Up to one in five couple that have difficulty getting pregnant have no identifiable cause for their delay in conception. If a couple has no evidence of tubal disease, normal ovarian function or hormone levels, open fallopian tubes and adequate sperm function, yet has not gotten pregnant within one year of trying, they are classified as having “unexplained” infertility. Up to one in four women will have difficulty getting pregnant at some point in their life. Unfortunately, only one out of three women will get pregnant in the early forties and the chance of conception decreases the longer a couple has been dealing with infertility. While the OVWATCH may increase the chances of pregnancy and be more accurate than the pee sticks or temperature monitor, couples that have attempted timed intercourse for several months without success should consider more aggressive approaches. Fortunately, many couple will have success after they are evaluated by a reproductive endocrinologist and move to advance treatment options. Even with unexplained infertility the addition of a fertility medication such as clomiphene citrate will increase the chances of conception. Utilization of intrauterine insemination (IUI) or artificial insemination further increases the potential for pregnancy.

Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) often have infrequent or irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty getting pregnant and evidence of an imbalance between female and male hormones such as excess hair growth, oily skin or acne. This condition gets its name from the many small cyst or fluid collection that can be seen in the ovary on ultrasound. These cyst or follicles contain eggs that stopped their development and were not been released. In addition, many women with PCOS suffer from obesity and high insulin levels or the inability to efficiently process carbohydrates (sweets, white bread, fried foods, etc). Weight loss and exercise can dramatically improve the overall health and reproductive function of women with PCOS. Many PCOS patients also respond well to diabetes medications. Recent evidence indicates that metformin may improve the chances of a successful pregnancy regardless or a woman’s weight or blood level of glucose and insulin. It is also important to note that in most cases women who appear to have PCOS should be tested for other hormonal abnormalities such as thyroid, pituitary or adrenal dysfunction. If the symptoms of excess male hormones appear suddenly and progress rapidly, testing for a hormone-producing tumor should be considered.

If a woman has irregular menses, she should seek treatment by a women’s healthcare provider. If the menses are regular but a woman is unsure if she is ovulating, the OVWATCH is an excellence means to determine the presence of absence of ovulation. Again, if no evidence of ovulation is detected, proper testing and treatment by a specialist is crucial. Once treatment has begun, the OVWATCH may be used to monitor response and enhance success by identifying the optimum time for sexual relations or artificial insemination.

One of the most difficult question that face couples who have been through extensive testing and treatments, is when to forgo further attempts at pregnancy. Several factors are important in this decision. Age and ovarian function as measured by hormone levels (predominately FSH and estradiol), ultrasound assessment of the ovarian and response to previous treatment, form the backbone of future predictions of success or failure. Although many women will conceive after several attempts of IVF, the potential for success declines in many couples are 3 or 4 attempts. While the majority of the lack of success can be attributed to low egg number or poor quality, abnormal sperm function may play a role in unusual cases. Some experts recommend genetic testing of the embryos with PGD (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis), but the latest research suggests that PGD does not increase the overall pregnancy rate. Even in cases where a woman is much older (50 – 55 years of age) or has very poor function of her ovaries, IVF with a donor eggs gives women an outstanding chance to achieve a successful pregnancy. Many couples also pursue adoption as a means to become parents.

The OVWATCH is designed to detect changes in a woman’s sweat that are associated with the menstrual cycle and predicts the approaching ovulation far sooner than traditional methods (temperature or urine hormones). The OVWATCH should be worn at night beginning within three days of the start of menses. The OVWATCH will detect a woman’s individual fertility window and in most cases identify a 4 –5 day period prior to ovulation where intercourse can result in a successful pregnancy. Each morning, OVWATCH displays the woman’s fertility status: Not fertility; Fertility day 1, 2, 3, 4; Day of ovulation. The OVWATCH is almost 6 times more likely to identify a 4 or 5 day fertility window when compared to morning temperature readings or pee sticks. Once the Fertile Day 1 is displayed, the woman may continue to wear the watch each night or just proceed with the countdown to ovulation and sexual relations without wearing the watch further.

Women who are taking clomiphene citrate for ovulation induction often ovulate later the traditional 14th day and it is not unusual to see evidence of ovulation several days later. However, if the second half of the cycle (ovulation to the start of menses) is less than 10-12 days, ovulation may not have occurred. A short second half of the cycle has been termed an inadequate luteal phase. In the past, an endometrial biopsy was performed to evaluate the synchrony of the endometrium with that of the ovary and ovulation. However, recent evidence indicates that an endometrial biopsy does not aid in the diagnosis or treatment of infertility and the results from the biopsy may not correlate the time in a woman’s cycle or the potential for a successful pregnancy. Many physicians often check blood levels of progesterone or routinely supplement this hormone to “assist” the pregnancy or restore the luteal phase. Although this practice is widespread, it has not been scientifically proven to be of benefit. Finally, fertility medications such as clomiphene citrate may have some role in “restoring” ovulation and correcting any mismatch between the uterus and ovary. The OVWATCH is a good method to identify the fertility window if a woman is ovulating on her own on in response to clomiphene citrate. The OVWATCH can also be used to accurately time intercourse or insemination (IUI). Preliminary evidence from an ongoing trial indicates that it is comparable to ultrasound and lab work performed in a physician’s office. In addition, clomiphene citrate is often used to induce ovulation in women who have chronically high LH (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: PCOS). Chronically high LH may cause false reading with monitors that rely on urine testing or pee sticks. The OVWATCH may be the most accurate means to correctly identify the fertile period in these women once ovulation has been restored with weight loss, diabetes therapies or fertility medications.

Time is of the essence when a woman enters her mid to late 30s in regards to fertility. Although previous fertility increases the chances of a successful pregnancy, the length of time that a couple has been trying without conception decreases the likelihood of pregnancy. The presence of a regular cycles with moliminal symptoms (moodiness, breast tenderness, bloating, etc) prior to the onset of bleeding, indicate that a woman is ovulating in most cases. Traditionally, women have also used changes in the basal body temperature or urine hormone levels to predict ovulation. However, the older methods of ovulation detection often only gives a couple 12 to 24 hours notice prior to ovulation. The OVWATCH empowers most women with a 4 to 5 days notice of the approaching ovulation. While the egg can only live in the female reproductive tract for a day before the potential for conception is lost, sperm remain alive and can achieve a pregnancy for up to 7 days. Identification of the maximum fertile window and the impending ovulation several days in advance allows couples several days to have sexual relations. Finally, the indication of the maximum fertile window with the OVWATCH may result in 66% more pregnancies in just 6 months compared to other methods of ovulation prediction. However, women who do not have regular cycles or those who do not have evidence of ovulation should seek the assistance of a women’s healthcare provider or fertility specialist. In addition, many experts recommend that a woman who has had previous difficulty getting pregnant or who is in her late 30s to early 40s seek evaluation and possible treatment by a fertility specialist very early in the process.

The OVWATCH is an FDA approved fertility predictor based on scientifically sound principals and has been shown to be as good or better than traditional methods of ovulation detection. In addition, proper timing of intercourse or IUI relative to ovulation dramatically enhances the chances of conception. However, numerous studies suggest that proper timing and treatments (even advanced ones such as IVF) cannot overcome advanced reproductive age. None the less, pregnancies do occur in women until the time of menopause which occurs on average at 51 years of age in North America. However, it becomes increasing hard to get pregnant as a women enters her late thirties and early forties. Studies estimate that only 1 in 3 women between the ages of 40 and 44 who are trying to conceive will be successful. In addition, the success of IVF declines rapidly with few pregnancies reported after the age of 44 or 45. A recent report from a large IVF center found only 2 successful pregnancies out of 150 IVF attempts in women who were 44 or 45 years of age. Although the number of women who attempted an IVF cycle beyond 45 years of age was small, no successful pregnancies occurred. Fortunately, IVF with a donor eggs gives women an outstanding chance to achieve and carry a pregnancy regardless of their age (up to 50 or 55) or ovarian function. Many couples also opt to pursue adoption as a means to become parents. As one’s fertility declines, identification of the fertile window may be even more crucial. However, as time is of the essence, prompt evaluation and treatment by a fertility specialist should be considered.

Many women express frustration with the monitors such as Clear Plan Fertility monitor and several have sent me their inaccurate results. Several condition including early menopause or decreased function of the ovary and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) may give false reading due to chronic high LH or estradiol levels. In addition, even if the monitor is accurate, reliance on LH / estradiol levels, cervical mucous, or temperature chances limits many women to hours or a day notice of the approaching ovulation. Timing is especially of the essence as a woman enters her late 30s or early 40s. The OVWatch accurately predicts ovulation and gives a couple 4 or 5 days to achieve conception each month, dramatically reducing the stress of “timed intercourse”. Research conducted by fertility specialist at Duke University indicates that the OVWACH is as good or better than the tradition methods in predicting a woman’s fertility and was almost 6 times more likely to predict a 4 or 5 day window of opportunity. The OVWatch can also be used to determine if ovulation is occurring spontaneously and to accurately predict the fertility window in woman on clomiphene citrate. Accurate determination of ovulation and early consultation with a fertility specialist are of paramount importance when a woman wishes to become pregnant in her later reproductive years.

If a woman is ovulating, the OVWATCH can optimize the chances of pregnancy by accurately identifying the maximum fertility window where sexual relations have the potential to result in a pregnancy. The proper timing of intercourse or IUI relative to ovulation dramatically enhances the probability of conception. Previous fertility also increases a woman’s chance at conception. However, it becomes increasing hard to get pregnancy as a women enters her late thirties and early forties. Studies estimate that only 1 in 3 women between the ages of 40 and 44 who are trying to conceive will be successful. In addition, the chance of a miscarriage increases dramatically as a woman enters her 40s. However, as one’s fertility declines, identification of the fertile window may be even more crucial and as time is of the essence, prompt evaluation and treatment by a fertility specialist should be considered. While simple treatments such as fertility tablets (clomiphene citrate or letrozole) may be all that is needed, injectable fertility medication or IVF may be required. Even in cases where a woman is much older (50 – 55 years of age) or has very poor function of her ovaries, IVF with a donor eggs gives women an outstanding chance to achieve a successful pregnancy.

The consistency of the cervical mucous reflects the surge in estrogen that occurs around the time of ovulation. Thick mucous may indicate that a woman is not ovulating. In the past, couples would undergo a post-coital test (PCT) to determine the quality of the cervical mucous and its interaction with motile sperm. However, the accuracy and benefit of this test has been questioned. In most cases, it is no longer a routine part of the infertility evaluation. In part because artificial or intrauterine insemination would bypass any potential problem with the cervix or the cervical mucous. Various methods to thin thick mucous including estrogen supplementation and cough syrup have been proposed but lack sound scientific evidence to support their use. Although the quality of the cervical mucous may be used to suggest ovulation, other criteria are more accurate and less subjective. The presence of a regular cycles with moliminal symptoms (moodiness, breast tenderness, bloating, etc) prior to the onset of bleeding, indicate that a woman is ovulating in most cases. Traditionally, women have also used changes in the basal body temperature or urine hormone levels to predict ovulation. However, traditional methods of ovulation detection often only give a couple 12 to 24 hours notice prior to ovulation. The OVWATCH gives informs women 4 to 5 days in advance of the approaching ovulation. While the egg can only live in the female reproductive tract for a day before the potential for conception is lost, sperm remain alive and can achieve a pregnancy for up to 7 days. Identification of the maximum fertile window and the impending ovulation several days in advance allows couples several days to have sexual relations. Finally, the increased opportunity for intercourse may result in 66% more pregnancies in just 6 months. However, women who do not have regular cycles or those who do not have evidence of ovulation should seek the assistance of a women’s healthcare provider or fertility specialist.