How to interpret ovulation test strips for pregnancy

Under normal circumstances, ovulation test strips primarily predict ovulation by detecting the peak levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine. Their design principle is unrelated to pregnancy detection, and therefore they cannot be directly used to determine pregnancy. A detailed explanation is as follows:

The key indicator of pregnancy is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Although the antibodies in ovulation test strips may cross-react with hCG, potentially producing a positive result during pregnancy, this reaction is not specific and has much lower sensitivity compared to pregnancy test strips designed for early pregnancy detection. This may lead to false-positive or false-negative results and therefore cannot serve as a reliable basis for determining pregnancy.

From a clinical perspective, early pregnancy test strips determine pregnancy by specifically detecting hCG levels, typically detecting it 7–10 days after fertilization. In contrast, a positive result from an ovulation test strip may be caused by fluctuations in LH levels, endocrine disorders, or other factors unrelated to pregnancy. A sustained strong positive result from an ovulation test strip may suggest elevated hCG levels, but confirmation should be based on other indicators such as delayed menstruation and early pregnancy symptoms, followed by retesting with an early pregnancy test strip or measuring blood hCG levels.

Therefore, ovulation test strips are not designed as tools for pregnancy detection, and their results should not be used as the basis for determining pregnancy. If pregnancy is suspected, it is recommended to use specialized early pregnancy test strips or seek medical testing for hCG to obtain reliable results and avoid health-related misjudgments due to incorrect interpretations.