Assessment of the clearplan easy fertility monitor in couples seeking conception assistance

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated a new home-use fertility monitor designed to help couples maximize their chances of conceiving. Methods: CPEFM is an interactive system designed to identify the days in a woman’s cycle when intercourse is most likely to lead to conception. CPEFM does so by predicting ovulation through the simultaneous measurement of urinary estrone-3-glucurone (E3G), and luteinizing hormone (LH). Couples used the CPEFM for four menstrual cycles, or until they conceived. Couples completed coital logs, and data from these logs were analyzed in conjunction with data collected from the fertility monitor. Results: Fifty-four couples were recruited. Average age of the female volunteers was 32 years. Sixty-eight percent had been trying to conceive for a maximum of 6 months. Fifty-four percent had not had a previous pregnancy. Twenty-one volunteers conceived during the trial. The cumulative life table pregnancy rate was 16.7% after one cycle, 31.5% after two cycles, 35.5% after three cycles, and 39.5% after four cycles (95% confidence interval 26.3% to 52.8%). The CPEFM declared a median 7 fertile days. More than 60% of cycles had between 1 and 5 days warning of the CPEFM peak/LH surge day. At least one act of intercourse was reported in the CPEFM fertile phase in more than 96% of cycles, while more than 70% of cycles had between two and five acts of intercourse during this period. More than 91% of cycles had at least one act of intercourse during the period 3 days before the LH surge to 2 days after the LH surge (mode three). This 6-day fertile period previously has been recognized as the most likely time for a couple to conceive. Conclusions: The four-cycle, cumulative life table pregnancy rate was 39.5%. CPEFM was demonstrated to be an easy-to-use method of predicting the days immediately preceding ovulation, when intercourse would most likely lead to conception.