title: A comparison of the fertile phase as determined by the Clearplan Easy Fertility Monitor and self-assessment of cervical mucus.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle as determined by the Clearplan Easy Fertility Monitor (CPEFM) with self-monitoring of cervical mucus. One-hundred women (mean age = 29.4 years) observed their cervical mucus and monitored their urine for estrogen and luteinizing hormone metabolites with the CPEFM on a daily basis for 2-6 cycles and generated 378 cycles of data; of these, 347 (92%) had a CPEFM peak. The beginning of the fertile window was, on average, day 11.8 (SD = 3.4) by the monitor and day 9.9 (SD = 3.0) by cervical mucus (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). The average first day of peak fertility by the monitor was 16.5 (SD = 3.6) and by cervical mucus 16.3 (SD = 3.7) (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). The mean length of the fertile phase by the monitor was 7.7 days (SD = 3.1) and by cervical mucus 10.9 days (SD = 3.7) (t = 12.7, p < 0.001). The peak in fertility as determined by the monitor and by self-assessment of cervical mucus is similar but the monitor tends to underestimate and self-assessment of cervical mucus tends to overestimate the actual fertile phase.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Institute for Natural Family Planning, Marquette University, Clark Hall, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, USA. richard.fehring@marquette.edu
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fehring
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raviele
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000652:urine*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012252:Natural Family Planning Methods; D010061:Ovulation Detection / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone