Are Clearblue Fertility Monitors worth the investment? Do they confirm if you are ovulating or are they just indicative?

[zippygeorgebungle]

Hello, I have had such good advice on mumsnet about conception, I thought there might be some wisdom on this and whether they worked.

I had a day 3 test and day 21 test this month, and the day 21 test indicated very low progesterone BUT AF was five days late and didn't arrive until day 32. I gave up breastfeeding this cycle so am hoping the day 21 test was just too early and I am actually ovulating. I usually use clearblue OPK sticks and they do give a smiley each month, but I wondered if the fertility monitor would give a clearer idea if OV was actually happening as I have heard the sticks can mask failure to ovulate.

Watching too

AFAIK they are similar to the OPK sticks in that they detect ovulation before its happened, rather than confirming it afterwards. They pick up two types of hormone, one which gives you a "high" on the monitor, and one which gives you a "peak" meaning that you will most probably ovulate the next day. Have you tried taking your temperature? Think that's the easiest way to actually see if ovulation occurred.
Other than that extremely vague response to your question, I love my monitor and wouldn't be without it

I personally think they are a waste of time and money. You have to keep testing and testing to catch the LH surge, and if you are having problem conceiving because you have irregular cycles then you will just have to keep testing and testing!

I would recommend that you track your fertility signs instead - basal body temperature, cervical fluid and cervical position. You only need a basal body temp thermometer - available from Boots - and info from the internet or (and I really recommend this book) 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' by Toni Weschler.

I followed her method and fell pregnant first time within 3 cycles. The second time I had problems with my fertility which I was able to track and determine by following my temperature and cervical mucus. I was able to sort that problem out (I unknowingly had 2 contraceptive implants in...long story!) and I was pregnant within 2 months. All for the cost of a thermometer (I borrowed the book from the library!).

Good Look TTCing

In the height of my fertility mania I bought a CBFM. I also used cheap OPKs and took my temperature daily. It's a wonder there was any time left to DTD!
I was also part of a CBFM research panel so I had two on the go at once, and they paid for my CBFM sticks.

So my thoughts are as follows: the CBFM tells you that you are about to OV and are easier to use that internet cheapies as you can do them first thing in the morning rather than having to wait. By the time I got my CBFM I was well versed with the use of the internet cheapies and found myself using them to back up the CBFM. What the CBFM does that the internet cheapies don't do is predict when you are going to OV by checking the levels of a different hormone.

As someone who has been trying for 3 years without joy I can honestly say that I feel now that I was gripped by some kind of mania at the point I bought it as I couldn't understand how I wasn't getting pg. I figured that I just needed to keep trying things, it couldn't be me that was wrong, I was just clearly not having sex at exactly the right time.

My honest opinion is that if you have been TTCing long enough to consider buying a CBFM then you don't need one, you know your body well enough. I would suggest tracking your cycle and DTDing on something like fertility friend. Temping is good but I felt it didn't help me mentally because it meant that TTCing was the first thing I thought about every day.

If you do want to get a CBFM, and I did like it I'm not saying don't get one, then buy one second hand on ebay for about £40 and you can sell it for the same. Get the sticks on Amazon on a monthly subscription to get the best price for them. Once you have reached the first day when you have a 'peak' then just keep that stick and re use it. The CBFM is programmed to use sticks in multiples of 10. Therefore if you get your peak on day 11 of peeing on sticks then it will keep asking for sticks until you pee on the 20th stick. After you have got a peak reading there is nothing for it to read, it will always give you two days of peak and then the rest will be low.

In summery: the CBFM is great for making you think that you are doing something to achieve a pregnancy when actually just DTD every other day would do the job just as well. However I did like it and it helped my track my cycle.

I think if you're already using CB OPKs, there's no advantage to using the CB monitor. Aren't they exactly the same, just more plastic and buttons on the monitor? I know some people who don't get a peak on Internet cheapies get one when using CB sticks / monitor, but if you are already getting a positive from CB sticks, the monitor won't add anything more as I understand it.

This is all really helpful, thank you. I'm 8 cycles in (first baby conceived immediately) but I've been bf'ing and seem to have a short luteal phase. I'm fairly certain I know when I'm OVing so maybe it is a little early yet.

Thanks again. It is so good to have such knowledgeable women to share their experience and kind of you to bother.