Tracking your cycles using OvuSense

Tracking your cycle is a vital tool I use as a practitioner. I started using it in 2008 and it has been invaluable over the last 9 years. I do this for so many reasons as your cycle can show you not only key shifts that indicate ovulation has occurred but it can also show stress, how sleep or lack of it can impact your body’s ability to be and stay fertile and how well you may be responding to lifestyle changes.  It has also been a real insight into subtle changes in my body from my early thirties to my mid forties.

As a practitioner I'm always shocked how little ladies know about their cycle, and am super exited to tell them about how certain phases in their cycle can suggest better times to exercise and socialise, how motivation is high at certain points and when to 'chill down' and spend time reflecting and relaxing . When this is known it can be hugely empowering! So its not just about tracking your fertility!

Back in 2008 I got 'intimately' involved in fertility tracking. I was into 'biohacking' back then ie looking at how technology could help us to better understand our body and hormones. There were very few monitors and 'apps' didn't exist. In the UK there were also even fewer Fertility monitors. I remember getting Ovaque a fertility monitor I really liked to ship to me from America and having to convince them that it was ok!

In the last two years the market has literally exploded with fertility apps, Daisy, fertility cycle, duo fertility, Eva bracelet.  With most of these newer generation trackers, they are wearable or rely on taking a temp on skin or orally which is fab when you are well, but doesn't work if you are ill a few days before ovulation ( it happened to me a few times and was v frustrating)

In November 2015 I stumbled on a new fertility monitor at the London Fertility Show called OvuSense - OvuSense had overcome the issue of using the method of oral or skin temping by using a monitor that is inserted overnight like a tampon and records only 'core' body temps. By doing this it builds up algorithms which will then present a pattern and show when your body moves from one phase of the cycle - The Follicular to the Luteal phase, past ovulation to progesterone production ( when the ovum has burst out of the follicle and progesterone is making the body a little hotter) . When the sensor is worn overnight it takes temps every 5 mins.

OvuSense has been around a few years now and was recently named one of the top fertility apps in the Times Newspaper. I’m all about the evidence and a recent study stated, that if used correctly the device proved to be 99% accurately. Fertility Road magazine talk more about the history and trials.It has since moved on from this by now offering an app instead of a monitor, so adapting to market needs. 

I have been banging on about how great OvuSense is for so long they decided to give me access via the app ( hurrah to the lovely people at ovuSense) I have been using the new app for a few month now. Its very nifty, as links to your phone via an adaptor. And I have to say it's pretty darn good. I've even confirmed ovulation and checked progesterone via a blood test in this time so I know it works!

It's really easy to use also and in the morning after at least 7 hours of use you take out the sensor  ( wash it) and place the sensor on the adaptor which goes into your phone headphones port. The device then picks up the signal and transfers the data to the app on your phone. 

The device has also been a real support system for ladies with PCOS who are unaware if ovulating, and has an amazing Facebook page to support ladies using it for this reason and it has over 15,000 users. I dip into the group now and again and have given advice on supplements and diet which has been well received by the group.

Missing your fertile window is frustrating. As a practitioner tracking and looking at the health of your cycle is at the heart of what I do. I would be bold enough to say its also something that about 70% get wrong during the fertility journey unless given proper guidance.  It is important to know this as every woman's cycle is different and there is no room for error with a 24 hour window! I also use it to identify an unbalanced cycle that needs some support and when this is evident functional testing is where I go next. 

Using OvuSense to help identify this in my view has been a real game changer and as a practitioner has been a huge asset to my practice, as once diet and lifestyle suggestions are in place you can see a real difference in the charts, and in most cases predict early pregnancy!