What Is LH and How Do You Track It for Pregnancy?

If you’re trying to time insemination or intercourse just right to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you should check your LH levels using an at-home testing kit. LH is a reproductive hormone that spikes during your fertility window, so having a clear idea of your LH levels can help you feel more confident about when to plan things such as intercourse or insemination. Along with PdG test strips, LH tests are a crucial part of at-home fertility testing. Keep reading to find out what LH is and how you can track it for pregnancy.

Why Are LH Levels Important?

Luteinizing hormone, or LH, levels are important for your fertility journey because they coincide with your peak fertility window. During the beginning of your ovulation cycle, your LH levels will be low as your body prepares immature follicles for ovulation. Once a mature follicle is ready, your body releases LH to tell the follicles to release an egg. Tracking LH in this way can show you if your body is releasing the correct hormones that precede ovulation.

Knowing more about your LH levels gives you key information you need to understand which days of your cycle are your most fertile days. When you use a complete fertility test kit, you’ll measure your LH levels alongside other hormones such as FSH and PdG.

What Does an LH Surge Mean?

When you read about luteinizing hormone and ovulation, you will often see the term “LH surge”, so it’s important to know what that means. The surge refers to the fact that there is more of the hormone in your body at a specific moment in time. When it comes to fertility, doctors know that your body produces a lot more LH just before ovulation occurs. That’s why ovulation tests measure the LH surge in the body.

By tracking this surge and knowing when it happens, you’ll be able to pinpoint the two days of your cycle when you have the best chance of getting pregnant. If you have struggled to get pregnant, this is critical information that you can use to time everything perfectly.

When Is the Best Time To Test LH?

Similar to other hormone tests, there is a specific time you need to test LH levels during your cycle. To get the most accurate results, begin testing your LH levels 18 days before you expect your next period to start. Since everyone’s cycle is unique, this part can be tricky. Refer to the instruction card and chart included with your tests. You can also test your LH levels across two ovulation cycles for an even clearer idea of what is happening with this critical hormone.

You don’t have to use your first urine in the morning for the LH test. In fact, you will complete two tests every day while tracking your LH levels, so make sure to choose times that are convenient for you.

You probably want to know how long after LH surge do you ovulate, but the truth is that it varies from person to person. Confirm ovulation with a PdG test so that you have a complete picture of your cycle while trying to get pregnant.