Are OPKs necessary?

[rachael2308]

are opks necessary if you are regularly DTD? I have been thinking about using them but then I think it will add pressure/stress and take the fun out of things?

If you are having sex regularly, every other day for example, then no I don’t think they are required at all.

Women have become pregnant, planned and unplanned, for centuries without them.
However, if you are really hell bent on conceiving, they can be a useful too.

That’s true.
I think the only reason it would help would be to know how many DPO I am. But we DTD often enough I’d say. 2-3 times per week.
trying to take the relaxed approach. I’m not desperate to conceive, I’m lucky enough to have 2 already but it’s the not knowing if it’s going to happen and reading into every little sign in the 2WW that drives me crazy 🤪

Nah, definitely not essential. I never got the hang of them tbh. The month I got pregnant I was doing them daily but never got a peak. I am now 40 weeks so definitely did ovulate 😅 but I must have missed it somehow. You could try them out and see if they work for you, but if you’re worried it might make you spiral/more anxious I’d leave them and just have lots of sex throughout your cycle instead.

If you started to use them you'd probably read into every sign during the TWW even more and drive yourself more crazy haha. I used OPKs for a bit and it was helpful for me to know when I usually ovulate but it definitely adds pressure. I stopped using them after a few months because it's hard to relax and forget about TTC when you're testing all the time.

If you're having regular sex throughout the month I don't think there's any real need for OPKs, unless of course you want to try them out!

It depends how regular and predictable your cycles are, and they take the guesswork of when to expect AF. I find I like the reassurance of knowing when it's happened, and find myself getting more antsy towards the end of the TWW if I haven't done OPKs. But then my cycles do vary a little bit. I'm currently in my second cycle post miscarriage, and found that I got a positive OPK on CD6 (since confirmed by BBT). It's my shortest ever cycle - I'm normally 28 days/ovulate CD16ish, so would have had no idea otherwise.

If you’re DTD regularly anyway then it wouldn’t make a difference. Also most women can sort of just ‘tell’ when they’re in their fertile window. Higher sex drive, EWCM, feeling energised.

They're also useful for if the just DTD every two days approach doesn't work for you...as you know when to concentrate your efforts, as it were. One thing though, I would never tell DH when I have a positive OPK...as it's better when that particular pressure is just on me 😉.

Never used them, got pregnant within 3 months 3 times. I would certainly look to use them if it wasn’t happening but not as a starting point. How long have you been trying?

Thanks ladies. I had some sharp stabbing pain on CD16 which I’ve put down to possible ovulation. Ties in with the app im using and other signs.
@pearbottomjeansonly had my implant taken out 8 weeks ago so early days. My periods have returned to a normal pattern so I think I’ll wait to out and maybe use them if nothing happens for another few months

Good luck! You’ve done it twice before so chances are it will be smooth sailing!