OVULATION MONITOR

• US 3,749,089 A
• Filed: 10/26/1971
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lloyd J. Derr
• Original Assignee: Lloyd J. Derr
• Inventors: Derr, Lloyd J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Medbery, Aldrich F.
• Application Number:
  US05/192,415
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1R,2.1E,2.1Z,2R 324/71
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0016 based on measurement of electric currents, e.g. conductivity tests

Abstract

An instrument for monitoring ovulation including a dual electrode vaginal probe and monitoring device for indicating the magnitude and polarity of the electrochemical response of vaginal fluids with the electrodes. The instrument detects the biochemical change of vaginal fluids from an acidic oxidative response to the temporary reductive response occurring coincident with ovulation. This response can be utilized for an aid to contraception, as an aid to conception or to aid in determining the sex of offspring.

Claims

1. An instrument for monitoring ovulation comprising:

a vaginal probe assembly including first and second electrode means for sensing the composition of vagInal fluids and developing a first electrochemical signal having a first polarity when said vaginal fluid has one composition and a second signal having an opposite polarity when said vaginal fluid has another composition; and

monitoring means connected to said electrode means for indicating the polarity and magnitude of said signals.

2. An instrument according to claim 1 in which said probe assembly includes an elongated cylindrical fluid impervious, electrically insulating body supporting said electrodes in spaced relationship with the surface of the electrodes exposed to contact said fluid.

3. An instrument according to claim 2 in which the forward end of said probe terminates in a rounded tip and the rear wall of said body includes a dual terminal electrical connector for connection to said monitoring means.

4. An instrument according to claim 3 in which the body of said probe is hollow and a single conductor extends from each of said electrodes to each terminal of the connector.

5. An instrument according to claim 2 in which said first electrode means is disposed adjacent the tip of the probe body and said second electrode means is disposed from 1 to 5 inches from the first electrode.

6. An instrument according to claim 1 in which at least one of said electrode means is formed of two electrically connected metals which develop opposite polarity signals in reducing and oxidizing mediums.

7. An instrument according to claim 1 in which said first and second electrode means are each formed of the same two electrically connected metals which develop opposite polarity signals in reducing and oxidizing mediums.

8. An instrument according to claim 7 in which said first and second electrode means are each formed of two separate metal discs;

and there is a conductor support means for electrically connecting the discs of each electrode means into a dual metal electrode.

9. An instrument according to claim 8 in which said conductor support meAns comprises a first hollow metal pipe supporting and connecting the two metal discs of said first electrode and a second hollow metal pipe supporting and electrically connecting the two metal discs of said second electrode.

10. An instrument according to claim 7 in which the first metal of an electrode is chromium and the second metal of an electrode is gold.

11. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the monitoring means includes a high impedance field effect transistor balanced differential amplifier and a zero center microammeter for measuring the output of the amplifier.

12. A method of detecting biochemical changes in the vaginal fluid of the human female comprising the steps of:

contacting the vaginal fluid of the subject with an electrode probe supporting a first electrode adjacent the cervix of the subject and a second electrode disposed adjacent the vaginal opening;

measuring the polarity and magnitude of the electromotive force developed between the electrodes; and

displaying the moment of polarity reversal of said electromotive force as an indication of biochemical change in the composition of the fluid.

13. A method according to claim 12 including the step of observing the polarity reversal as indicative of the presence of reductive fluids and the onset of ovulation.

14. A method according to claim 12 which includes the step of making each of the electrodes from a pair of dissimilar metals which when electrically connected are capable of functioning as an anode and cathode in oxidizing and reducing media.

15. A method according to claim 14 further including the step of conditioning said electrodes by exposing them to an oxidizing media before exposing them to the reducing media present during ovulation.

16. An instrument for monitoring ovulation comprising a vaginal probe assembly including:

a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly;

both said electrode assemblies being supported spaced from each other on the Surface of said probe for exposure to a vaginal fluid at two different locations;

each said electrode assembly comprising two spaced electrically connected metals providing means for producing a voltage having one polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in an oxidizing state and an opposite polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in a reducing state; and

indicating means connected to said electrode assemblies for indicating the polarity and magnitude of the resulting voltage developed.

17. An instrument for monitoring as recited in claim 16 wherein one of the metals of each said electrode assembly has the property of functioning as an anode in an oxidizing media and as a cathode and a reducing media;

and the other of the metals of each said electrode assembly has the property of functioning as a cathode in an oxidizing media and as an anode in a reducing media.

18. An instrument for monitoring as recited in claim 17 wherein one of said metals in said electrode assembly is gold and the other of said metals is chromium.