Development of a Permanent Device for Fertility Period Detection by Basal Body Temperature and Analysis of the Cervical Mucus Potential of Hydrogen

Abstract

Background: Sometimes, women find it difficult to conceive a baby and others use contraceptives that often have side effects. Researchers have already established the importance of measuring basal body temperature (BBT) and the potential of hydrogen (pH). Method: We have designed and realized a device that allows the simultaneous measurement of the BBT and the pH. We used an Arduino Uno board, a pH sensor, and a temperature sensor. The device communicates with a smartphone, can be integrated into all e-health platforms, and can be used at home. We validated our ovulation detector by a measurement campaign on a group of twenty women. If the pH is >7 and at the same time, the BBT is minimum and <36.5°C, the women is in ovulation phase. If the pH is ≤7 and in the same time, the BBT is between 36.5°C and 37°C, the women are in preovulation or follicular phase. If the pH is ≤7 and in the same time, the BBT is >36.5°C, the women are in postovulation or luteal phase. Results: We tested the contraceptive aspect of our ovulometer on a set of seven women. We also tested the help of conceiving babies by having intercourse during the ovulation period fixed by our ovulation detector. The results are satisfactory. Conclusions: In the final version of our device, we displayed just in “fertility period” if the pH is ≥7 and the BBT is <36.5°C else we displayed in “nonfertility period.”