REVIEW: KNOWHEN Advanced Ovulation Test Kit

When my husband and I finally decided to start trying to conceive (TTC) for our first child I was a little worried I’d have trouble getting pregnant. I have endometriosis (a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus) and have been receiving treatment for it for more than half my life. When my doctor gave me the green light to start trying I bought an ovulation monitor to help track my cycle to give us a better chance for conceiving. I loved how accurate the monitor was and I found it fascinating to track the changes in my body from day-to-day. The downside to using the monitor was peeing on a stick (POAS) every morning and buying a new test kit every month (there is a limited supply of one-use strips). I just looked back at my Amazon history and found that I spent hundreds of dollars on ovulation test kits over the course of our TTC period. I used multiple ovulation tests, took my basal body temperature every day, and even gave up alcohol and caffeine during the process. It took me almost a year to get pregnant. As much as I think it was worth it because it resulted in my beautiful daughter, I also think it is insane to spend that much time and money on baby-making, a thing that happens by accident to most people.

A few months ago our blog received some info on a new type of ovulation test called KNOWHEN that uses saliva, not urine, to accurately predict a woman’s five most fertile days every cycle. And the kit is reusable indefinitely! How awesome is that? I immediately requested a sample of KNOWHEN. I had to see with my own eyes if this kit actually works. Claire is already pregnant with her second baby so I figured I’d review the kit for our readers. My daughter is still just a baby so I am not trying to have another one anytime soon, but it is always nice to know what your cycle is up to. Since the KNOWHEN kit is reusable I can save it for later on down the road when my husband and I are ready to try for our second. This kit can save so much money!!!

I hope I am making it clear how excited I am about how much money you can save with this kit; it is only $49.99. For someone that has an irregular period due to PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or endometriosis, this tool can really be the light in the darkness of family planning. KNOWHEN detects the amount of hormone estrogen gradually building in a woman’s body, which is directly correlated with the amount of salt in her saliva, and thus is able to identify a woman’s five most fertile days during every cycle. Traditional urine ovulation tests are designed to measure sudden and short-lived surges in luteinizing hormone (less precise and potentially challenging for women with irregular menstrual cycles.)

The sample kit came in the mail and I was ready to give it a try – only one problem! I will not be ovulating for a very long time… I found out I was unexpectedly expecting our second child. It was such a shock to both of us (but more on that later). Luckily, Claire and I have a sweet friend, Kehau, who is teetering on the fence about when to start TTC. We gave the kit to her to test out and give us feedback. Our evil plan is to get her excited about TTC so she will jump on this pregnancy bandwagon with Claire and me.

Kehau said the test is super easy to use. You just place a drop of saliva on the mini-ovulation microscope lens first thing in the morning, let it dry, and then view your results in the eyepiece. If there is a fern-like pattern (Figure 2) on the lens this indicates a fertile day and an optimum time for baby-making. Once you read the result, just wipe off the lens and store the kit until the next use.

KNOWHEN comes with a personal fertility monitoring app that provides valuable long-term information women can use to better understand their own reproductive health, as well as share with their health care providers. The app can be used for easy tracking of menstrual cycle, ovulation, sexual activity and the best time for conception. I highly recommend this product for anyone who is trying to conceive or even avoiding pregnancy. KNOWHEN is safe, natural, easy-to-use, and available over-the-counter. If you would like more information please check out www.knowhen.com.

I received a sample of KNOWHEN Advanced Ovulation Test Kit in exchange for my honest opinion on this blog.