Simple office methods to predict ovulation: the clinical usefulness of a new urine luteinizing hormone kit compared to basal body temperature, cervical mucus and ultrasound.

A new urine luteinizing hormone (LH) kit, First Response (Tambrands Inc., Palmer, MA) was compared with basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus scoring and abdominal ultrasound follicular scanning in their ability to predict ovulation to within 2 days of the serum LH peak. BBT was kept daily. From day 10 daily ultrasound scanning and cervical mucus examination were performed and serum oestradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicular stimulating hormone and progesterone were assayed. First Response was significantly more accurate than BBT and cervical mucus when compared in their ability to predict ovulation to within 2 days of the LH peak (p less than 0.05). First Response pinpointed 93% (27/29) of the ovulatory cycles compared to 72% (18/25) and 61% (19/31) for BBT and cervical mucus respectively. It was better but not significantly so against abdominal ultrasound which predicted 77% (24/31). The implications of this finding and the value of the other simple office tests in clinical practice are discussed.