Several times each month, we receive inquiries from women and clinical professionals asking about the ‘value’ of the OvuSense device. Since OvuSense was first created, we have continued to be proud of the clinical understanding of our technology. If you would like to read more about the clinical backing of OvuSense, please visit this page or let us know if you have any questions. 

The non-clinical value question is always a bit more challenging because every woman’s fertility journey is different and they use OvuSense for different reasons. Regardless of the specific information they are looking for, all our users share the desire to learn more about their unique cycles in order to grow their families. Below, we have outlined a few specific ways that OvuSense can help depending on where you are in your journey based on the experiences of OvuSense users and clinical professionals who have used OvuSense themselves, or had patients using OvuSense under their care. 

The most important ‘value’ remains education and understanding. However, there is far more ‘value’ along the fertility journey as we’ve learned during our 10+ years offering OvuSense. While we can augment the information along your fertility journey or even help time important fertility treatments based on showing when you ovulate, it is important to note that OvuSense is not intended to replace any other clinical procedure or process recommended by your doctor.

Early Education About Your Cycle

Showing when, or even if you ovulate naturally, is not only one of OvuSense’s core functions, but foundational to your entire fertility journey. The fact is that whether or not a woman gets her period does not necessarily mean she is ovulating, and fewer than 10% of women with 28-day cycles actually ovulate on day 14. Having this knowledge is key to determining the right path for you. When she first started tracking her cycle, OvuSense user Katie discovered she ovulates on day 16-17 of her cycle – this knowledge ended up being instrumental to getting pregnant. 

Equally important during your journey can be finding others to support you along the way. OvuSense users receive not only the support of our dedicated team, but the opportunity to connect with thousands of women in our online user group. No journey is the same, but having a dedicated place to

 connect with, learn from, and share with others can be an invaluable resource for many women.

Navigating Challenges Along The Way 

Of the millions of women who have difficulty getting or staying pregnant, around 1 in 4 struggle with some kind of ovulation disorder— and experts say many more likely go undiagnosed. Using data from their own OvuSense charts in consultation with their clinical care teams, women can more easily get answers and diagnoses related to the challenges they face. The sooner these diagnoses, such as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are known, the better-informed decisions about their treatment can be made. As one example, using her OvuSense data, Morgan Roush was able to advocate for herself and reach her PCOS diagnosis with her physician. You can read more about her experience here.  

After you have a sense of your cycle and if you are ovulating naturally, one aspect of treatment may include fertility-supporting medications or supplements. Using core body temperature, OvuSense can help women better understand if or how these medications are impacting their cycles, to help them and their doctors adjust dosage, timing, or types of these medications and supplements. 

The same is true for other homeopathic fertility treatments, such as acupuncture, reflexology, and chiropractic/massage. As many of these treatments have to be performed when you’re ovulating, OvuSense can help by pinpointing your fertility window in advance. Tracking things like cervical mucus, core body temperature, and other physical symptoms allows you to time these treatments appropriately and understand their impact. Learn more about how OvuSense works with homeopathic fertility treatments on our blog. 

Timing An Advanced Treatment Path

Beyond building an early understanding of your cycle, the information that OvuSense provides can be incredibly valuable when considering and scheduling more advanced fertility tests and treatments. Understanding exactly where you are in your cycle can help you to better time bloodwork and ultrasounds that may result in changes to your timing and treatment plans. 

Beyond helping to time pre-treatment tests, OvuSense’s ovulation prediction technology can be incredibly important for timing intrauterine insemination (IUI) to achieve successful implantation. One OvuSense user saw this first hand, as she trusted the data from OvuSense to time her ninth IUI – which ultimately resulted in a successful pregnancy. Another was trying to time her IUIs to conceive without a partner using donor sperm, and same-sex couples have also benefitted from the increased understanding of when to time these treatments. 

The same is true for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), during which your body’s reaction to oral and injectable medications can impact the timing of return visits and implantation. Using OvuSense before, during, and after IVF can help to time ovulation-inducing HCG injections, monitor your ovulation during rest cycles, and gauge whether there is sufficient progesterone in the luteal phase to sustain a pregnancy once implantation has taken place. 

No matter where you are along your fertility journey, we hope that the information OvuSense provides helps you feel more informed and educated about your own body, and in turn, more in control of the process — a feeling that is invaluable. If you would like to read more about real women who have used OvuSense, and their experiences, visit our blog.

 

About our regular contributor, Kate Davies:

Kate Davies (RN, BSc (Hons), FP Cert) is a registered Fertility Nurse Consultant and IVF coach with over 25 years of experience in fertility and women's health. She worked in the UK's National Health Service as a specialist nurse in Gynecology, Sexual and Contraceptive Health and Fertility for 20 years before founding Your Fertility Journey consultancy company. A member of the British Fertility Society and registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, she is a practitioner with Fertility UK where she receives regular training and clinical supervision. She has a special interest in both natural contraception and PCOS and has taken specialist training in the latter to enhance her knowledge and practice. She carries out consultations either using online video or at her Harley Street Clinic in London, providing both emotional support and clinical advice to her patients.  In 2017, Your Fertility Journey was awarded Best Fertility Consultancy UK by Lux Health, Beauty and Wellness Awards, and in 2019 were given the title of Best Fertility Consultancy and Best Fertility Nurse by GHP's Alternative Medicine and Holistic Health Awards. Find her on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram at @your_fertility_journey, and listen to her on The Fertility Podcast.

Kate Davies - Independent Fertility Nurse
Your Fertility Journey