The importance of accurately predicting and detecting the onset of ovulation in fertile females has been recognized for many years. Such information is extremely useful as an aid to fertilization, or to prevent fertilization without the need of contraceptive devices or drugs. Several fertility detectors have been developed which measure these various hormones or their indirect physiological effects. For instance, basal body temperature (BBT) reaches a nadir followed by a sharp rise around the time of ovulation. Cervical mucus undergoes viscosity changes stimulated by rising estrogen which can help direct sperm towards the egg. This procedure generally requires female humans to take their vaginal temperature and chart the value every morning before rising. A device for determining a fertile phase of a female human comprising a sensor for sensing concentrations of at least two ions, comprising a first ion and a second ion, in the eccrine sweat of the female and generating output signals indicative of concentrations of the at least two ions in the eccrine sweat; (b) a processor for controlling the sensor to sense the concentrations of at least two ions in the eccrine sweat substantially simultaneously and at least on a daily basis.
The fertile period in a female can be detected by monitoring the daily changes in frequency of an oscillator circuit when a capacitive oral sensor is placed in contact with the subject's saliva. The method of diagnosing the onset of the fertile period of a female mammal subject comprising: a. monitoring the concentration of electrolytes in solution by measuring changes in capacitance/permeability of a capacitive oral sensor that is in contact with said bodily fluid. A capacitive oral sensor comprising: a. a non-conductive element separating first and second conducting elements to form a capacitor-like component; and b. terminals associated with said capacitor-like element connectable to an electric circuit that is responsive to the capacitance of said oral sensor. Measuring changes in the concentration of a number of ions in eccrine sweat may be used for predicting ovulation. The concentration of the ions measured include sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, chloride and nitrate. Another method for diagnosing fertility status may be carried by monitoring folliculogenesis using a small single-piece self-contained probe with a display in the handle of the device indicating the beginning and the end of the fertile window and/or the actual fertile day numbers within said fertile window.
