Fertility Monitors
A Fertility Monitor is an awesome tool to use to track your fertility/ovulation in order to achieve or avoid pregnancy. In this case, trying to become pregnant is the goal so a fertility monitor helps identify the most fertile days of a woman’s cycle and some tests can also confirm that ovulation has occurred. Fertility monitors can also alert you that your period is due or near so if you suspect pregnancy, you are able to test to confirm. Depending on the monitor you choose, you can test by saliva, urine, or even basal body temperature. A fertility monitor does cost more than ovulation predictor kits, but depending on your situation it may be well worth it. For example, if you are dealing with fertility issues like irregular cycles or PCOS, a fertility monitor may be your best bet so you don’t spend so much money on OPK’s. Also, not all OPK’s work for women with PCOS due to hormonal imbalances that cannot be detected by the OPK. I would just like to take a moment to review a couple of the monitors that I hear the most about.
Clearblue Fertility Monitor
First up is the Clearblue Fertility Monitor. In most cases this monitor can identify one to five high fertility days before notifying you of your two peak fertility days so you can maximize your chances of getting pregnant that cycle. It is a urine based test, meaning you pee on the stick with first morning urine and it stores and analyzes your results! It is said to be 99% accurate in detecting an LH surge in cycles that LH has been identified.
Overall Rank: 3 out of 5
Cost: $138.31 on Amazon.com
Pros: It is affordable and is very accurate if you have regular cycles.
Cons: You have to buy the additional test sticks (unless you get pregnant that first month). It cannot confirm ovulation.
Clearblue Fertility Monitor Touchscreen
Next is the Clearblue Fertility Monitor Touchscreen. This test has the same concept as the Clearblue Monitor in identifying the days, but this touchscreen model allows you to set an alarm informing you when you need to test (when to pee), and has a calendar to store your days of intercourse and period. The Clearblue Fertility Monitor Touchscreen can also store up to six cycles all of which can be displayed on a graph for side by side comparison!
Overall Rank: 3.5 out of 5
Cost: $109.00 on Amazon.com
Pros: Stores up to 6 cycles. The touchscreen allows you to record sex days and when your period actually arrives to give you a better understanding of your cycle.
Cons: Cannot confirm ovulation occurred. You still have to pee on a stick and purchase more once you run out!
YONO Fertility Monitor
The YONO Fertility Monitor by YONO Health is an earbud that tracks your temperature while you are sleeping. You can download the application on your phone and the information can automatically sync. Instead of your skin temperature, the YONO Fertility Monitor is measuring your core temperature.
Overall Rank: 3 out of 5
Cost: $124.50 on Amazon.com
Pros: Since this monitor is measuring your temperature, it can actually confirm ovulation.
Cons: It cannot predict ovulation, it can only confirm it once it happens. However, if you are tracking long enough you will generally have an idea when you ovulate.
Lady Comp Fertility Monitor
Lastly, I would like to look at the Lady Comp Fertility Monitor. This is a really advanced fertility monitor that tracks using your temperature as well. Even though it cannot predict ovulation the first month of using it, it is supposed to be 99.3% accurate and predicting and confirming ovulation the following months. This monitor also has an integrated pregnancy test and can tell you the exact date of conception and due date. The Lady Comp also keeps track of your sex days and can provide gender probability based on days! This product has over a seven year lifetime expectancy and can be used for prevention methods after you have a baby!
Overall Rank: 4.5 out of 5
Cost: $485.00 on Amazon
Pros: It can be used for so much and for at least seven years. Keeps a detailed report of your cycle, sex days, and ovulation.
Cons: You have to use it for a month before it can predict ovulation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you can afford it, the Lady Comp Fertility Monitor is by far the best monitor out of all of ones mentioned here. The drawback of not knowing ovulation that first month can be combatted by using cheap Wondfo Ovulation Predictor Strips in conjunction with testing. So this way you can be alerted as to when ovulation is near and then the monitor can confirm exactly! Even though the Lady Comp is $485.00, it would be well worth it if you are in the beginning stages of planning a family as it can be used for seven years. Let’s be honest, if you are planning to get pregnant more than once or have any fertility issues, you are likely going to spend more than $485.00 over a couple of years trying to conceive! If the $485.00 is just too much right now, either test by Clearblue will suffice. You just might find yourself spending more money in the long run!