Ovulation is the key aspect to pay attention to when you are trying to get pregnant. There are many ways on the market that will help you figure out when you are ovulating, including tracking saliva ferning.

What is Saliva Ferning?

When you ovulate, your saliva reacts to the changes in the hormone levels. So, when you check your saliva, with a microscope, on a regular basis, you will be able to discover when hormones, like estrogen, are surging and intercourse is a good idea.

Increased estrogen will make your dried saliva look like ferns or frost on a windshield. When you see this, you will know that ovulation should occur within 24 to 72 hours.

Is Tracking Saliva Ferning Accurate?

Using saliva ferning as an indication of when you will ovulate is actually very accurate. However, each woman will probably need a month or two of saliva ovulation testing, to fully understand her cycle and determine when she is actually ovulating.

There are several scenarios that will cause atypical results which include your body not producing enough estrogen or producing too much estrogen throughout your cycle, as can be the case with PCOS.

While testing your saliva, you should see the patterns in the dried saliva change as your cycle progresses through the month. If your results do not match what the instruction of your saliva fertility monitor show, you should probably visit your doctor to investigate potential hormone issues which may be preventing you from ovulating.

How Do I Track My Ferning?

You will need to use a special fertility microscope to see the ferning patterns in your dried saliva. FertilFocus is a compact, lipstick-sized, microscope that you can use day after day.

You will need to wet the lens with your saliva, first thing in the morning, before drinking anything or brushing your teeth. You will be able to view your results after the saliva has dried.