Recommended Products
RECOMMENDED FERTILITY CHARTING PRODUCTS*
* I may receive a small payment if you purchase from my referral links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Fertility Monitors
Clearblue Fertility Monitor
and the
Clearblue Fertility Monitor test sticks to go with it!
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*If you are affected by the temporary scarcity in monitor test sticks due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply lines, and have considered your options you may decide on the temporary use of the Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test.
Ovulation Tests (OPKs)
You're looking for a test with a sensitivity to show a positive when LH reaches 25mIU/mL. Clinical Guard, Easy@Home, Fairhaven Health, Pregmate and Wondfo are brands that fit this description. The brand does matter, as some do not have the needed sensitivity, and some claim to have the necessary sensitivity but don’t seem to work reliably. Fairhaven Health tests are made in the USA, if that is a deciding factor for you.
If you are in a bind and need a test quickly without time to order online, an acceptable option available at brick and mortar pharmacies is the Clearblue ovulation test, just the cheap line-reading type. No need to purchase the fancy digital versions. However, if reading the OPK lines makes you anxious, the Clearblue Digital ovulation test (LH only) is a good option.
Charts
You can download and print paper charts (suitable for postpartum or regular cycle use, with or without temps) free as pdf files from the Boston Cross Check website.
If you'd like these charts as a Google Sheet, ask your BCC instructor!
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Ovulation Confirmation Tests
I recommend the Proov Confirm PdG tests.
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Proov Confirm is a urine test that measures a metabolite of progesterone. You use first morning urine. You do the first test early in the cycle – you can pick any day between CD4-8 - with first morning urine. Then you can use another starting a couple of days after peak. The test should move from negative to a positive result as your progesterone levels rise after ovulation.
If you think you have missed peak with the monitor, you can try these to see if the result is positive and your suspicion is correct. If you are trying to conceive, you can test through 7-10 days after detection of the LH surge to check that your progesterone levels remain high.
Purchase directly from Proov here and use the discount code FIGLEAF20 for a 20% discount!
You can also purchase them on Amazon here.
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Wearable Temping Devices
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This is a wearable device that takes your skin temperature multiple times per minute overnight. When you remove it in the morning, you sync it via Bluetooth to your phone and it then sends the data via wifi to the Tempdrop program, which then provides you a single representative temperature for the night. It improves with data, so the recommendation is to use it for a month before considering it reliable. Both Read Your Body and the Ovuview app sync with the Tempdrop so you don’t need to manually chart. It does not require you to be in regular cycles (or cycling at all) in order to work. You will need to change the battery every 8-9 months.
When purchasing a Tempdrop, use my link with the discount code FIGLEAFFERTILITY for an 11% discount, even on sale prices!
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Manual Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Thermometers
USA
Easy@Home with blue backlit display​
Easy@Home without backlight
iProven without backlight
iProven with large backlit display
MABIS (aka ReliOn) without backlight
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Australia
Surgipack 6332 Ovulation Digital Thermometer from Australia Chemist Warehouse​​​
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Menstrual Supplies
The method I teach often treats the first three or five days of a cycle as infertile by default. If you are trying to avoid pregnancy and would like this available time, but the mess of menses is too much, these products allow for intercourse with minimal mess.
These products are not contraceptive in design and would be ineffective if used that way! None of these products eliminate the risk of toxic shock syndrome, so care should be taken with their use.
These are used similarly to menstrual cups, but unlike menstrual cups it is possible to use these during sexual intercourse, as the design is different. They may take practice to insert and remove.
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Flex
Pixie Cup (small)
Pixie Cup (large)
Sea Sponges for internal use
These are used similarly to tampons, and can be cut down in size if needed.
Constantia (mix of small and medium)
Books
Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition - a look at diet and supplements for hormonal health
The Sinner's Guide to Natural Family Planning - a support book for Catholics who aren't in love with NFP
Taking Charge of Your Fertility - a look at basic charting from a single-check secular sympto-thermal approach. I don't recommend this method, but many find the background info helpful.
Living With Your Fertility - a more academic-style text the staff at the INFP at Marquette University
Period Repair Manual - another look at diet and supplements for hormonal health
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