If you’ve purchased the FUTURE WOMAN Classic Hormone Test or the Advanced Hormone Test, then read on for how to pick the right day for testing.Â
The best time to test is the mid-luteal phase when progesterone is at its peak and estrogen is at its luteal peak. It’s important to select the right day so you get the most accurate reading of these two hormones.Â
However, for some women who aren’t ovulating or who have very irregular cycles, identifying the ‘perfect day’ can be a real challenge. If this is you, we provide plenty of support below. But also remember that we analyse over 30 other markers in the Advanced Hormone Test which are unaffected by cycle date, so there will always be plenty of useful information for us to assess!
Where to start
Before you take your test, we recommend you work out the following information.
- Is your cycle regular? If yes, how many days does your cycle last? Day 1 = the first day of full flow on your monthly bleed (spotting doesn’t count).
- Does your cycle vary by more than 3 days month to month? If yes, see the ‘my cycles are irregular’ section below. If you don’t know how long your cycle is, see the ‘my cycles are irregular’ section below too.
- Are you on oral progesterone HRT? This will mask your natural progesterone production so please our section on progesterone HRT below to find out when is best to test. Â
My cycles are regular
For a 28-day cycle the time to test is on day 19, day 20 or day 21 (5–7 days after ovulation). If your cycle is longer or shorter than 28 days then simply add or take away the difference.Â
Here’s a handy calculator to help you work it out – you can input your average cycle length, last 3 cycle lengths or last 4 period dates depending on what information you have to hand. You’ll also need your most recent period date.Â
Find Your Ideal Hormone Testing Date
My cycles are irregular
Technically, if your cycles vary by more than 7 days in a year, then your cycle is considered irregular. Irregular cycles are common in women with PCOS or those going through perimenopause.Â
However, healthy premenopausal women can also have some variation in their cycle. So if your cycle consistently varies by 3 or more days, you may also wish to follow these tips to be on the safe side.
Option 1: Basal Body Temperature tracking
Ideally, you find out when ovulation took place and count 5 to 7 days forward from there to your test day.
If you’re already tracking your Basal Body Temperature (BBT), then we’d recommend this option to track ovulation. You can track BBT with a digital thermometer, or with a device like Oura Ring, TempDrop or Natural Cycles. If you see a sustained temperature increase of around 0.3 degrees centigrade, then you can assume that ovulation took place at the start of the temperature increase.Â
We don’t recommend this option if you don’t have experience with BBT tracking already. It can take months to get the hang of BBT tracking.
If you’ve been tracking your BBT and can’t identify an ovulation date, follow Option 3 and use our handy calculator instead.
Option 2: Ovulation sticks
You can also use ovulation predictor sticks (like these) which measure your LH levels. Please note that this is not a good option for clients diagnosed with PCOS, as LH levels are often out of balance.
How it works
Starting from the end of your period (or as soon as possible if you’re not getting a period), urinate on a strip daily in the morning. When you notice the line has reached its darkest point, assume ovulation has occurred and count forward 5 to 7 days to find your best testing day.Â
Note: the line doesn’t need to match the colour of the control line – we’re looking for the darkest line relative to your other ovulation tests from that cycle to detect your pre-ovulatory LH surge.
What to do if you don’t notice a change in the line
If you are getting a monthly bleed and you’ve been using ovulation predictor sticks for one whole cycle but can’t identify any change in the line, follow Option 3 and use our handy calculator.Â
If you’re not getting a monthly bleed, or haven’t had a bleed for more than 3 months, and have been using ovulation predictor sticks for at least 28 days but can’t identify a change in the line, then you can test on any day.
Option 3: Use our handy calculator
If you’ve got PCOS, or you’ve tried ovulation tracking but you’re not noticing signs of ovulation, then please use our calculator above to find your best testing day.
If your cycles vary by more than 9 days, please contact support@future-woman.com for additional support.
I don't have a cycle
If you’re periods are missing, you’re on hormonal contraception without a break or you’ve been through menopause, then you can test any day.
I'm using the hormonal IUD
If you’re getting a regular bleed on the hormonal IUD, you can follow the steps above for ‘I have a regular cycle’.Â
If you’re not getting a bleed, we would recommend tracking ovulation using ovulation test sticks in order to find your best testing day. That’s because it’s still possible to ovulate on the hormonal IUD, even if you’re not getting a monthly bleed. See Option 2 in the irregular period section above.
I'm bleeding nearly all the time
If you’re experiencing frequent bleeding and can’t determine when your period is starting and ending, then don’t worry about finding the perfect day. Simply aim to test on a day when you’re not bleeding.Â
I'm taking oral progesterone HRT
If you’re on oral progesterone (Utrogestan), this will mask your endogenous progesterone production so please test as follows:
- For continuous progesterone, where you’re not getting a monthly bleed, test on any day.Â
- For continuous progesterone, where you are getting a monthly bleed, test in the middle of your cycle.
- For cyclical progesterone, test in the middle of your progesterone window (e.g. if you’re taking progesterone for 14 days then take the test on the 7th day).
Still got questions?
Don’t struggle in silence! If you’re confused or not sure about your testing day, please email support@future-woman.com if you have any further questions.Â
