How to Use Proov with a Period Tracker

Written by: Dr. Amy Beckley, PhD, Founder and Inventor of the Proov test — the first and only FDA-cleared test to confirm successful ovulation at home.

Period tracker apps are incredibly popular, so it’s likely you or someone you know is using one! For many people who are trying to conceive, a period tracker app is the first thing they turn to. They’re convenient, often free, and easy to use.

Period tracking apps don’t tell you everything though, like whether or not you’re successfully ovulating, and when you’re actually ovulating based on your unique hormonal biomarkers. That’s why we love recommending Proov Confirm to support you in your tracking and trying to conceive journey!

A period tracker is a great first tool to help you on your trying to conceive journey.

Why should I use Proov Confirm alongside my period tracker?

Most period trackers work by asking you when your last period started, how long your period usually lasts, and the average length of your entire cycle. Then, as you log new periods and how long they last, the algorithms will adjust to try and predict when your period is due to arrive.

Many period trackers also try to track the fertile window and predict when you’re going to ovulate. This isn’t usually based on anything more than an assumption that you’ll ovulate on cycle day 14 (cycle day 1 being the first day of your period) – an assumption based on the idea that all women have exactly 28-day cycles.

There are two challenges with this, though, if you’re trying to get pregnant and want to know when you’re ovulating. The first is that studies have shown that the average ovulation day is actually closer to days 17-19, so assuming a day 14 ovulation isn’t necessarily helpful to most women.

The second challenge is that, even if you do ovulate on day 14 in a given cycle, a period tracker app is simply trying to predict this ovulation based on a mathematical algorithm, and can’t tell you if you actually ovulated! In addition, you may not be ovulating successfully, and that’s important if you’re trying to conceive.

That’s where Proov Confirm comes in! If you’re using your period tracking app to predict ovulation, and time intercourse, you can use Proov PdG tests to confirm ovulation. PdG is a metabolite of progesterone, and it corresponds to your progesterone blood levels from the day before.

Making sure you have sufficient progesterone levels is important because progesterone prepares the uterine lining to accept a new embryo. High, healthy progesterone levels come from successful ovulation, and are critical for preventing early miscarriage.

Your period tracking app may help you time intercourse around ovulation, but it can’t tell you anything about your progesterone levels. Proov Confirm can complement the information your period tracking app is giving you by helping you understand if you’re ovulating successfully.

How do I know when to use Proov Confirm with my period tracker?

The next step to using Proov Confirm alongside your period tracker is to know how to find your implantation window, or the time that your PdG levels are highest. Fortunately, the Proov Insight App will direct you on how and when to test.

You can manually input your peak fertility, and if you’re relying on a period tracker alone, this would be the day that your tracker estimates you ovulated. Seven to ten days after that, the Proov Insight App will direct you to use your first morning-urine to test your PdG levels.

If you have irregular cycles, though, things get a little trickier. You may not be able to rely on your period tracker to accurately predict when your ovulation is, so it may be more difficult to time implantation too. Keep on reading to figure out what to do in that situation.

What if I'm not getting positive Proov Confirm results?

If your Proov Confirm results indicate low PdG, on all or some days of your implantation window, there are a few things that could be happening.

If you’re setting your peak fertility day just based on when your period tracker is estimating you ovulated, your peak fertility day may simply be incorrect! This would mean you’d end up testing your PdG on days outside of the implantation window, when your levels would just naturally be lower.

If you’ve been tracking ovulation another way though, and you know your peak fertility day is accurate, we recommend talking to your doctor about your results and your next step forward. If you aren’t ovulating, they may recommend ovulation induction medications or other medical interventions.

If you are ovulating but you have low PdG and a low Ovulation Score, this is easy to fix! You can talk to your doctor about supplementing with progesterone. You can also try supporting progesterone production with seed cycling, supplements, or diet and nutrition changes.

Is there a better way to track ovulation?

At this point, you may be wondering if there’s just a better way to track ovulation out there, and fortunately, there is! While period tracker apps can be a wonderful starting point and helpful for general estimates, narrowing in on your unique fertile window is easier than ever.

You can test for luteinizing hormone, which surges 24-36 hours before ovulation, with LH Tests like Proov Predict. You can also detect rising estrogen, and your entire fertile window, with Proov Complete, or by tracking your cervical mucus.

Now you’re an expert in using Proov with a period tracker!

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