Pregnancy, in and of itself can be a strange thing. You see, some people seem to get pregnant at the drop of a hat while others don’t have that kind of luck. Those who don’t, must plan out their approach, choosing to have intercourse on the days when the woman is most fertile. There are all kinds of trackers, testing strips, and gadgets designed to help you discern when is the most opportune time to conceive.
On a personal level, I have a vested interest in this, because my wife and I have been trying for at least a year now. We’ve tried multiple ways to improve our chances – which I will not discuss here – all to no avail.
That’s one area in particular that could be improved through the use of wearables. These types of devices could help couples by increasing their chances to conceive.
For instance, there are monitors called basal body thermometers that can measure a woman’s basal body temperature (BBT) to provide an indication of fertility; more specifically they can identify exactly when a woman is ovulating. Devices like this with the “smart” moniker – and the right hardware – can relay the information to a smartphone, allowing folks to choose the ideal time to maximize their chances of conceiving.
One crucial element of basal thermometers, however, is that women must take their temperature at the same time every day to collect the necessary data. Modern thermometers can help alleviate this issue by delivering alerts and notifications through a companion app on smartphones.
Believe it or not, there are a few devices out there already that can help with such a thing.
The Best Fertility Trackers to Increase Chances of a Pregnancy
Daysy
Since we started this with an example of a basal body thermometer, it only makes sense to list one as the first device on the list. The Daysy is an oral thermometer that can display results both on the integrated display and via a smartphone.
The display will turn red for fertile, or green for infertile. Supposedly, the device is accurate up to 1/100 of a degree. In layman’s terms, they claim it’s 99.3% effective.
It has a companion app for iPhone called DaysyView that allows you to track and record your readings. The data collected is then analyzed allowing users to identify a pattern in fertility. This is especially helpful if it takes a while to conceive because then you can predict future ovulation cycles.
The Daysy is $375 through the official site.
Clue
Clue is a free period tracker app – available through iTunes and Google Play – that uses a variety of peronal information to identify when someone is most fertile. As a plus, it’s ‘confident, scientific and not pink’ which is always great if you’re not into the color pink.
You must submit information related to sex drive and activity, moods, pain levels, menstrual cycle patterns and fluid levels. Afterward, it will analyze all the data available and then let you know when your best time to try is.
Why is it more relevant than the dozens of other apps out there that track menstrual cycles and ovulation? Because of how accurate it is.
Glow
Glow is another free application that you can download on iTunes or Google Play though it collects and uses personal information in a much different way than Clue. You can sync the device with one of several fitness trackers such as the MisFit, Fitbit, Jawbone UP, and MyFitnessPal app.
When you first start up the application, you’re asked to choose a personal “journey”. That is, you define whether you’re trying to get pregnant, avoid it altogether, or would like to manage your fertility medication – if you are taking it.
Along with fertility information, the app will offer health tips for you and your partner – male and female.
Ondo Ovatemp
The ONDO oral body basal thermometer syncs up with the Ovatemp app, which sadly is only available for iOS currently.
There’s a bunch of stuff available through the app, but what it does that’s most important is send the user notifications to let them know when it’s time to check temperature readings. This information can then be used to identify the most fertile periods.
The Ondo Ovatemp thermometer is $80 through the official site.
OvuView
You didn’t think we were going to forget about Android, did you? OvuView is arguably one of the best menstrual, ovulation and fertility trackers for Android and it’s free.
It analyzes your menses, basal body temperature, cervical mucus and/or cervix patterns to identify when you’re most fertile. It also handles different tasks like helping you avoid pregnancy, track weight, menstrual cycles and PMS, and much more.
Definitely give this one a try if you’re using an Android phone.
Tempdrop
The Tempdrop is a wearable sensor that can either be attached to the skin directly or worn via an armband. Either way, it collects personal information and tracks movement to deliver real-time predictions.
It measures both skin temperature and ambient temperature, which is mainly used to detect fertility periods. There’s a 3-axis accelerometer inside the device that can handle sleep tracking at night, provided you want to wear this thing to bed.
It works with both iOS and Android through various third-party apps, but it does not have a dedicated app.
It’s $85 through the official site.
Wink
Although this next device shares the same name as a connected home hub, it is definitely something else entirely. It’s an oral basal thermometer, that can supposedly collect temperatures up to four times faster than traditional thermometers.
It was developed to work with Kindara, a tracking app available on both Android and iOS. The thermometer can wirelessly sync data between it and other connected devices.
As you’d expect, the application allows women to track their fertility, chart any sexual activity changes, and even participate in a community of like-minded folks.
The Wink is $129 through the official site.
Yono
Due to the nature of basal thermometers, it can be a real pain ensuring you adhere to a strict schedule every day. Yono makes that process a little easier because it’s an in-ear thermometer that you wear all night long. While you sleep it takes continuous temperature readings and transmit the necessary data to a connected smartphone app.
The earpiece is encased in silicon so it’s relatively comfortable and sit snugly inside the ear. Information is synced wirelessly via Bluetooth, and the device battery will last for a full week before it needs to be charged again. It also has a neat little shell dock that it can sit in when you’re not using it.
Unfortunately, no price or release date has been announced just yet. You’ll have to keep your eyes and ears open for more news. Be sure to visit the official Yono Labs website for more info.
The Best Fertility Trackers to Increase Chances of a Pregnancy
Hopefully, these trackers and basal thermometers will help you discern your fertility and optimal ovulation periods so that you can conceive when you’re ready. I know my wife and I will be checking some of these out soon to see if they help.
Do you know of any similar devices that can be used to monitor ovulation and fertility?