EP0606343A1

EP0606343A1 - Menstrual cycle meter

Info

Publication number: EP0606343A1
Application number: EP92920823A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Emil Josef Biggel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-10-01
Filing date: 1992-09-22
Publication date: 1994-07-20
Also published as: WO1993007578A1

Abstract

Appareil comprenant un micro-ordinateur programmé servant à prédire la période de fécondité de l'utilisatrice. Un affichage est prévu pour afficher, sous forme de pourcentage, le degré de fécondité ou la probabilité qu'un rapport sera fécondant. La précision de la prédiction augmente en continu à mesure qu'on introduit dans l'appareil des signaux de déclenchement correspondant à l'apparition des règles pendant une période de plusieurs mois.Apparatus comprising a programmed microcomputer used to predict the fertility period of the user. A display is provided to display, as a percentage, the degree of fertility or the probability that a report will be fertile. The accuracy of the prediction increases continuously as the triggering signals corresponding to the appearance of the rules are introduced into the apparatus over a period of several months.

Description

Menstrual Cycle Meter

The invention relates to a menstrual cycle meter.

The invention relates more particularly to a meter for automatically providing personal advisory predictions of the fertility of a woman at any time. Although a woman is only fertile for a few consecutive days at a time in each menstrual cycle, the event of fertility can be calculated by counting back from the onset of the next period. Inherently this introduces a significant degree of uncertainty because the future event itself, the onset of each period, must also be predicted.

A simple and reliable fertility meter would have however particular advantages in environments or cultures where artificial birth control devices and medicaments are either economically or phi losphical ly unattractive for controlling conception either positively or negatively.

According to the invention there is provided a menstrual cycle meter for providing output signals indicative of the fertile times of a female user, comprising an output signal generator in the form of an optical or acoustical indicator, a display or flashing lights, or a buzzer or melody alarm, means for inputting a trigger signai corresponding to respective fixed times in each menstrual cycle; and a microprocessor programmed to receive the trigger signals, to predict in response thereto the fertile times according to a normal menstrual cycle of the user and to provide signals for the output signal generator, the microprocessor being programmed to provide thereafter confidence level signals for the output signal generator based on a sequence of the trigger signals corresponding to subsequent menstrual cycles.

Thus, in due time after the meter has been in use for say three to six or more months, the predicted fertile times can be presumed more reliable.

The meter may be provided in the general form of an electronic clock and/or an alarm.

Meters according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of the meter; and

Figure 2 is a side view of the meter.

Figure 3 is a schematic circuit of the meter:

Figures 4 to 7 are flow charts for the meter:

Figures S to 13 show sequences of operations of the meter; and Figures 14 and 15 show sequence of operations of a meter with extra functions for predicting for a forward chosen date.

Referring to the drawing, the meter comprises a pocket size housing 1 including a display 2 and six function keys for inputting data to the meter. A microprocessor (not shown) is incorporated inside the housing 1 together with a battery power supply. The microprocessor is arranged to control the display 2 to show the time of day and a low battery indicator and drive a small buzzer alarm (not shown) are mounted in the housing 1.

In terms of the main function of the meter, the microprocessor is programmed to provide visual or sound signals to indicate fertile times of the user, when requested, during the course of each menstrual cycle. This is illustrated by a percentage signal or so-called "confidence level" signal.

Typically, for display signals, a figure from 100 safe to 52% safe and from 50% fertile to 99% fertile is shown on the display at anytime in each menstrual cycle. For a flashing light indicator, a flashing red light means fertile times, a flashing green light means safe times, and a yellow flashing light means uncertain times. Other colours of lights or sequences of flashing lights may also be implemented. For an acoustical indicator, certain melodies will indicate fertile and safe times, or several patterns of beeps will correspond to different percentage signals of the safe and fertile times.

The menstrual cycle is normally divided into two phases: the follicular phase, or the pre-ovulatory phase, and the luteal phase phase, or the post-ovulatory phase. Before the end of the follicular phase, the pituitary gland releases the luteinizing hormone (LH) which is responsible for initiating ovulation. It is at this time that a woman is said to be fertile. The length of the follicular phase starts from the first day of the menstrual flow up to the day of the LH surge. The remainder of the cycle is the luteal phase.

It would be easy to predict the day of ovulation if the menstrual cycle of a woman is always constant. In that case, it can be assumed that ovulation will occur 14 days prior to the first day of the next menstruation period. But since the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle can v&τy due to many factors, this assumption cannot be safely relied upon.

However, as the "records" of the past cycle lengths are relied upon, the ovulation period can be much more accurately predicted and it is possible to calculate precisely the LH surge will occur in the next menstrual cycles. The more and accurate records of past cycle lengths that are available, the more precise is the calculation.

The microprocessor is arranged to carry out computations as fol lows :-

(1) The mean Xlc cycle length is computed according to

Xlc = xl + x2 + ... xn n (2) The sample standard deviation SD(LC) in the cycle length is computed.

SD(LC) n∑y.xvi. * - ⁽∑xi⁾' n(n-l )

(3) The length FP of the follicular phase is estimated according to

FP = 0.77(Xlc) - 7.6S5

(4) The sample standard deviation SD(FP) in the predicted length of the follicular phase is calculated by

SD(FP) = 0.432SD(LC) + 0.694

(5) The 95% confidence interval CI(95) on the predicted length of the follicular phase is computed by CI ( 95 ) = FP +/- 1 . 96SD ( FP )

The 95% confidence interval means that 95 of 100 cases the day of the LH peak will fall within this limits.

In use of the device, the user is required to input the first day of her menstruation using the keys, see below. This data is supplied by the user successively for every menstrual period so the microprocessor can store the data or trigger signals in its memory for use in accurately predicting the fertile period of the user for every succeeding cycle.

The first day of menstruation means the date including the hour the menstrual flow starts. This will enable the meter to be accurate not only on the date when ovulation will start but also on what exact hour it will start and it will end. Initially, the first data, or trigger signal, that is inputted will be the only basis for computation. Two data are necessary so there will be a basis for the computation of the cycle length. As the user progressively supplies the trigger signals, the meter will produce a more accurate computation. In this way the meter becomes more reliable for its individual user. This happens in two ways. For a user whose menstrual cycles are very regular, the fertile period prediction can be concentrated on a lesser number of days. For a user whose menstrual cycle is less regular. the fertile period prediction will automatically and of necessity be distributed on a greater number of days.

The computer program is arranged to accept menstrual cycle lengths in the range from 24 to 35 days. A cycle length not included in this range is considered abnormal and the meter is therefore arranged to indicate in such a case that the user should consult a doctor, or in any event not use the meter for fertile or safe predictions.

The predictions are expressed in terms of percentage. The display will show the percentage chances of being fertile and being safe, from 100% safe to 52% safe and 50% fertile to 99% fertile, at any instant requested by the user. The percentage may vary from hour-to-hour depending on the result of the computation.

It will be noted that the predictions provided by the meter, or more particularly the confidence level of specific values of fertility, are not based on theoretical data or simply on two or three earlier cycles, but on all previous cycles supplied to the meter sometimes over several months or years. In this way, the meter is rendered much more personal and accurate for the user.

Operations of the meter are carried out in the following way: Normally, the meter will display the present date and the time of the day. Pressing the DISP button will show the fertility percentage at the current date and time. This means that the user will know in effect immediately at that instant how fertile she is.

It will be appreciated that the meter is devised to be used personally. Only one user should use the described meter since the input data and computation varies from one person to another. The data gathered from a single user is processed to give results applicable only to that user. The described meter is outwardly designed to look like an ordinary calendar and timer in order not to invoke any embarrassment.

A special feature for security purposes can be added to ensure that only one person can use the meter and nobody else can tamper with the data stored inside. As such, an identifica ion number or code is required before a user can input any data. The user will have the option to use this feature or not. If she does not initially input any identity code, it is presumed that she does not want to use an identity- code.

In Figure 4, the meter normally displays the time and date on the screen. The meter responds to a mode (selection) key to allow the time and date to be entered, the first day of a menstrual cycle to be entered, and the user personal code to be entered as required.

Figure 5 shows how the 1st day and the personal code is logically entered and how it is checked for validity as required.

Figure 6 shows at the left hand side a sequence for obtaining the display prediction, or a confidence level signal, and shows at the right hand side a simple way of entering a trigger signal to accept the current date and time as the first day of menstruation. Should a time and a date different from the current ones are to be inputted as the first day of menstruation, the sequence in Figure 5 is followed.

Figure 7 shows how to erase the most recent first day of cycle that was inputted. The CE (Clear Entry) key is provided in case the user makes a mistake in inputting. As before, the personal code and validation of data are necessary in the sequence where inputting of data for first day of cycle is required.

Embodiments of the invention are normally used for enabling females to restrict their likelihood of conception by avoiding sexual activity during the fertile period. But it will be appreciated that the meters may also be useful as an aid for women who wish to concede to predict the most likely and suitable times for conception.

Further, an advisory output can be given to couples regarding the probable sex of the baby that will be conceived. The most suitable time for a male or a female baby to be conceived will be indicated. This is based on the facility of the meter to predict the precise date and time of the LH surge, that is the moment of commencement of fertility, and also on a presumption and some evidence that male sperms move faster than female sperms, but male sperms have shorter lives than their female counterparts. Thus conception just or soon after the moment of commencement of fertility is presumed to more likely lead to conceiving a male baby. Based on this presumption, the programme can give an indication or prediction of the sex of a baby conceived at various times within the fertile times.

The delivery date of the baby can also be predicted generally in the normal way and the computer arranged to provide the date of birth of a baby conceived in any of the fertile times.

The formulae discussed above have been created by studying and observing women aged from 23 to 42 years old. So it can be said that the resulting predictions from these formulae are guaranteed to be accurate for women within this age bracket. Women not within this range can still use the meter but will not be assured that the predictions are applicable to them. This is because women not within this age bracket have higher incidence of irregular menstrual cycles. - li ¬ lt will be appreciated that other methods of computation may also be implemented to form the basis of the computer programme.

The meter may also be useful as an aid to controlling the breeding of animals. In which case a different formula will be used which is applicable to the menstrual cycles of the particular animal.

An embodiment of the invention may take the form of a simple form of the meter which comprises a housing with two keys and an indicator. One key is pressed to correspond to the onset of each menstrual cycle and when the other key is pressed, the indicator, usually a lamp arrangement, shows green for so-called "safe periods" and red for fertile times. This very simple meter has particular application for users in economically undeveloped regions and/or with poor education.

Methods of the present invention may be arranged to provide future predictions as well. The microcomputer is programmed to provide predictions based on selecting times and dates some time in the future. Where a small single line display is used, the flow diagram is shown in Figure 14. The first stages are for setting the first date in the meter as described earlier. A mode "Future" is then selected and the time and date for the future prediction selected. On completion, the fertility (as a percentage). sex and birthday of any baby conceived at the time and date entered, is provided by the display automatically in sequence.

If a larger display is used, say an 8-line x 20 character display, the display is automatically arranged to display the prediction, see B in Figure 15, once the future time and date has been set on the display, see A. The simultaneous predictions, provided by the display, see B, show the fertility, expressed as a percentage, the probable sex of a baby conceived at the time and chosen day, and the birthday of such a baby.

Claims

C l a ims :

1. A menstrual cycle meter for providing output signals indicative of fertile times of a female user, comprising an output signal generator; means for inputting a trigger signal corresponding to respective fixed times in each menstrual cycle; and a microprocessor programmed to receive the trigger signals, to predict in response thereto the fertile times according to a normal menstrual cycle of the user and to provide signals for the output signal generator, the microprocessor being programmed to provide thereafter confidence level signals for the output generator based on a sequence of the trigger signals corresponding to subsequent menstrual cycles.

2. A meter according to claim 1, in which the output signal generator comprises a visual display.

3. A meter according to claim 1, in which the output signal generator comprises a flashing light.

4. A meter according to claim 1, in which the output signal generator comprises a melody chip.

5. A meter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, including means for inputting an identification code of the user.

6. A meter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is otherwise in the form of an electronic clock and/or an alarm.

7. A meter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the computer is programmed to provide a signal to form a prediction of the probable sex of a baby in relation to a time and date of conception inputted to the meter.

8. A meter according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the computer is programmed to provide a signal to form a prediction of the birth day of a baby in relation to a time and date of conception inputted to the meter.

9. A meter according to claim 6 or 7, including a visual display for displaying the sex or birth day respectively.