Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1.
ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor with a test stick inserted. Three bars indicate low (1 bar), high (2 bars, based on detection of E3G rise), or peak fertility (3 bars and an egg symbol, based on detection of luteinizing hormone threshold).
- Figure 2.
These 3 cycles are illustrative of the online charting system that records monitor readings, intercourse, bleeding, and mucus observations. L refers to low fertility per the monitor or mucus, H refers to high fertility, and P refers to peak fertility and impending ovulation. Cycle 10 illustrates the artificial 20-day cycle and testing every second day on the monitor. Cycle 11 illustrates the first ovulation as picked up by the electronic hormonal fertility monitor (EHFM) and reflected in mucus observations. Cycle 12 illustrates the first menses (menses score ! 12) occurring soon after the first ovulation and shows the later ovulation and longer length of the first menstrual cycle postpartum. Note that the “fertile window” shown on the website applies to only women with regular cycles and not to the first 2 cycles during amenorrhea.
- Figure 3.
Inclusion flow diagram.
Tables
Original Protocol* for Artificial Cycles During Amenorrhea Additional Rules for First 6 Cycles After the Return of Menses Trigger a cycle by pushing the “M” button on the monitor.
Fast-forward the monitor to day 5.
The monitor will ask for a test for the next 20 days.
Test your first morning urine every other day.
When a high is recorded, test the urine every day.
Retrigger the monitor and fast-forward every 20 days.
Continue steps 1–6 until you detect a peak reading and resume menses.
To avoid pregnancy, avoid intercourse on high and peak days and 3 full days after the last peak day.
9. When menses returns, reset the monitor and erase the memory (erase the memory for all 6 cycles postpartum). Day 1 is the first day of menses. Begin testing when the monitor asks for a test on day 6.
10. Fertility begins on day 10 of the first cycle after the return of menses, day 9 in the second cycle, day 8 in the third cycle, day 7 in the fourth cycle, and day 6 in the fifth cycle onward. However, if the monitor records a high reading before these days, then fertility starts on the day of the first high reading.
11. (Optional) Beginning on day 6 of the first menstrual cycle postpartum, women may do a second test for the LH surge in the evening with a separate LH test kit.
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This study used the rules of the original protocol, which are listed in the left column. The revised rules are in the right column.
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↵* The original protocol is taken from Ref. 21.
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LH, luteinizing hormone.
- Table 2.
Demographics of Total Participants (N = 337) and Online Charting Participants (n =198)*
Demographics Total (N = 337) Charting (n = 198) Age, years (mean [SD]) 30.5 ± 5.1 30.2 ± 4.9 Years married (mean [SD]) 5.7 ± 4.6 5.3 ± 4.3 Living children (mean [SD]) 3.0 ± 1.7 2.9 ± 1.7 White ethnicity (%) 70 73 Catholic religion (%) 79 79 -
↵* There were no significant differences in demographics between the total online participants and the online charting participants.
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Months Women Exposed (n) Cumulative Pregnancy Rate (n) 1 198 0 3 138 0 6 117 0 12 74 8 Month 1 Month 2 Month 6 Ease of including into daily routine 4.9 ± 1.9 4.8 ± 1.8 4.8 ± 2.0 Ease of using electronic chart 5.6 ± 1.7 5.7 ± 1.5 5.9 ± 1.3 Understanding information available on the website 5.7 ± 1.4 6.0 ± 1.0 5.8 ± 1.3 Overall opinion of website 6.0 ± 1.1 6.0 ± 1.3 6.2 ± 1.0 Increased ability to avoid pregnancy with website 5.2 ± 1.5 5.7 ± 1.4 5.8 ± 1.3 Decreased anxiety about becoming pregnant with website 4.8 ± 1.7 5.4 ± 1.6 5.5 ± 1.6 Ease of using website 5.9 ± 1.2 6.1 ± 0.9 6.2 ± 1.0 Do you like the website? 5.5 ± 1.3 5.7 ± 1.1 5.8 ± 1.0 Compared with other methods to avoid pregnancy, how much of an improvement is the website? 5.7 ± 1.3 6.0 ± 1.1 6.0 ± 1.2 Chances of avoiding pregnancy this month 5.7 ± 1.1 6.1 ± 1.1 6.0 ± 1.2 Totals 55.4 ± 8.8 57.7 ± 8.3 58.3 ± 7.7 -
Values are means ± standard deviations. Items are scored on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being the most negative response and 7 being the most positive response.
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