Fertility probe

• US 5,240,010 A
• Filed: 01/31/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Original Assignee: Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Inventors: Weinmann, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tucker, Guy V.
• Application Number:
  US07/830,376
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 128/738, 128/734, 128/736, 364/413.02, 364/413.05, 364/413.12
• US Class Current: 600/547
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0019 based on measurement of temperature

Abstract

There is provided a method for the determination of the fertile and infertile periods in the monthly cycle of females, and a device for carrying out the measurements and evaluations of this method. The method is based on the measurement of changes of characteristics of the cervical mucus and of polarization impedance. Furthermore, additional auxiliary information can be obtained by daily temperature measurements. A device is provided for effecting the required measurements, and for the evaluation of these.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the fertile period in a woman'"'"'s menstrual cycle, said device comprising:

a probe having an elongated probe body for insertion into the woman'"'"'s vagina and mucus contained therein, a fist ring-shaped electrode circumferentially surrounding said probe body, a second ring-shaped electrode also circumferentially surrounding said probe body but displaced longitudinally down the probe body from said first ring-shaped electrode, and a distally located temperature sensor for sensing mucus temperature;

a current generating means electrically connected to said probe, for generating an electrical alternating current not exceeding 50 micro-amperes between said first ring-shaped electrode and said second ring-shaped electrode, and passing through said mucus to thereby effect a voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance;

means for amplifying said voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, said amplifying means having first and second inputs electrically connected to the first and second ring-shaped electrodes, respectively;

means electrically connected to the output from said amplifying means, for rectifying the output from said amplifying means;

signal conditioning means electrically connected to said temperature sensor for conditioning the output form said temperature sensor;

analog-to-digital converting means electrically connected and responsive to the output form said rectifying means to output a signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, and also electrically connected and responsive to the output from said signal conditioning means to output a signal indicative of mucus temperature;

a microprocessor connected and responsive to the signals output by said analog-to-digital converting means, said microprocessor being programmed with an algorithm relating to the woman'"'"'s menstrual cycle for detecting the approach of ovulation based upon a 10 to 15 percent drop from baseline in the magnitude of said signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, for detecting the most fertile day of ovulation and for detecting when ovulation has recently elapsed, the signal indicative of mucus temperature being used to confirm at least one of the detections, said microprocessor including means for outputting a resulting signal indicative of whether ovulation is approaching, is present, or has recently elapsed; and

a display responsive to the resulting signal form said microprocessor for indicating when ovulation is approaching, when ovulation is present, and when ovulation has recently elapsed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said current generating means includes:

an operational amplifier having positive and negative input terminals and an output terminal;

a first resistor and a first capacitor electrically connected in series form said positive input terminal to said output terminal;

a second resistor and a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel from said positive input terminal, through a third resistor, to said negative input terminal;

a fourth resistor electrically connected from said negative input terminal to said output terminal; and

a third capacitor and a fifth resistor electrically connected in series from said out-put terminal to said probe.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said amplifying means comprises:

an operational amplifier having first and second input terminals and an output terminal;

a first capacitor for filtering out low frequency signals, said first capacitor being electrically connected from said probe to said positive input terminal;

first and second resistors electrically connected in series from said positive input terminal to said negative input terminal; and

a third resistor electrically connected from said negative input terminal to said output terminal, for determining the gain of said operational amplifier.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said rectifying means comprises:

an operational amplifier having positive and negative input terminals and an output terminal;

a diode having an anode electrically connected to the output terminal and a cathode electrically connected t the analog-to-digital converting means;

a first capacitor electrically connected from said positive input terminal to the output of said amplifying means; and

a first resistor and second capacitor electrically connected in parallel with respect to one another, and electrically connected in series with a second resistor from the positive input terminal to the cathode of said diode.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor comprises an NIC resistor.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said signal conditioning means comprises:

an operational amplifier having positive and negative input terminals and an output terminal, said output terminal being electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converting means;

a reference resistor electrically connected from said negative input terminal to said output terminal;

a first zero temperature setting resistor electrically connected in series with said NIC resistor from said negative input terminal to said positive input terminal; and

a second zero temperature setting resistor electrically connected for the positive input terminal to a reference voltage.

7. The device of claim 1, and further comprising an input and output port electrically connected to the microprocessor for communicating therewith.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said display comprises at least three light-emitting diodes, each light-emitting diode indicating a different period in the menstrual cycle, a first of said At lest three light-emitting diodes corresponding to a first predetermined period before ovulation, a second of said at least three light-emitting diodes corresponding to ovulation, and a third of said at lest three light-emitting diodes corresponding to a second predetermined period faster ovulation fertile period.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein each of said at least three light-emitting diodes emits light having a different color from that of the other light-emitting diodes.