Things To Consider Before You Buy cyclotest® 2 Plus Contraceptive Monitor
but as it's something new to them they naturally have a few questions to ask. Here we share some of the most frequently asked questions about using cyclotest® 2 Plus for contraception and also about Fertility Awareness in general.
1, How can a computer stop me from getting pregnant?
2, What does Fertility Awareness mean?
3, What does Sympto-Thermal mean?
4, Can I use cyclotest® if I’m still taking the pill?
5, Do I still have to use other forms of contraception when I start using cyclotest®?
6, When do I start to use cyclotest®?
7, What happens when I want to plan for pregnancy?
8, So what is the difference between cyclotest® 2 Plus and cyclotest® Baby?
9, Should I use cyclotest® if I have irregular sleeping patterns?
10, Can I still use cyclotest® if I’m approaching menopause?
11, Does cyclotest® come with a warranty?
12, What if I still have questions?
1, How can a computer stop me from getting pregnant?
cyclotest doesn't stop sperm from fertilising an egg, it doesn't make anyone sterile and it doesn't inhibit ovulation.
What it does in a totally natural way is just to watch and observe! No intervention, no chemicals. cyclotest® learns about your natural cycle and uses natural indicators of the state of your fertility to identify the 6 days per cycle when intercourse carries the risk of pregnancy. Yes, just 6 days. Since the other 20+ days of the cycle carry no risk of pregnancy no contraception is needed during that time.
As you become aware of the 6 days of your cycle when there is a risk of pregnancy (known as your fertility window) you can be able to make your own choices regarding contraception options for those few days. Some choose a barrier contraceptive (diaphragm, cervical cap, condom etc) whilst others choose to abstain from intercourse on those days.
2, What does Fertility Awareness mean?
The Fertility Awareness Method of Contraception is an amazing, natural concept which women can use to be in control of their contraceptive choices. Where as hormonal contraception inhibits ovulation by smashing the body with synthetic hormones, Fertility Awareness teaches that by letting the natural cycle of ovulation occur we can learn to identify the 6 days per cycle when there is a risk of intercourse leading to pregnancy. If you know when those 6 days are you can either abstain from intercourse or use an instantly reversible form of contraception such as a diaphragm, cervical cap or condom. Many women see this as a much better alternative to destroying their whole ovulatory cycle just to 'stay safe' on those 6 days.
Fertility Awareness is also used to predict ovulation for pregnancy planning. By choosing to use Fertility Awareness for contraception a woman has a huge advantage when she decides the time is right for conception. Without the health issues of coming off a course of synthetic hormones she can simply plan for intercourse on the days immediately prior to ovulation to conceive.
3, What does Sympto-Thermal mean?
cyclotest® uses the 'Sympto-Thermal' method of Fertility Awareness. Where as other systems use only a temperature reading of just a urine based hormone test as an indicator of fertility, the Sympto-Thermal Method allows for many different fertility indicators. Whilst as a minimum only a series of Basal Body Temperature (BBT) readings will suffice to give a highly accurate prediction of fertile and non-fertile days, cyclotest® will accept other, optional indicators too, adding to it's calculations and enhancing it's accuracy. These other optional indicators include hormone test results and observations of the arrival of cervical mucus. The incorporation of these other indicators is very unique in theis type of device and makes it superior to those which rely on just one single indicator.
4, Can I use cyclotest® if I’m still taking the pill?
The simultaneous use of cyclotest® 2 Plus and the pill is pointless. The pill is a contraceptive and renders the use of cyclotest® superfluous. Fertility Awareness for contraception only works if you have cycle which can be measured. The pill inhibits ovulation and therefore there is no cycle to monitor.
When you stop taking the pill the hormone levels in your body will need time to settle down and then your normal ovulatory cycle can begin again. How long this takes varies with every woman and also with the type of hormones used. Some women can stop with the pill and have their first real period (start of a new cycle) within a few weeks. Others wait for several month, often having bleeds which can be confused with menstruation. The doctor or Gyno who prescribed your pill and is supervising you whilst coming off it should be able to help you identify when your cycle has returned.
Remember, if you have no ovulatory cycle the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of contraception and any system that relies on it will not work.
5, Do I still have to use other forms of contraception when I start using cyclotest®?
cyclotest® is a diagnostic unit for determining the fertile and infertile days in a woman’s cycle.
The fertile days, also known as the fertility window, should be respected. The images on the left show how cyclotest® shows your fertility status.
During the fertile phase you should, if you do not want to get pregnant, use an instantly reversible form of contraception (condom, diaphragm, cervical cap etc) or abstain from intercourse.
6, When do I start to use cyclotest®?
You dont need to do anything until your menstruation arrives. When it does enter the menstruation with the small round button as described in the instructions. This is DAY01 of your cycle. The following morning will be DAY02 and that is when you would start to take your waking temperatures.
7, What happens when I want to plan for pregnancy?
Fertility Awareness is an amazing, natural concept which allows for both pregnancy planning and contraception. Both rely on using fertility indicators to predict ovulation and cyclotest builds up your personal fertility profile to anticipate with great accuracy your fertile and non-fertile days. If you use a cyclotest® 2 Plus for contraception you will see your non-fertile, fertile and highly fertile days. This is exactly what the Doctor ordered when it comes to planning intercourse for conception, without the complex health issues of coming off a course of synthetic hormones
Should pregnancy not occur after a few cycles of having intercourse on your highly fertile days you should start to think about a medical consultation. In this scenario the data on your cyclotest® can prove invaluable to assisting with the medical diagnosis of the problem. As well as some summary data being viewable on-screen, software can be purchased separately to allow a USB download to your own PC of your fertility charts at the end of every cycle. The prudence of recording this data will never be truly recognised until there is a problem and a consultation is needed.
8, So what is the difference between cyclotest® 2 Plus and cyclotest® Baby?
Would you like your monitor in pink or blue? That really is the only difference between the two devices. cyclotest® 2 Plus comes in blue and cyclotest® Baby comes in pink. The way the devices work, the scren displays the huge reliability is all the same. When you buy a cyclotest® Baby you will find the software and USB cable for downloads included which explains it's slightly higher price. The same software can be purchased for the cyclotest® 2 Plus at any time.
9, Should I use cyclotest® if I have irregular sleeping patterns?
The Fertility Awareness Method of contraception is not advised during "highly irregular" work and sleep periods (e.g. shift work) and in changeable cycles (e.g. puberty, illness, cycle lengths over 45 days). cyclotest® has a 4 hour window for taking the daily temperature in the morning but a good night sleep is needed for any system to get a 'good' BBT reading.
10, Can I still use cyclotest® if I’m approaching menopause?
Yes. Whilst you continue with a regular cycle of ovulation that cycle can be monitored and of course, if you're ovulating there is a risk that intercourse could still lead to pregnancy. Also, women who use cyclotest® gain a greater awareness of how their body works and what happens when they ovulate. By using cyclotest® these women gain a greater insight to the changes which occur with menopause and so can identify it sooner.
11, Does cyclotest® come with a warranty?
The device has been manufactured and tested with great care. However, in the unlikely event of a defect being detected after delivery, we provide warranty in accordance with the following terms and conditions:
RDO Medical UK Ltd.
Pennington House, 37 High Street
Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8-1LY, UK.
12, What if I still have questions?
You have no doubt read our instructions for using cyclotest® carefully and familiarised yourself with the functions. Our description corresponds to the normal cycle response. While dealing with your cyclotest® you may notice initially some readings and information in the dialogue display that appear unfamiliar to you, or you may have questions about handling the unit. In such cases you can call our cyclotest® service hotline, which is open during office hours. Your team of cyclotest® advisers is looking forward to taking your call.
cyclotest® service hotline 0044 208 1331 700