Category: Lifestyle
By Clara Jensen
Updated: Jan. 15, 2021
Originally Published: Aug. 3, 2016
Imagine if tracking your ovulation was as simple as checking your phone for notifications. If you’ve ever faced challenges in conceiving, you know that understanding your cycle and pinpointing your ovulation days is more complex than what books and apps suggest. Fortunately, with the newly FDA-approved Ava fertility tracker, determining the optimal time to conceive just became significantly easier.
Getting pregnant revolves around accurately identifying your ovulation window, coordinating with your partner (or considering sperm donation), and then waiting to see if luck is on your side. For those of us with irregular menstrual cycles, identifying the limited days each month when conception is possible can be quite the puzzle. Some rely on a basal thermometer to detect a rise in body temperature, while others use expensive ovulation test strips, hoping for a color change that signals elevated LH levels. Then there are those, like me, who delve into the intricacies of tracking cervical mucus each morning. And let’s not forget about those who opt for daily intimacy, even when they’d rather not, just to ensure they don’t miss that crucial window.
The Ava aims to alleviate much of the anxiety associated with timing for conception. Resembling a blend of an Apple Watch and a Fitbit, this device is priced at $199, which may seem steep, but it’s a worthwhile investment for anyone who has spent months charting their ovulation. Plus, you don’t need a prescription or a doctor’s visit to purchase one.
What sets Ava apart is its ability to monitor multiple biological parameters rather than focusing on just one aspect of ovulation. It features sensors that track nine different metrics: pulse rate, breathing rate, sleep quality, movement, heart rate variability, skin temperature, heat loss, perfusion, and body composition. By collecting three million data points while you sleep, Ava allows you to sync the information with an app on your phone each morning. Over time, it can predict your ovulation with 89 percent accuracy and give you a five-day fertility window. This is certainly more convenient than sending a frantic text to your partner from the restroom at work, saying, “Hey, you need to come home now; I just took a test!”
Trying to conceive can be overwhelming enough without the added pressure of tracking ovulation. If you can know ahead of time when you’re most fertile, it might just help you take some of that advice to “just relax” to heart, even if just a little.
While we often joke about the overwhelming presence of technology in our lives, if I were considering having another child, I would choose the Ava any day over the daily routine of checking for the telltale “egg white” cervical mucus of ovulation. For more insights on the journey to conception, check out our related post at this blog. And for those looking for expert guidance on home insemination options, Make a Mom offers fantastic resources. Additionally, Kindbody is another excellent resource for information on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, the Ava fertility tracker is revolutionizing the way we approach fertility awareness, making it easier than ever to accurately predict ovulation and maximize the chances of conception.