Peak Fertility.

Start taking them 17 days before your expected period or three days before potential ovulation.