All you need to know about Pregnancy Trackers

Pregnancy is a wonderful stage of life, with mixed feelings of happiness and anxiety. From the fertile periods to the conception and from there till the baby’s birth, pregnancy is a journey that involves lots of ups and downs.

The way of dealing with this period varies from mom to mom (To-Be). Thank goodness, in todays’ digital health world, we are blessed with many apps, gadgets, and tracking devices that can ease this important period. Finally, the knowledge that we need is at our fingers’ fingertips, and we can resolve it almost instantly.

Why getting pregnant is a science?

Getting pregnant is more of a science than a process. Nowadays, it is important to achieve a planned pregnancy. Parents’ emotional and physical well-being is essential to conceive a healthy child. Not having to worry about the fertile days is a great stress reliever.

As for science, once the monthly cycle or periods get over, a women’s body prepares for the next cycle. Within 5-15 days after the last day of a period, either of the ovaries will release an egg. This egg then travels to the fallopian tube and reaches into fluid near the uterus.

The time window is short. If the sperm does not reach the egg on time for fecundation, it will dissolve in Intrauterine fluid. The uterus will then get prepared for the next periods…and the cycle will start again.

During this time, various hormones like estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH) also play their part. These hormones are helpful as detectors in various ovulation detectors devices.

Another physiological change that occurs in the body is a change in basal body temperature (BBT). Body temperature dips a bit on the day of ovulation and increases slightly afterward during the next few days.

What are Ovulation Trackers Devices?

There are various methods to find the ovulation time. The best ones estimate the expected fertile period. No need for bells and whistles. Accuracy is the key.

Many Ovulation devices have been trending in the market for the past few years. Most Ovulation tracker devices are handy, and the results are right on point. Women use them either as contraception or conception devices.

Many of them rely on measuring a hormone called Lutein Hormone (LH) as an indicator. Ovulation will usually occur one day and a half after the level of LH rises. Besides, some trackers use the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) as a way to estimate ovulation.

Below is a list of devices that will change the way you conceive a new life.

AVA

AVA is the only FDA-cleared fertility tracker wearable device. It should be worn before going to bed. While you are asleep, it records many physiological parameters such as body temperature, resting heart rate, resting breathing rate, perfusion index, and heart rate variability.  As you wake up, the data is updated in the companion app. available for iOS and Android.

Combining all of these physiological parameters can predict ovulation time. The device is clinically proven to notify about those five fertile days. It connects to the phone and allows to save the data history. If you are taking contraceptive pills or have irregular periods, Ava may not be a good choice.

Ava Women even offers a full refund in case you are not pregnant in the 6 months following the purchase. A clear sign that the company is confident in the potential of its product.

TEMPDROP

Tempdrop is a tiny device that attaches to the skin close to the armpit area before bed. It records the body temperature and can detect variation up to 0.1-Celsius degrees. It will detect the lowest body temperature and has a built-in accelerometer that analyzes sleep quality as well.  

FEMOMETER

Femometer is FDA and CE-approved product. It contains various products to increase the chance of pregnancy. The company offers a Basal Body Thermometer and test strips that measure the level of Luteinizing Hormones (LH). LH is a hormone produced by the brain and plays an essential part in ovulation.

The companion app synthesizes the data from the different devices. It will then provide real-time predictions based on the company’s proprietary algorithms.

By summarizing different biological data, Femometer can improve the chance of conception.

CLEARBLUE Advanced Digital Ovulation Test 

Clearblue advanced digital ovulation test is a dual hormone-based product offering Bluetooth connectivity. LH and Estrogen are the leading indicators to predict ovulation.  The kit comes with 20 strips and a reader device. When using test strips, a smiley appears to show the fertile days/non-fertile days.

Plus, it gets connected to the phone and sets reminders in a personalized manner. The only drawback is that the device is not hassle-free. Using it every day may become uncomfortable as compared to other devices that record temperature while asleep. Yet, the accuracy of this device is excellent.

What are Morning Sickness Relievers?

Now let’s take a look at the beginning of the pregnancy and how digital devices can soothe and pamper you.  Once the good news is confirmed, women’s bodies and the hormonal system bring lots of changes.

Those hormones may take you on a roller coaster of symptoms. Among them, morning sickness, nausea, mood swings, food cravings, etc. Besides, medications have many side effects, make you feel sleepy, and are not advisable when pregnant. Yet, would-be mothers of the 21st century have many options to get some relief.

Below are some morning sickness relievers that rely on technology instead of chemistry.

RELIEFBAND CLASSIC

Reliefband classic is a smart wearable device with a fantastic look. It is FDA-cleared for anti-emesis use. Wear it on the wrist with the sensor touching the wrist. The device sends minuscule electric currents that stimulate the median nerve.

It works on a neuromodulation principle. The impulses send signals to the brain to modulate the esophageal and gastric area and calm the vomiting feelings. It has five different settings to set the optimal frequency.

RELIEFBAND PREMIER

Reliefband premier is not much different than the Reliefband classic. The only difference is that the premier has rechargeable batteries, which can last up to 18 hrs. The Classic has a replaceable battery that lasts 150 hrs. The designs are a bit different as well. Yet, both products work using the same scientific principles.

EMETERM

EmeTerm is a band working on the same principle as Reliefband classic. It’s fast in action. And it is not necessary to apply some gel or anything to make contact with the skin.

It was time when moms-to-be had to see the doctor to know about their weight and their baby’s development. They always wondered about their baby’s weight as well as their own. Nowadays, it is possible to get an answer right away with the help of digital smart scales designed for pregnancy.

What are Digital Smart Scales for pregnancy?

FITTRACK BEEBO

Fittrack Beebo measures not only body weight but body composition as well. It includes fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, hydration level. It also offers a special mode for pregnant women. The data is synchronized with the companion app. available for iOS and Android. It also shows the various stages of baby growth and size week after week.

RENPHO SMART SCALE

The Renpho Smart scale is a smart scale with Bluetooth connectivity. There is one more wifi version, and there is no need to run an app to update the data. It takes care of it all by itself. The app is compatible with various health tracking apps like apple health, Samsung health, Fitbit app. It offers 13 health metrics. Some noteworthy are BMI, Visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, protein, etc.

QARBIOBASE 2

The Quadrio base 2 is one of our best smart scales of the year. It combines various health parameters to check your body composition. It has a mom-to-be mode as well. It checks the mom’s weight and tracks the baby’s development.

It comes with a Bluetooth mode, which updates the data collected while the app is turned off.

What are fetal heart monitors?

Listening to a baby’s heart rate and feeling kicks are ultimate pleasures for a mom-to-be. Nowadays, fetal heart monitors are available for the general public. But doctors do not recommend using OTC fetal heart monitors.

Observing a baby’s development month-to-month and visiting a doctor is a joyful moment when feeling happy kicking in there. Listening to the heartbeats of the baby is also an incredible experience.

At-home fetal heart monitors offer the possibility to record such privileged moments. Keep in mind, though, that such a device should not be used for any at-home diagnostic. Furthermore, it is not advisable to use it too often as it can be disturbing to the fetus.

WELLUE BABY TONE 

The Wellue Baby Tone comes with an extra-large probe and gel that improves fetal heart sounds’ transmission and sensitivity. Pregnancy from 12 weeks onwards is eligible for measuring the heart rate.  It not only counts but records the baby’s heartbeats, baby kicks, baby sounds. While we do not recommend using these devices for self-diagnostic, they have great sentimental value. They help create audio memories for the years to come.

To wrap up

It was a time when information about pregnancy was only available in specialized magazines. Then the Internet took over and often provided mixed messages. Finally, digital devices and apps have evolved. They are an integral part of the conception and pregnancy follow-up.

With the help of Ovulation trackers, the chances of pregnancy are improved. Besides, various devices such as contraction timers are also available in the market. But again, these devices should be used only under medical supervision. After all, the wise use of technology is the backbone of digital health.