Method and apparatus for predicting and detecting the onset of ovulation

• US 4,685,471 A
• Filed: 03/20/1985
• Issued: 08/11/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zetek Incorporated 794 Ventura St Aurora Company
• Original Assignee: Zetek Incorporated
• Inventors: Regas, Jennine, Fernando, Ranjit S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/713,866
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 128/734, 128/738
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0016 based on measurement of electric currents, e.g. conductivity tests

Abstract

A method and apparatus for predicting ovulation in a human female subject. The onset of menstruation of the subject is noted. Daily determinations are made of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, beginning not more than five days following beginning of menstruation. The onset of ovulation is determined as a function of a peak resistivity measurement following onset of menstruation, which peak is followed by a nadir and subsequent sharp increase in saliva electrical resistivity measurement. Vaginal resistivity measurements may be made to confirm ovulation. A probe is used for the resistivity measurement. A probe includes a head or body with exposed imbedded electrodes.

Claims

1. A method for predicting ovulation in a human female subject, comprising the steps of noting the onset of menstruation of the subject, making daily determinations of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva beginning not more than five days following beginning of menstruation, and indicating the onset of ovulation as a function of a peak resistivity measurement following onset of menstruation, which peak is followed by a nadir and subsequent sharp increase in said electrical resistivity measurement.

2. A method for predicting ovulation in a human female subject, comprising the steps of noting the onset of menstruation of the subject, making daily determinations of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva beginning not more than five days following beginning of menstruation, and indicating the onset of ovulation as a function of a peak resistivity measurement following onset of menstruation, which peak is followed by a nadir and subsequent sharp increase in electrical resistivity measurement, said peak occurring about six days prior to day of ovulation and said sharp increase occurring about two days prior to onset of ovulation.

3. A method for predicting ovulation in a human female subject comprising the steps of obtaining and storing information with respect to the subject'"'"'s menstrual cycle and the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, and processing such stored information to statistically predict the fertility status of said subject in response to peaks and nadirs of resistivity following onset of menstruation.

4. A method for predicting ovulation in a human female subject comprising the steps of obtaining and storing information with respect to the subject'"'"'s menstrual cycle and the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, and processing such stored information to statistically predict the fertility status of said subject in response to peaks and nadirs of resistivity following onset of menstruation, the peak resistivity following the beginning of the menstrual cycle indicating onset of ovulation within about six days, and a nadir following said peak and in turn followed by a sharp increase in resistivity indicating onset of ovulation in about two days.

5. A method of indicating the onset of ovulation in a human female subject comprising the steps of determining the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva at daily intervals, observing increases and decreases in said resistiivity, and giving a signal upon a predetermined sequence of an increase and a decrease in said resistivity to indicate the onset of ovulation in the subject.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein said decrease in resistivity is followed by a sharp increase in resistivity, indicating the occurrence of ovulation within the following two days.

7. A method of predicting ovulation and the fertile period in a human female subject having a menstrual cycle, comprising the steps of determining the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva on the day of the menstrual cycle beginning not more than five days after onset of menstruation, making a daily measurement of the saliva resistivity, determining a first peak of electrical resistivity value following the onset of menstruation, which peak indicates that ovulation will occur in about six days, and determining a sharp rise in resistivity following an observable nadir, said sharp rise in resistivity indicating that ovulation will occur in about two days, thereby accurately indicating the onset of ovulation and the fertile period in a subject.

8. A method of diagnosing the onset of the fertile period or ovulation in a female subject, comprising the steps of monitoring the variation in resistivity of the saliva of the subject and providing an indicator means for qualitatively and quantitatively responding to the resistivity of the saliva of said subject whereby the response of said means is diagnostic of the onset of the fertile period or ovulation in said subject.

9. A method for predicting ovulation and the fertile period in a human female user having a menstrual cycle, comprising the steps of determining the electrical resistance of the user'"'"'s saliva on the day of the menstrual cycle beginning not more than five days after onset of menstruation, making a daily measurement of the salivary electrical resistance, plotting the electrical resistance measurement value on a daily basis, determining the first peak of the plot of electrical resistance values, which peak indicates that ovulation will occur in about six days, and determining the next peak of the plot following an observable nadir, said next peak indicating that ovulation will occur in about two days, thereby accurately indicating the onset of ovulation in the user.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein said first peak of the plot of electrical resistance values represents an increase of at least about 10 percent.

11. A method of predicting ovulation and the fertile period in a human female user as defined in claim 9, further including the steps of determining the electrical resistivity of the user'"'"'s vaginal mucus beginning at the time of detection of the first peak of the plot of salivary electrical resistance values, plotting the vaginal electrical resistance measurement value on a daily basis, and determining a nadir followed by a rise in vaginal electrical resistivity indicating ovulation in the user.

12. An instrument for use in predicting ovulation in a human female subject comprising means for making daily measurements of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, and means for indicating the onset of ovulation in response to a peak resistivity measurement following onset of menstruation followed by a nadir resistivity measurement and a subsequent sharp increase in electrical resistivity measurement

13. An instrument for use in predicting ovulation in a human female subject comprising means for determining.the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, means for obtaining and storing information with respect to the subject'"'"'s menstrual cycle and the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva, and means for processing such stored information to statistically predict the fertility status of said subject in response to peaks and nadirs of resistivity following onset of menstruation.

14. An instrument for indicating the onset of ovulation in a human female subject comprising means for determining the resistivity of the subject'"'"'s saliva at daily intervals, means for observing increases and decreases in said resistivity, and means for giving a signal upon a predetermined sequence of an increase and a decrease in said resistivity to indicate the onset of ovulation in the subject.

15. An instrument for diagnosing the onset of the fertile period or ovulation in a female subject comprising means for monitoring the variation in resistivity of the saliva of the subject, and means for qualitatively and quantitatively responding to the change in resistivity of the saliva of said subject and producing a signal diagnostic of the onset of the fertile period or ovulation in said subject.

16. A method of predicting ovulation in a human female subject, comprising the steps of making daily determinations of the electrical resistivity of the subjects saliva beginning not more than five days following the onset of menstruation by applying a first sensor for forming analog data signals representing salivary electrical resistivity, converting said alalog data signals to digital data signals, processing said digital data signals over a predetermined time to obtain a digital data signal representing the current daily value of the salivary electrical resistivity, storing said daily salivary electrical resistivity values in memory, applying a first algorithm for pattern recognition to the stored values, and generating a first recognition signal in response to the first occurrence of the current daily value being less than the previous daily value by more than a predetermined significant amount.

17. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of displaying a signal indicating a high probability of conception in response to generation of said first recognition signal.

18. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 16, wherein said step of processing said digital data signals over a predetermined time comprises integration.

19. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of digitally displaying said current value resulting from said processing step.

20. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 17, further comprising the steps of applying a second algorithm for pattern recognition to the stored values, and generating a second recognition signal in response to the occurrence of a predetermined relation between three consecutive daily values.

21. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 20, further comprising the step of displaying a signal indicating very high probability of conception in response to generation of said second recognition signal.

22. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 20, wherein the second of said three consecutive values is less than each of said first and third values by more than a predetermined amount.

23. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 20, further comprising the steps of making daily determinations of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s vaginal mucus beginning after the generation of said first recognition signal by applying a second sensor on the subject'"'"'s cervix for forming analog data signals representing vaginal electrical resistivity, converting said analog data signals to digital data signals, processing said digital data signals over a predetermined time to obtain a digital data signal representing the current daily value of the vaginal electrical resistivity, storing said daily vaginal electrical resistivity values in memory, applying a third algorithm for pattern recognition to the stored values, and generating a third recognition signal in response to the first occurrence of the current daily value being greater than the previous daily value by more than a predetermined significant amount.

24. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 23, further comprising the steps of computing the number of days from the first day of measurement to the day on which said first recognition signal is generated and then calculating the day of ovulation using a regression equation.

25. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 24, further comprising the steps of storing the numbers corresponding to the days on which said first, second, and third recognition signals were generated during a menstrual cycle of a user and storing the number of days in said menstrual cycle, weighting said regressing equation to reflect said stored data, and using said weighted regression equation during the next menstrual cycle to calculate the day of ovulation.

26. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 16, further comprising the steps of making daily determinations of the electrical resistivity of the subject'"'"'s vaginal mucus beginning after the generation of said first recognition signal by applying a second sensor on the subject'"'"'s cervix for forming analog data signals representing vaginal electrical resistivity, converting said analog data signals to digital data signals over a predetermined time to obtain a digital data signal representing the current daily value of the vaginal electrical resistivity, storing said daily vaginal electrical resistivity values in memory, applying a third algorithm for pattern recognition to the stored values, and generating a second recognition signal in response to the first occurrence of the current daily value being greater than the previous daily value by more than a predetermined significant amount.

27. The method of predicting ovulation as defined in claim 26, further comprising the step of displaying a signal indicating a low probability of conception one day after the generation of said second recognition signal.