- Fertility monitor
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A fertility monitor is an electronic device which may utilize various methods to assist the user with fertility awareness. A fertility monitor may analyze changes in hormone levels in urine, basal body temperature, electrical resistance of saliva and vaginal fluids, or a combination of these methods. Some monitor brands are specifically marketed only to assist in pregnancy achievement, while other brands are marketed for both pregnancy achievement and as a method of birth control.
Contents
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Monitors
Clearblue Easy
The Clearblue Easy monitor works by detecting increased levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine collected from disposable urine test sticks. It identifies up to six fertile days per cycle. The manufacturer, Swiss Precision Diagnostics, recommends that it is to be used as a pregnancy achievement aid only.[1]
Persona
The Persona monitor is a small hand-held device that reads results from disposable urine test sticks to determine when ovulation is approaching and to detect when ovulation has passed. When the urine sample is inserted into the device, the woman's fertility is indicated by means of a red ("fertile") or green ("less fertile") light on the monitor. Persona was originally produced by Unipath, and is now produced by Swiss Precision Diagnostics. It is available only in Europe.[2]
Thermal Monitors
DuoFertility
The DuoFertility system consists of a body-worn sensor, a handheld reader, and computer software. The sensor is worn under the arm like a patch, where it automatically collects up to 20,000 temperature readings per day. The collected data is then transferred to the handheld reader, which stores the data and analyzes it to calculate fertility. The reader is then connected to a computer with the DuoFertility software installed, and the software displays more detailed fertility information. The manufacturer, Cambridge Temperature Concepts, claims that the product is as effective as IVF for patients with unexplained infertility or mild-to-moderate male or female factors.[3] It is marketed as a pregnancy achievement aid only.[4]
Lady-Comp, Baby-Comp, and Pearly
This series of fertility monitors is marketed for both pregnancy achievement and birth control. They measure basal body temperature and use cycle history rules to determine the more fertile and less fertile portions of the menstrual cycle. They are manufactured in Germany by VE Valley Electronics GmbH.VE Valley Electronics are tested and CE certified medical diagnostic devices. The fertility computer takes your basal body temperature (BBT) every morning when you wake up with the most advanced temperature sensor (1/100 degrees accurate). It then automatically compares it with its bio-mathematical forecasting software and stored information of all available family planning research. It also automatically compares it to over a million cycles of other women to accurately determine, analyze and display your individual cycle. It has a Pearl Index of 0.7 which means it is 99.3 percent safe and effective. Several clinical studies were independently conducted by Prof. Dr. G. Freundl and Prof. S. Dessole. Dr. Med. Andreas Marx. Cycle computers offer an effective and drug-free method of contraception.
Electrolyte Monitors
OvaCue
The OvaCue Fertility Monitor is marketed for trying-to-conceive purposes only. It works by measuring the electrolyte composition of saliva to determine approaching ovulation. It is sold with an optional vaginal sensor to retroactively confirm the date ovulation occurred. The manufacturer, Fairhaven Health, claims that this technique has been demonstrated to be 98.3% accurate in predicting ovulation in clinical studies overseen by the National Institute of Health.[5]
Combination Monitors
Cyclotest
Cyclotest Baby and Cyclotest 2 Plus are both sympto-thermal fertility monitors. They measure basal body temperature to identify and predict ovulation in addition to accepting user input regarding menstruation, cervical mucus observations, and positive surge test results from LH monitors (such as Persona and Clearblue). Results are displayed on an LCD screen which allows the user to see their entire predicted cycle and this cycle's fertility window. Other functionality includes USB connectivity for the user to download their cycle data. The manufacturer, UEBE Medical GmbH, claims the Cyclotest 2 Plus has a Pearl Index of 1.0 - 3.0, [6] A study of 207 cycles conducted in 1998 observed that the device requested more abstinence than was necessary at the end of the fertile time in about 12% of the cycles, and thus concluded that more research should be performed on detecting the end of the fertile time.[7]
Ferning Microscopes
Women undergo an electrolyte change about three to four days prior to ovulation that persists for two to three days following ovulation. This change can be observed as ferning patterns in her dried saliva upon microscopic examination. Baby Start, Fertile-Focus, Maybe Baby, and Ovulens are products which use this technology.
See Also
References
- ^ Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor home page
- ^ Persona website
- ^ Comparing DuoFertility to IVF
- ^ Temperatures rise for Cambridge fertility innovators
- ^ http://www.ovacue.com/how-ovacue-fertility-monitor-works
- ^ Cyclotest 2 Reliability
- ^ Freundl, G; Frank-Herrmann, P, Bremme, M (1998 Dec). "Results of an efficacy-finding study (EFS) with the computer-thermometer Cyclotest 2 plus containing 207 cycles.". Advances in contraception : the official journal of the Society for the Advancement of Contraception 14 (4): 201–7. PMID 10075289.
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Categories:- Fertility medicine
- Fertility tracking
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