Ovulation

[mlax]

I recently had a miscarriage over 3 weeks ago and I've just taken an ovulation test (I'm aware it could possibly be a bit too soon to start trying again). Anyhow, I've taken one and there is a faint line in the test centre (attached a photo).

I know on the testing it does say that if it's a similar colour or darker then you're likely to ovulate within the next 12-36 hours however, would this constitute as me ovulating then or I'm possibly coming out of ovulation with the faint line?

The first photo is from yesterday morning and the 2nd photo is from Monday afternoon.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you x

Hi @mlax - really sorry to hear about your miscarriage - I have been there too a few months ago.

Re. the ovulation tests, they can pick up both LH (the ovulation hormone) and HCG (the pregnancy hormone). Have you had a negative pregnancy test yet after your miscarriage? Because HCG can hang around in your system for quite a while (I think usually 2-3 weeks, but in my case 9 weeks of being picked up by pregnancy tests). This means that if you had detectable levels of HCG still in your system then you could get a positive result on an ovulation test without you actually ovulating, does that make sense?

I found it very frustrating, but for me the most concrete and certain thing to do was to wait until I started a new cycle (it took me 10 weeks from the miscarriage) and then start testing from ovulation again from then.

Wishing you the very best.

Thank you for your response @sunshinefordays. I did a pregnancy test a week after I miscarried (I was hoping to see a positive to be honest and I was in denial that had happened). But it came back negative. Also took a further pregnancy test 2 weeks ago which was also negative, followed by another on Monday, again, negative. Seems like the quickest of miscarriages if I'm honest.

Could the ovulation tests be right in that I am fertile as the lines aren't as dark as the right but lighter?

Thank you for any help x

Hi @mlax - glad it sounds like your body is getting back to normal more quickly than mine has - I don't know how that particular ovulation test works? Have you read the instructions/do you still have them? I have only used two types (ovaview strips from Amazon and clearblue digital) - the strip ones could tell you if the line was as dark as or nearly as dark as the control line - is that what you have seen?

If you're not quite sure, as I wasn't, then the only other thing you can really do is follow the NHS guidelines and sleep together every other day to try and catch ovulation. Really hope you are able to conceive again with a healthy baby soon x

I'm so sorry 💔 @sunshinefordays.
Yes it was the boots own ones - you get 7 tests for £10.99.

The instructions say that the test centre line has to be as dark as or darker than the line on the right. I've never really used ovulation tests as I am only 22 and never really thought about starting a family. I was caught (I haven't been on anything for 2 years) and I knew I would never want to terminate so the decision was obviously to keep, until nature took its course.

Since this pregnancy ended, I think because I got round to the idea of being pregnant and having my own mini me, it's kind of all I want now - hence the ovulation tests but unsure what it all means.

Sorry to bombard you x

Just taken another ovulation test and i still have 2 lines... would it be that I am just mega fertile since I had my MC 4 weeks ago???

I had a miscarriage about 4 weeks ago, based on cervical mucus and other signs (not opks though) I'm pretty certain I ovulated about a week after the bleeding stopped. It was very early (5 weeks) and counting day one of miscarriage bleeding as the first day of my cycle that would have had me ovulating about the time i normally do. I had a negative pregnancy test around the same time. Apparently it is very possible for your body to get back into sync very quickly after a miscarriage (particularly if they are early), not necessarily being more fertile (although some people say you are more fertile after a miscarriage)

Thank you @ChangeyMcChangeChange. I've not actually had a period since I had my MC. I didn't bleed as much as what I would of though an MC would have been like. When I passed the final clot I only bled for another 2 days as the hospital said it was a complete miscarriage when I'd had the scan and so currently awaiting my actual period. I'm usually 28 days bang on so I am just waiting for it to arrive.

As I've mentioned previously I've never used ovulation tests- maybe I shouldn't!! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ x

@mlax sorry to hear of your mc. Opks are notoriously unreliable in the cycle after a mc and are not recommended to be used. I did and had all sorts of unreliable results.

@Chanel05 yeah I'm thinking that as it's had 2 lines since Monday which I think is unusual as you normally ovulate between 12-48 hours or something?? X

@mlax it's common to get multiple surges and have not actually ovulate in the first cycle.

Hi @mlax. I had a miscarriage at 10 weeks on the 4th November. I had a negative pregnancy test three weeks after and my period 4 weeks after that (just finished today)
I have also been using ovulation tests for the first time, I didn't when I got pregnant before just was extremely lucky and got pregnant the first month we started trying.
Now I feel obsessed with becoming pregnant again and have been using clear blue digital ovulation tests and getting flashing smiles (high fertility) but not peak at all for 9days before and now again the last 2 days (I stopped testing during my period)
Like you I am unsure if this is just because of my miscarriage that the tests are showing high fertility everyday and maybe testing isn't what I should be doing! Xx

I am so sorry for your loss 💔 @Peach7744

I think I have an obsession too as this is my 3rd test I've taken for ovulation and have had unprotected sex three times in the last two weeks, although twice my partner pulled out (sorry for tmi).

Like you as well, I think I just want to be pregnant again now 😞 Mother Nature sucks x

@mlax Are you aware that you will usually always get two lines (one faint) throughout your cycle? This is a standard negative result. It is only positive when the lines are equal in colour.

Hope that helps.

Hi @TwinkleStars15 - will this mean then that this should be my normal cycle but due to my MC I'm not on yet, hence the two lines (one being faint)?

@mlax it’s impossible to tell where abouts you are in your cycle unless you do an OPK every day. It is advised that you do the cheaper ones in the afternoon, not with first morning urine (like with pregnancy tests) as it may give a false positive. After a miscarriage, it can take some people a while for their cycle to get back to normal, whereas others it will return to normal straight away.
I have attached a photo of my OPK this morning, this is a negative result because the two lines are not the same colour, one is fainter than the other.

I see - thank you @TwinkleStars15

I took this one this afternoon around 12pm and is a negative then...

@mlax yes that’s negative.