The present invention generally relates to a system and method for collecting and charting female fertility data that includes physiological parameters particularly, the Basal Body Temperature (BBT), position of cervix and quality of cervical mucus found in female 5 vagina, to accurately predict the fertility window. Further, based on predicted fertile window, various coitus positions are suggested to improve the chances of conception.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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Fertility is the natural ability of a human being to produce offspring. Tracking and predicting the fertility helps women to improve their chances to conceive or help in family planning. Fertility period in a woman’s menstrual cycle begins five days prior to ovulation.
The ovulation can be predicted on the basis of physiological parameters like, the Basal 15 Body Temperature (BBT), i.e., the lowest body temperature attained in a day during rest usually measured immediately after awakening and before undertaking any physical activity. Another parameter, used to increase accuracy of predicting the fertility, is the cervical mucus, which is monitored to identify the days with the highest pregnancy rate.
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Usually Fertility Awareness-based methods (FAMs), also known as natural family planning, are used to track ovulation, i.e., the release of an egg, in order to determine the fertility phase. However, these traditional methods are not very effective in tracking menstrual cycle, fertility phase and ovulation timing, as they require manual charting of fertility characteristics on paper templates or collecting the data on some traditional electronic 25 apparatus or tools. These tools are not only complex and inconvenient to analyze but are also very cumbersome to collect data. Also, the manual charting of fertility characteristics on paper templates have high failure rate in accurately predicting the ovulation or fertile time.
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Therefore, there is a major need for a solution that could make tracking and analyzing the physiological changes in a woman’s body far easier and simpler, maintaining a accuracy rate. The present invention provides a system and method to track and obtain the female
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fertility window accurately on the basis of physiological data that includes temperature, quality of cervical mucus and position of cervix and also suggests various coitus positions to improve the chances of conception based on predicted fertile window.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 5
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a system and method to collect and chart fertility signs and track fertile timing and ovulation of female during menstrual cycle thereby improving the odds of conception for a female trying to conceive.
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Another object of the present invention is a user interface on a mobile or website for charting the fertility data specifically the body temperature, quality of cervical mucus and position of cervix of a female.
One another object of the present invention is to superimpose graphs obtained with respect 15 to the fertility signs, specifically the body temperature, quality of cervical mucus and position of cervix of a female in one dimension and time in second dimension to obtain and predict the accurate fertility window of a female during menstruation cycle.
Yet another object of the invention is to suggest coitus positions based on the obtained 20 fertile window for each day to improve chances of conception.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrations and examples to disclose the aspects of the present invention. 25
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention and its numerous objects, features, components and advantages will be better understood and are made apparent to those skilled in the art, by referring to the 30 accompanying drawings:
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Figure 1 illustrates the graph plot of two-dimensional coordinate system representing the quality of cervical mucus for female users over time during their menstrual cycle;
Figure 2 illustrates the graph plot of two-dimensional coordinate system representing the increase and decrease in Basal Body Temperature for female users over time during their 5 menstrual cycle;
Figure 3 illustrates the graph plot of two-dimensional coordinate system representing different positions of the cervix for female users over time during their menstrual cycle;
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Figure 4 illustrates the graph obtained by superimposing the graphs as shown in Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3.
Figure 5 illustrates probability of conception during the menstruation cycle; and
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Figure 6 illustrates increased or decreased chances of success based on the position of female during menstruation cycle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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The detailed description of the invention presented here is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention in any way. The detailed description of the appended drawings is construed as a description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and does not represent the only form in which the present invention may be practiced. This is to be understood that the same or 25 equivalent functions may be accomplished, in any order unless expressly and necessarily limited to a particular order, by different embodiments those are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention.
Women have hormonal cycles of approximately 28 days, with a fertile period of five to six 30 days per cycle when they can achieve pregnancy, however this fertile window length can differ as well. During the cycle, ovulation is the phase in which the pituitary gland secretes a hormone that causes the ovary to release the matured egg cell. Tracking the fertility and
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ovulation timing at own convenience to predict the chances of pregnancy by a female can be very useful in planning pregnancy or for family planning naturally. There are many traditional Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) like Temperature Method, Cervical Mucus and Calendar Methods that helps women to track their menstrual cycle to know about their fertile and ovulation timings. However, analyzing such data on existing tools becomes more 5 complex and inconvenient.
The present invention discloses a system and method for charting the female fertility signs like Basal Body Temperature, quality of Cervical Mucus and the position of cervix of a female during the menstrual cycle, and analyzing the collected data by superimposing the 10 results for each fertility sign to accurately determine the fertility window and ovulation timing. The invention further suggests the coitus positions for each day to improve chances of conception during the obtained fertile window.
The main aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for charting the female 15 fertility data using graphical user interface on a mobile computing device or website for providing an easy and convenient way to the user to analyze the results in graphical form. The system comprises: user device, user interface, platform and server/ cloud. The data pertaining to female fertility signs such as Basal Body Temperature, quality of Cervical Mucus and the position of cervix in a female during the entire menstrual cycle is obtained 20 for a user and inserted by the user device on the platform via user interface. The server then charts the obtained fertility data in graphical form and provides a final output to the user via the user interface in the form of a graph or chart on the platform of user device. This enables the user to understand, analyze and make decisions related to menstrual cycles, most fertile window/timing and ovulation period in the cycle. Further, the system suggests 25 the coitus positions for each day to improve chances of conception during the obtained fertile window.
Another aspect of the present invention discloses a method to determine the female fertility window by measuring the physiological parameters, viz., the Basal Body Temperature, 30 quality of cervical mucus and the position of cervix. The data pertaining to female fertility signs are obtained for a user and inserted by the user device on the platform via user interface. The collected/ inserted fertility data is then transmitted from the wireless network
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of the platform to the server for further processing. The charting of the fertility data in graphical form is then prepared by the server and final output in the form of a graph or chart or tabular form or plain text is provided to the user via user interface on the platform of user device thereby allowing the user to understand, analyze and make decisions related to menstrual cycles, most fertile window/timing and ovulation period in the cycle. Further, 5 suggesting the coitus positions for each day during the obtained fertile window to improve chances of conception.
The data is initially collected for a specific user during 2-3 menstrual cycles before predicting the accurate fertile window. 10
The description of the fertility signs that are measured for tracking the fertility and ovulation timing during the average of 28 days of menstrual cycle are given below:
a) Cervical Mucus - Cervical mucus is found in female vagina, which also 15 contributes in analyzing the fertility and ovulation timings. The quality of cervical mucus refers to the viscosity of the cervical mucus produced by the female that varies during different phases of the menstrual cycle, and may be subjectively measured by a user on a scale including categories for “sticky”, “creamy”, and “egg-white”. A user can measure the cervical mucus by testing its stickiness between the 20 user’s fingers. Like the quality, quantity of the cervical mucus refers to the volume of mucus produced by a female, which can be measured on a scale of small, medium and large amount. Typically the viscosity and amount of the cervical mucus increases towards ovulation phase and decreases after the ovulation.
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b) BBT (Basal Body Temperature)–It is the resting temperature of the body that is recorded daily, early in the morning upon waking up from sleep, before getting out of the bed and performing any activity. The BBT is typically low during the days heading towards the ovulation phase and rises immediately after ovulation. BBT then remains high during the rest of the cycle till the next menstrual cycle begins. 30 The BBT is recorded by using a BBT thermometer.
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c) Position of Cervix (or Cervical Position) -The position of cervix in female, is an opening in the uterus which is found towards the back of the vagina. The position and texture of the cervix changes through the course of menstrual cycle indicating the fertility timing. In the early days of a menstrual cycle, when the estrogen level is low, during and just after menstruation and prior to peak fertility, the cervix is low, 5 hard, firm and closed and easy to feel with the fingers. During the fertile time, the estrogen level increases and the cervix gets lifted and straighten and becomes softer, higher and open, allowing more entry of sperms into the female reproductive tract, traveling into the fallopian tubes where an egg may be fertilized. After ovulation, the cervix again becomes more closed and firm and lower. 10
The data obtained with respect to aforesaid fertility signs are charted to track the fertility and ovulation timing. The graph displays data over three or more two-dimensional coordinate systems, where each two-dimensional coordinate system is linked to one of the fertility signs on one dimension and time in second dimension. The fertility signs can be 15 represented by graphs generated by the two-dimensional coordinate systems in following manner:
1. A graph between quality of cervical mucus on y-Axis and time on x-Axis as illustrated in Figure 1. 20
Graph I: Cervical Mucus Plot
The cervical mucus data is arranged in the graph plot in two-dimensional coordinate system so as to obtain distinct fertility curve showing ovulation timing as illustrated in Figure 1 25 with quality of cervical mucus on the vertical (y-axis) measured on a scale with categories labeled as “none”, “sticky”, “creamy”, and “egg-white” and time duration of 28 days of menstrual cycle on horizontal (x-axis). Two-dimensional coordinate system as shown in Figure 1 is configured such that the increase in viscosity of cervical mucus corresponds to increase in fertility. The coordinates of the vertical axis of the cervical mucus parameter are 30 arranged such that the coordinate positions near bottom of the axis are related to high fertility while coordinate positions near top of the axis are related to low fertility. The vertical axis of the cervical mucus plot is labeled with commonly understood terms for
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cervical mucus quality so as to make the graph easier and convenient to be analyzed by the user.
2. A graph between temperature on y-Axis and time on x-Axis as illustrated in Figure 2. 5
Graph II: Temperature Plot
The temperature graph plot in two-dimensional coordinate system is illustrated in Figure 2 with female BBT data on the vertical (y-axis) measured in degrees Celsius on a scale of 10 36.0 – 38.0 degrees and time duration of 28 days of menstrual cycle on horizontal (x-axis). The vertical axis is divided into units of 0.1 degree Celsius representing the resolution of temperature data.
3. A graph between position of cervix on y-Axis and time on x-Axis as illustrated in 15 Figure 3.
Graph III: Cervical Position Plot
The fertility data corresponding to position of cervix is represented by graph plot in two-20 dimensional coordinate system as illustrated in Figure 3 with position of cervix data on the vertical (y-axis) measured in units labeled as “high”, “medium” and “low” and time duration of 28 days of menstrual cycle on horizontal (x-axis), such that there is distinct demarcation of fertile window and ovulation in the graph. The coordinate system is arranged in such a way that the increase in height of the cervix corresponds to increase of 25 fertility. Figure 3 illustrates the coordinates at the bottom position of the axis representing low fertility while the coordinates at the top represent high fertility level. The vertical axis of the cervical position plot is labeled with commonly understood terms for cervical position so as to make the graph easier and convenient to be analyzed by the user. Also the size of the circle representing the position of cervix illustrates the opening of the cervix 30 labeled as “open”, “medium” and “closed” as shown in Figure 3.
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4. The three graphs obtained are then superimposed together to draw a relationship between fertile window and ovulation over time during the menstrual cycle, as illustrated in Figure 4, which can be easily identified and analyzed by the user.
Graph IV: Superimposing the Graph 5
Once the fertility data corresponding to each of the graphs represented by two-dimensional coordinate systems is obtained, the corresponding positions in the graphs are located and superimposed as illustrated in Figure 4. The three physiological parameters corresponding to line 1, 2 and 3 are represented on y-axis and time along horizontal x-axis (abscissa). Solid 10 Line (Line 1) in Figure 4 represents the cervical mucus reading obtained from Figure 1, dashed line (Line 2) in Figure 4 represents the temperature reading points obtained from Figure 2, and dotted line with small circle (Line 3) in Figure 4 represents the cervical position points obtained from Figure 3. Horizontal axis tracks time as function of days during menstrual cycle of a female, beginning from Day 1 as the start of the cycle through 15 fertile days around mid of cycle until the last day of the menstrual cycle.
The lines 1, 2 and 3 individually provide some information about the fertility in female, whereas these lines when grouped together provide more precise information about fertility window and ovulation. The female fertility duration can be observed in the graph as 20 illustrated in Figure 4, when lines 1, 2 and 3 become closer to each other. The fertility window is indicated in Figure 4, where lines 1, 2 and 3 steeply rising together towards top of graph indicates start of fertility window and lines 1, 2 and line 3 together going low during the fertility phase indicates end of fertility window.
5. Fertility chances based on coitus position
Further, it is known that the best chances of conception occurs when coitus takes place on the day of ovulation and the two previous days before ovulation which is the part of fertile window. 30
Table 1 shows fertility chances for different cycle days for an ideal 28-days menstrual cycle length. The chances of conception during the fertile window is shown in Figure 5 wherein
the horizontal axis represents days of menstrual cycle and the vertical axis represents probabilities of conception on particular cycle day.
However, the chances of conception can be further improved by following & applying appropriate positions of male and female during coitus.
The chances of conception increase or decrease with respect to top or bottom position of a 10 female during coitus as shown in Figure 6. It is known that certain coitus positions increase or decrease the probability of conception based on penetration level of male reproductive organ during coitus. The change position of female varies the probability of conception by a value of up to 2% from the ideal or general conception chance. Therefore, when the female is in the bottom during coitus, it allows deepest penetration of male reproductive organ 15 thereby allowing sperm to be placed right next to the cervix, and thus increasing the chances of conception by up to 2%. The data with respect to bottom position of female is represented by dashed-line 1 in Figure 6. However, when female is in the top position during coitus, the chances of conception is slightly reduced by up to 2% from the ideal or general conception chance, as represented by dotted line 2 in Figure 6. 20
The present invention discloses a user interface that could be in the form of an application in a mobile computing environment or website to insert the fertility data. The user via the provided user interface can insert the data and the data is then transmitted to a server via a wireless network for further processing. The server is configured in such a way that it can 25 receive the fertility data from one or more dedicated user interfaces and processes and keeps track of the data for each user separately.
The invention is defined by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued. Moreover, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements and numerous modifications, such as in shapes and dimensions, can be made according to requirements by a technical expert in the sector to the invention as described in the foregoing, without 5 forsaking the scope of the invention as claimed in the following.

WE CLAIM:
1) A system for obtaining the fertility window in a female, wherein the system comprising:
a user device;
a user interface;
a platform; and
a server or cloud;
wherein data pertaining to female fertility signs specifically basal body temperature, quality of cervical mucus and the position of cervix in a female during the entire menstrual cycle for a user is inserted by the user device on the platform via user interface;
the server prepares a graph with respect to each fertility sign over the entire 28 days 15 of menstrual cycle;
the server then prepares a final graph by superimposing the graphs obtained for each fertility sign to obtain the accurate fertility window where steep rise point and steep low point in said graphs together, indicates start and end of fertility window; and 20
the server sends the final graph on the platform of user device via user interface.
2) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quality of cervical mucus, basal body temperature and position of cervix are plotted on y-axis for each graph with respect to duration of menstrual cycle on x-axis. 25
3) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein based on the obtained data of fertility window, a coitus position of female is suggested to improve the chances of conception.
4) A method for obtaining the fertility window in a female, wherein the method comprising: