Hi, I would like to know how suitable your products are to prevent pregnancy in a mother who is still nursing a baby aged 8 months. What is the Pearl reading for this particular situation? As there is usually no ovulation while nursing, how can taking temperature help to predict fertility periods as nursing the baby is slowly phased out. (One of our children was conceived towards the end of nursing the previous child before my wife had her first period.)

The first six weeks after the birth are infertile for physiological reasons. If you breast feed your baby without giving any artificial feeds, theoretically you continue to be infertile due to your body's production of the nursing hormone prolactin, which inhibits ovulation. This theory is generally believed to be true today.

In actual fact, however, some couples have started a new pregnancy during this time. According to the latest findings, research on the subject of infertility after a birth was made in regions where the baby was virtually constantly at the breast. This constant sucking reflex is really not the case in our cultural environment. Therefore we recommend you to start using the device again as soon as there is a need for contraception.

In response to your specific questions, Lady-Comp is a suitable choice of natural contraception during breast feeding. As you mentioned it has been 8 months since the birth of your child, your wife's cycles may now be returning to normal. The computer is sensitive to the minimal alterations in temperature before ovulation. As well, during the two or three days after you ovulate, hormonal changes cause a rise in your basal body temperature of between 0.5 and 1.6 degrees, which lasts at least until your next period. If ovulation occurs during a cycle the computer will detect the changes in temperature and issue red-lights during fertile days. If the computer issues a green-light (infertile day) during the cycle, you can be assured of 99.3% reliability of contraception(Pearl Index of 0.7) The only difference you may notice while breast feeding is that as the cycles are beginning to re-establish themselves, the computer may issue more yellow-light days (learning ).

Hello, Will Lady-Comp work for me, I have a very irregular schedule and am approaching menopause? I don't sleep consistantly the same number of hours each night?

This method of contraception is most effective with basal body temperature readings. If your sleep habits are irregular, you can use the monitor effectively, as long as you take your temperature after you have slept for five hours, at least three of which, should be consecutive. It is beneficial, especially in the first three months of use, to take your temperature at a fairly regular time of day (within 3 hours of the usual time).

The reliability of the monitor for contraception will still remain 99.3% on green-light days even with irregular habits and irregular cycles. However, you may notice that during irregularity you may have less green-light(Infertile) days, and more red and yellow light(fertile and learning) days. This is because the monitor will always maintain contraceptive reliability of 99.3% when it indicates to you a green-light. On average most women can expect to receive 8-10 red-light (fertile days) per cycle. The remainder including menstruation will be green-light days, once the monitor becomes personalized to an individual's cycles.

Exactly how does the woman take her temperature? Please describe the equipment and process in greater detail.

The temperature is taken using an electronic sensor (pictured as turquoise, fitting snuggly around the monitor when not in use). The sensor is plugged into the monitor on the underside. The temperature is calculated within 30 seconds to the 100th degree. Temperature can be provided in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, but must be ordered as such when purchased.

Lady-Comp is expensive, how does it compare to other monitors?

The Lady-Comp monitor is a micro-computer, with a database of over 700,000 cycles to which it compares each personal temperature reading. It determines that the temperature taken is accurate and reliable for the day. With consistent use, the monitor becomes personalized to your temperature readings and detects slight variances occuring with ovulation. This information in conjunction with information regarding menstrual cycles allows the monitor to indicate to you the days on which you are likely to be fertile(indicated by red light). The monitor can also determine with 99.3% reliability, days on which you are infertile (indicated by green light)

In response to your e-mail. The initial purchase price of Lady-Comp is more expensive than some other monitors. However, Lady-Comp is superior to many other monitors because it is actually a microcomputer compared to other monitors which may be merely thermometers with memmory capabilities. Lady-Comp contains a database of over 700,000 cycles which enables it to provide contraceptive safety of 99.3% reliability on green-light days. As well, Lady-Comp's thermal sensor reads the basal body temperature to 1/100th degree within 30 seconds (some fertility monitors can take up to 2 minutes to read the BBT). The speed of reading is very important as it contributes to the ease of use by the women, which is a factor in compliance of the method.

Lady-Comp is also more cost efficient than most other monitors. Lady-Comp includes both a power supply and battery pack. Most other monitors rely solely on batteries, which contributes to the on-going costs of other monitors. In addition, monitors that rely on urine specimens such as the "Clear Blue Plan Easy", require the on-going purchase of urine analysis sticks. These can be very costly. Lady-Comp has a life-expectancy of over 10 years, and is sold with a Five Year Warranty (through RaXMedical), in consideration of this, the savings, on birth control pills and batteries and supplies for other monitors, are substantial.

We do carry the Bioself monitor, it can be purchased online from our "Womens Health Products" page. (English) The Bioself monitor is sold as a fertility monitor and sold to predict ovulation for conception. No clinical studies have been done on Bioself to support its use as a contraceptive monitor.

I would like to receive more information regarding this product, particularly how it works to indicate when a woman is pregnant as well as its price. Also, I would like to know how many test subjects have participated for this product and for what period of time in order for your company to come up with a 99.3% reliabilty rating for this product.

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding Baby-Comp. The following are excerpts taken from our FAQ brochure and the clinical studies page of the RaXMedical website.

PREGNANCY
Baby-Comp will automatically tell you that you are pregnant - without your having to do anything - earlier than any pregnancy test. In the same way as all its other applications Baby-Comp is able to identify the characteristic difference in temperature that accompanies pregnancy from the "normal" temperature curve very early on. A pregnancy can be possible, probable or definite. Baby-Comp differentiates between these three variations and indicates in three stages:

From the third day after fertilization it indicates a possible pregnancy and from the 15th day a probable pregnancy. The confirmation of the pregnancy is displayed after the 17th day after fertilization.

The early diagnosis of a pregnancy is important for medical reasons. The latest findings about the causes of malformations and damage to the unborn child show that the earlier that an expectant woman adapts her life style to the pregnancy the better (e.g. if possible by abstaining from alcohol, cigarettes and all types of medication). The majority of malformations and damage are caused in the first weeks of a pregnancy, at a time when many women do not even know that they are pregnant and therefore have not been able to make the necessary adjustments to their life styles.

In addition, the information that Baby-Comp gives about the time of fertilization is accurate to the day, thanks to your SI data (SI = sexual intercourse) and the device's knowledge of when the next ovulation will take place. On the basis of the date of conception, Baby-Comp is therefore able to calculate and display the expected date of birth automatically and accurately. The last date when sexual intercourse took place before ovulation is used for the prognosis of the sex of the unborn child.

Exact knowledge of the time of conception and the corresponding date of birth is considered to be valuable for modern health care during pregnancy. The usual manner of calculating the duration of a pregnancy (counting from the first day of the last menses) is inaccurate. Many women do not have an average cycle, but rather their own individual cycle.

99.3% RELIABILITY
Reliability of contraception is based on independent clinical studies documented by the manufacturer. 99.3% reliability corresponds to a 0.7 Pearl Index (Pearl index= the number of pregnancies occurring if one hundred women used a method of birth control for one year.) The following is an excerpt from these clinical studies:

When the BC/LC was used for contraception, 33 unplanned pregnancies were identified in 10 275 months of use. Therefore the total pregnancy rate or use effectiveness is 33 x 1200/ 10 275, which gives a Pearl Index [11] of 3.8.

Counting only the pregnancies which occurred as a result of intercourse when the computer showed a green light, we found 6 pregnancies, giving a method pregnancy rate of 0.7 according to the Pearl Index.

For more detailed information, please consult the clinical studies page of the RaXMedical website, www.raxmedical.com. The following are two studies which contain the specifics regarding these established findings:

8. 648 women in more than two years of use, Pearl Index 0,7
Field study in Switzerland, Germany, Mexico.
Dusseldorf 1998 D.Bachhofer, Prof. Freundl, P.F. Herrmann, Prof. Godehardt

9. Trial of contraceptive effectiveness of Lady-Comp/Baby-Comp
Advances in Contraception 1998; 14: 97-108 Prof. Freundl, P.F.Herrmann,Godehardt, R.Klemm, D. Bachhofer

I am interested in more info. regarding the determination of Boy or Girl. I am considering getting pregnant and have three Boys can you help?

Baby-Comp can assist with gender selection. It is programmed to identify the likely gender that will be conceived through intercourse on a particular day of your cycle. The theories by which it has been programmed are related to the timing of intercourse in a woman's cycle and the nature or quality of the male spermatozoon in contrast to the female spermatozoon. Many women have had success in conceiving their preferred gender through this method. Although the theories are commonly accepted, the method is not scientifically proven. Baby-Comp does not guarantee gender selection, however, it provides a natural, low-cost alternative which increases your chances of conceiving the desired gender.

Baby-Comp also assist in timing a pregnancy by identifying your fertile days both at the beginning of each new cycle and throughout the cycle. Baby-Comp contains an integrated pregnancy test and as well will provide you with an accurate expected due date.

Please provide details as to how to most accurately inform Lady-Comp of menstruation?

When you activate the 'M' on the first day of your menstruation, the monitor will automatically request 'M' information for the following two days. Most people spot or bleed after that point, however the length of menstruation does not affect the calculations of your fertility, by the monitor. You can simply enter 'M' data for the days in which you have significant bleeding, for most women a minimum of three days. You can continue to activate 'M' if your period is longer than three days, it won't really assist the monitor with its calculations, but it will give you a documented history, if you want to look back and see how long your period lasted over the past months. The monitor will ask you automatically in following months for 'M' data, two days before it expects your period. If you don't have your period yet, simply push the minus button when you see the 'M' flashing.

How does Lady-Comp/Baby-Comp compare to other monitors like Persona? Does it require the purchase of urine sticks?

The Lady-Comp fertility monitor does not require the purchase of test strips for urine analysis. This is a great advantage of the Lady-Comp over similiar products, such as Persona. Lady-Comp is able to offer greater reliability of contraception, 99.3% reliability on green-light days, without the ongoing cost of purchasing test strips. Although other units are initially less expensive to purchase, if you consider you may have to pay approx. $156.00USD for a 6-month supply of urine test strips, and these products only claim reiliability of 94% reliability in contraception, the value of Lady-Comp is evident.

Can I receive full benefits from The Baby-Comp fertility computer without requesting printouts? Is there a readout that will display all essential information allowing the user to graph her own fertility charts if she prefers?

The Baby-Comp fertility computer allows you immediate recall for fertility charting. Dates, with temperature readings, menstrual data, and fertility indications can be recalled for each day of the previous nine months.

I have read that sperm can live inside a woman's body for up to six days, therfore, it was suggested not to have unprotected sex until after ovulation, is this taken into account with Lady-Comp?

Yes, the Lady-Comp fertility computer does take in to account the lifespan of sperm. Generally most women with regular cycles can expect to receive at least 8-10 red-light (fertile days) per cycle. The majority of green-light days (infertile) occur after ovulation and continue until just after menstruation. The Lady-Comp also accounts for the possibility of two ovulations occuring within the cycle. In order to assure 99.3% accuracy on green-light days all these factors and personal variations in BBT must be included in the computer's calculations.

I have just finished taking the birth control pill and have not yet had a natural cycle. Do I have to wait for menstruation to begin (bleeding) to begin using the Lady-Comp or may I use it as soon as I receive it. How does this affect the reading of the temperature and how reliable is it during this first use ?

You should begin using the Lady-Comp fertility computer as soon as you receive it. As documented by the manufacturer's FAQ, "The "infertile" display, is however, just as reliable on the first day of use as it is after two to three months. The difference is that at the beginning it appears less frequently.

You can begin to use Lady-Comp on any day of your cycle. The first menstruation after stopping the pill is a result of the withdrawal of the pill. It would not be necessary to input data regarding this menstruation, as it was not natural. The next menstruation that occured while not taking the pill would be entered as relevant data. Untill you have had your first natural menstruation, you will receive more yellow light (learning days-consider as fertile) and red-light (fertile days). Once the computer has detected an ovulation and a natural menstruation you will receive an increasing number of green-light (infertilie days). With regular cycles and compliant use it takes approx. 3 months to narrow down the fertile days to the minimum for your personal cycle. Most women receive at least 8-10 red-light (fertile) days per month