Getting pregnant sounds the most natural and almost automatic thing, but this could not be farther from the truth. According to a 2013 study, one in six couples has a hard time conceiving despite a year of trying. For them, this seemingly natural process turns into a dedicated and planned activity, which starts with monitoring their fertility window. While there are several ways, how we can learn about the ovulation cycles that are different from individual to individual, the saliva fern test is quite likely the most natural and non-intrusive method.
Saliva crystals tell you your fertile window
Every female body is experiencing a cyclical transformation every month. Depending where you are in your ovulation cycle, things change in your body. One of those is the level of estrogen, which increases near your time of ovulation. If we are able to spot this increase in estrogen, we can find out when we are entering our most fertile window – and we can find the answer in a single drop of dried saliva.
When our saliva dries, it causes crystals, but when we have increased estrogen – which happens 4-5 days before the ovulation – the crystals form a fern-shaped form. We can observe this with a dedicated handy ovulation microscope. If we put a saliva on the glass, allow it to dry and then look through the microscope, we can observe different patterns that saliva crystals make. What you would normally see are dots and circles, a full or partial fern or a combination of all the previously mentioned things. This all depends on where you are in your monthly cycle.
However, this might be somewhat difficult to interpret on your own – fernization occurs in different forms and different intensities and because of that the traditional saliva fern test boasts only 70-80% accuracy. The problem is not that much in the method itself, rather than in the interpretation that is difficult. The formation of fern-shaped crystals itself offer above 99% accuracy, so if we are able to improve the interpretation of the results, we could instantly improve the precision and reliability of saliva fern test.
This is precisely what Babyndex is doing by employing simple-to-use technology (ovulation microscope and an app on your smartphone) with an advanced algorithm that analyses and interprets your saliva crystals. This precise information can be used to help you become pregnant and to find out reliably when you are in your most fertile part of your menstrual cycle.
Interpret and predict ovulation with Babyndex
Babyndex application on iPhone or Android smartphone enables us to interpret the crystal patterns and based on this provide prediction as to when you are going to enter your fertile part of the ovulation cycle. Instead of you having to look through the microscope, simply place the microscope on your phone camera, take a picture and let the application do the rest.
The whole process – putting saliva on the glass, allowing it to dry, taking a picture and waiting for the results – only takes a couple of minutes and it can be done with same equipment day after day. The more information and images of your saliva it has, the more precise the algorithm will in in prediction your next fertile window.
Because of this repeat-ability and because it uses only a simple small microscope and a smartphone that you already have, it also provides an affordable way to learn more about your body and help you plan your parenthood in a more precise and – hopefully – successful way.
Of course, with Babyndex you can learn when you are going to be in your most fertile part of ovulation cycle and it does not guarantee that you will definitely become pregnant.