To find out when to expect ovulation and thereby increase the chances of conceiving a child, many women do special tests. They are usually long, thin test strips to which a special reagent is applied. After dipping in urine, two stripes appear on their surface, which must be compared with each other. It is much more convenient to use a digital test called Clearblue Digital. This modern test system is called the most informative and easy to use.
Features:
If a woman detects ovulation for the first time, then the Clearblue test will be the best solution for this purpose. It consists of a reusable housing with an electronic screen and disposable test modules in individual packages. Compared to conventional test strips, Clearblue Digital has several undeniable benefits.
- Its result is more accurate (more than 99%), thanks to which a woman will surely find out about ovulation, and her chances of conceiving a baby increase from the first planning cycles. The sensitivity of Clearblue is 40 mMU per 1 ml, so a positive result is possible only with high hormone levels, while standard tests respond to 25-30 mMU in 1 ml, so they can be positive even on days when ovulation has not yet occurred.
- It is very easy to decipher the result. This is one of the main advantages of Clearblue Digital, because if the result is positive, an emoticon will appear in the window, and if it is negative, only an empty circle will appear. When checking ovulation with such a test, you do not have to evaluate the strips, compare them and watch them in dynamics in a couple of days.
- Clearblue results appear very quickly. They can be assessed on the display already 3 minutes after contact with urine. Another plus of the device is that the absorbent part can be either dipped in urine collected in a container or used like a jet dough, substituting it under the stream.
- 7 test modules are sold in one pack, which allows you to more accurately identify the day of ovulation, while most test strips are sold in pharmacies in packs of 5, and for many women (especially with a long or irregular cycle) this packaging is not enough.
Principle of operation
The Clearblue digital device identifies the two best days for conception. They usually occur in the middle of the menstrual cycle (10–17 days before menstruation) and correspond to the time the egg leaves the ovary - ovulation. Sexual contact during this period is most likely to lead to conception., therefore, finding out on which days ovulation occurs is extremely important for planning a pregnancy.
The test identifies these days by measuring the level of a major hormone that affects fertility. It is a luteinizing hormone (LH for short) that is released into the bloodstream and found in the urine throughout the menstrual cycle. However, 1–2 days before ovulation, its secretion increases significantly. It is this rise that Clearblue captures, showing it in the form of a smiley on the digital display.
Preparing for testing
Before being tested for ovulation, you need to find out how many days the menstrual cycle lasts in order to determine which day to start the study. If the cycle is regular, the woman just needs to look in the table (it is in the paper annotation) the appropriate day to start testing. For example, with a duration of 28 days, the test starts from the 11th day of the cycle.
In the case of irregular periods, it is recommended to focus on the shortest cycles. If the last three cycles lasted, say, 26, 30 and 31 days, then a 26-day cycle is used for calculations, in which testing begins from the 9th day from the onset of menstruation.
In addition to these calculations, a woman also needs to know before using Clearblue about the prerequisites that will ensure the correct result.
- Although the instructions state that testing can be done at any time, doctors recommend doing it at a time when LH enters the bloodstream and is most likely found in urine. This is the interval between 10 am and 8 pm.
- The test must be performed at the same time every day. Then the picture will be more accurate, taking into account the fluctuations in the level of the hormone in a particular woman. It is undesirable to use the first morning urine for testing.
- In order for the LH concentration to be sufficient for a positive result, you do not need to urinate 2-4 hours before the test. In addition, during this time period, you should not drink liquid in order to exclude the dilution of the hormone, which will lead to a negative result.
- Before making a test, you need to make sure its integrity, as well as check the expiration date. The individual module packaging should be opened right before examination. The urine must also be fresh; pre-collected biological fluid cannot be stored.
It is important to know that in some cases the test may not be informative. It will not show a surge in hormone if a woman has menopause, pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome. In addition, incorrect results are possible when using fertility drugs.
Instructions for use
Having prepared the container with urine, you need to open the packaging of the disposable module, remove the cap, and then insert the module into the case. Everything was done correctly, if two pink arrows (one on the module, the other on the body) converged, a click was heard, and a flashing ready-to-work symbol appeared on the display. If such a symbol does not appear, you need to extract the test and insert it again.
The second step will be the testing itself, which provides contact with urine. The absorbent part of the module can be immersed in a glass of biological fluid for 15 seconds, or held under the stream for 5–7 seconds. It is important to ensure that no urine spills onto the body... Next, you need to close the cap and lay the body horizontally or hold it vertically so that the absorbent layer is at the bottom.
The result is assessed after 3 minutes only on the display (the strips on the absorbent part of the module do not need to be taken into account). As noted above, an empty circle will indicate a negative result when the hormone level is too low. If a smiling face appears on the screen, then this confirms the release of LH and indicates that ovulation will occur in the next two days. The result is shown on the display for about 8 minutes after the end of the measurement.
To remove the module, you need to press the pink button in the center of the case. The used element is discarded and the reusable housing is left until the next use. If the result is negative, the check is performed the next day at about the same time. If the result was positive, further testing is not required.
Possible mistakes
If testing was performed in violation of the instructions, an error icon will appear on the screen. They are as follows.
- Error A. Appears when the dough is pulled out too quickly. To eliminate it, you must immediately return the test back to the case.
- Mistake in... It is caused by the ingress of urine on the handpiece until the moment when the module is inserted into the housing. In addition, it can be caused by too much or too little urine and by pointing the tip up while waiting for results. To eliminate it, you need to repeat the testing with a new module.
- Error C. Occurs when instructions are not followed or in a situation where the test is defective. To fix it, you need to check with a new Clearblue package.
Another possible problem is that there are no icons or markings on the display. This happens if the module is inserted incorrectly or the device is inoperative.
Reviews
About 80% of the reviews for the Clearblue Digital Test are positive. In them, women among the advantages note the accuracy of the results, ease of use and the availability of detailed instructions, calling such tests convenient and modern. The disadvantages usually include only a high price (one package costs about 1000 rubles), since there are many cheaper analogues.
