Fertility is the study of a person’s ability to procreate. Pregnancy occurs after unprotected sexual intercourse. However, it does not happen after every act. This is because of fertility. Fertility in a woman indicates that ovulation has taken place and an egg is ready to be fertilized by the sperm that has been deposited in her body during sexual intercourse. It indicates also that her body is ready to accept the fertilized egg for it to develop into a baby over the period of nine months. For men, fertility is calculated by the quantity and the virility of his sperm. Every drop of semen fluid contains many million sperm because the odds of a successful fertilization are incredibly low.
Fertility tests can be conducted on both partners to ensure that they are capable of procreation. Fertility testing could be done at a clinic but there also are ways to do the test at home. Fertility test kits are available for both men and women and these judge certain characteristics of the body in order to determine if the person being tested is capable of a successful pregnancy.
For women, home fertility tests involve the prediction of ovulation. During ovulation, the level of a particular hormone, known as luteinizing hormone or LH, increases in the body. This hormone is a signal for the ovary to release an egg and is controlled by the pituitary gland. Fertility test sticks are available to test this hormone. The level of the LH hormone begins to rise around 24 to 48 hours prior to ovulation and remains elevated until ovulation has taken place. The test involves placing a stick into some urine that has been collected immediately after urination. The sticks are designed to change color based on the concentration levels of the LH hormone. While this can indicate ovulation, it does not indicate the exact stage that the woman is in.
Home fertility tests for men are a relatively modern invention. This involves testing of the male semen to ascertain the quantity of sperm in each sample. A standard measure of fertility is understood to be around twenty million sperm per milliliter of semen. While this test can check out the number of sperm, it does not test their strength or the speed at which they are capable of swimming. These are vital signs when it comes to male fertility which is why fertility testing in a laboratory is more accurate.