These are hormones that are usually tested when you go get blood work
done for fertility issues. One of the most helpfull tests can be the CD(cycle day)21 progesterone test. They do the test based
on the 28 day cycle rule, but this rule can be very misleading since most woman do not have 28 day cycles.
For the progesterone test to be as accurate as possible it needs to
be done on 7DPO (days past ovulation) 6-8 dpo is acceptable but anything past that and you run the risk of seeing to low a
level. Showing a problem when it is possible the test was just run to soon.
The best way to know for sure if you are 7dpo or not is to Chart your
BBT (basil body temp). A good place to chart at for free is www.fertilityfriend.com Another way you could go is by using OPK's (ovulation prediction
kits) but they can say you ovulated when you didnt and they can miss ovulation as well. Usually they are reliable as long
as they are used correctly at the right time of day.
For most accurate results you should try to do 2 opk's a day
and keep using them for a few days even after you get a positive result.
A note about
OPK's: Luteinizing hormone can be measured by ovulation prediction kits (OPK) that use chemicals to identify the presence
of LH in your urine.
The presence
of increased amounts of LH, as detected by OPK's usually means that you will ovulate within 12-24 hours. LH is not released
all at once, but rather it rises and falls for 24-48 hours.
The LH rise
usually begins in the early morning while you are sleeping and it takes 4-6 hours for it to appear in your urine after that.
For this reason, first morning urine (FMU) may not give the best result. It is important to follow the instructions of your
OPK for maximum results.