Method and kits for monitoring women's health
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for determining the fertility status of a current ovulation cycle of a female human, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility; and
(b) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the transition phase, fertile phase, ovulation, or infertile phase of a menstrual cycle in said female human, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by periodically collecting a tear fluid from the female human and then determining the tear concentration of said hormone.
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and kits for monitoring the status of women'"'"'s health, including HRT monitoring and determination or diagnosis of ovulation, contraception, pregnancy, menopause, polycystic ovarian disease, and female sexual dysfunction. The method comprises the steps of: (a) collecting a tear fluid from a female human; (b) determining the tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility, sexual differentiation or sexual dysfunction in a female human, wherein the tear concentration is diagnostics of the status of women'"'"'s health.
29 Citations
91 Claims
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1. A method for determining the fertility status of a current ovulation cycle of a female human, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility; and
(b) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the transition phase, fertile phase, ovulation, or infertile phase of a menstrual cycle in said female human, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by periodically collecting a tear fluid from the female human and then determining the tear concentration of said hormone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility; and
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17. A method for determining the fertility status of a current ovulation cycle of a female human, comprising a series of steps performed at least once per day for at least several days preceding and following ovulation, said steps comprising:
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from the female human;
(b) determining variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility to establish variation in tear concentration of said hormone; and
(c) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the fertile phase, ovulation, or infertile phase of a menstrual cycle in said female human. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from the female human;
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33. A birth control method, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility;
(b) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the fertile phase, ovulation, and/or terminal infertile period of a menstrual cycle in said female human; and
(c) causing said female human to avoid exposure to fertilization beginning at least at the onset of the fertile phase and ending day “
+2”
relative to the day of actual ovulation, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by periodically collecting a tear fluid from the female human and then determining the tear concentration of said hormone. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility;
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49. A birth control method, comprising a series of steps performed at least once per day for at least several days preceding and following ovulation, said steps comprising:
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from the female human;
(b) determining variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility to establish variation in tear concentration of said hormone;
(c) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the fertile phase, ovulation, and/or terminal infertile period of a menstrual cycle in said female human; and
(c) causing said female human to avoid exposure to fertilization beginning at least at the onset of the fertile phase and ending day “
+2”
relative to the day of actual ovulation. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from the female human;
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65. A method for monitoring the status of women'"'"'s health, comprising the steps of:
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from an eye of a female;
(b) determining the tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility, sexual differentiation or sexual dysfunction in a female human, wherein the tear concentration of said hormone is diagnostics of the status of women'"'"'s health. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
- (a) collecting a tear fluid from an eye of a female;
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73. A kit for determining the fertility status of a current ovulation cycle of a female human, for birth control, or for monitoring the status of women'"'"'s health, the kit comprising:
- a plurality of tear-collecting devices, a testing reagent composition which specifically reacts or interacts with at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility, sexual differentiation or sexual dysfunction in a female human to form a detectable signal which changes in a concentration-dependent manner, and optionally instruction.
- View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A method for determining the fertility status of a current ovulation cycle of a female non-human mammal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility; and
(b) evaluating the correspondence of the variation in tear concentration of said hormone to onset of the transition phase, fertile phase, ovulation, or infertile phase of a menstrual cycle in said female nonhuman mammal, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by periodically collecting a tear fluid from the female nonhuman mammal and then determining the tear concentration of said hormone. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
- (a) monitoring variation in tear concentration of at least one hormone of relevance to female fertility; and
Specification