Menstrual cycle monitor

Details Menstrual cycle monitor Menstrual cycle monitor

2002-02-27

2004-06-08

Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2841)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Combined with disparate device

C368S327000, C368S223000, C600S551000, C024S11600R, C063S038000, C063S039000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06747917

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to an apparatus and method for monitoring a woman's menstrual cycle. More particularly, the invention is related to a mnemonic-based approach for monitoring a woman's menstrual cycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Worldwide, substantial numbers of women use periodic abstinence as their method of family planning. This method of family planning, generally referred to as the “rhythm method,” typically involves recognition of a woman's fertile period using any one of various methods, including a “guess” based on the length of her menstrual cycle. Ovulation may be assumed to occur mid-cycle, and thus the period of abstinence is set accordingly. Unfortunately, although some women have an accurate understanding of their reproductive cycle and thus know when they are most likely to be fertile, many users of periodic abstinence lack such an understanding, thereby preventing them from reliably using period abstinence as a means for preventing pregnancy. In fact, it has been estimated that of the 50 to 60 million women who use periodic abstinence to avoid pregnancy, more than one third have little or no information about their own fertility. Despite the lack of reliability of many rhythm-based techniques, various religious, philosophic, or health considerations nevertheless have led many women to adopt these techniques.
Because knowledge of a woman's reproductive cycle could be used by a woman to assist in determining whether to refrain from or engage in intercourse, depending if conception is desired, various techniques have been developed for tracking the reproductive cycle. For example, some researchers have proposed methods of predicting ovulation that are based on biochemical changes in various body fluids, such as saliva, vaginal secretions, or urine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,186 to Regas et al. is directed to a method and apparatus for predicting and detecting the onset of ovulation. The method involves essentially measuring the electrical resistivity of the user's saliva, and by observing peaks and nadirs of changes in the saliva resistivity, ovulation and fertility periods are predicted. The onset of ovulation can be further established by measuring the electrical resistivity of vaginal mucus, which, during the fertile period, shows a nadir on the day immediately preceding ovulation.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,591 to Henderson et al. discloses a device for the in vivo detection of refractive indices of cervical mucus at a female's cervical os. The device detects in vivo physiological changes in a female's cervical mucus, with the changes correlating with the timing of ovulation and thus providing a marker for the fertile period of the menstrual cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,630 to Glaze is directed to a method for determining periodic infertility in females. The natural birth control method comprises observance of the first day of menses followed by measurement of urinary progesterone metabolite levels beginning a predetermined number of days after the first day of menses. Urinary progesterone metabolite measurement is performed on days of planned sexual activity until the concentration level exceeds a threshold value indicative of ovulation occurring more than 24 hours previously. Once such a threshold value is observed, the woman may discontinue testing and can consider herself unable to conceive until after the beginning of the subsequent menstrual cycle.
Despite these developments, there exists a need for alternative means for a woman to accurately predict her fertile window. Further, because many women discontinue use of a given apparatus and method, and millions of women do not use any apparatus or method, there exists a need for a simple, inexpensive alternative apparatus and method.
In particular, despite the aforementioned developments, there exists a need for a less intrusive apparatus and method for monitoring a woman's menstrual cycle, based on a “fertile window” during each woman's menstrual cycle when she can become pregnant. In addition, there exists a need for an apparatus and method for helping a woman identify her fertile window to permit informed decisions about whether to avoid intercourse if she does not want to become pregnant. Further, there exists a need for a mnemonic-based apparatus and method for monitoring a woman's menstrual cycle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to a menstrual cycle monitor for a human female including an initial indicator provided with first indicia representing a first day of menstrual bleeding, a second set of indicators formed by six indicators disposed adjacent one another, each of the six indicators provided with second indicia representing early infertile days, a third set of indicators formed by twelve indicators disposed adjacent one another, each of the twelve indicators provided with third indicia representing fertile days, and a fourth set of indicators formed by thirteen indicators disposed adjacent one another representing later infertile days. The indicators together form an ordered set with the initial indicator disposed adjacent an indicator from the second set, the second set disposed between the initial indicator and the third set, the third set disposed between the second and fourth sets, and an indicator from the fourth set disposed adjacent an indicator from the third set. A twenty-seventh indicator of the ordered set is determined by counting each consecutive indicator starting with the initial indicator, and the twenty-seventh indicator is provided with different indicia from indicia provided to the other indicators in the fourth set.
In some embodiments, the ordered set of indicators are coupled together. Also, the ordered set may include a thirty-second indicator determined by counting each consecutive indicator starting with the initial indicator, with the indicators of the ordered set being coupled together so that the thirty-second indicator is coupled to the initial indicator. In addition, a final indicator may be provided with fifth indicia representing the end of the menstrual cycle, the final indicator being disposed between the initial indicator and thirty-second indicator.
The first, second, third, and fifth indicia may each comprise a shape, and the fifth indicia shape may be different from the first, second, and third indicia shapes. Each indicator may be a bead, and the beads may be coupled together to form a loop. The beads may be tear-drop shaped. In another embodiment, the ordered set may be disposed in an open-ended linear form.
The menstrual cycle monitor also may include a movable marker for placement around and/or coupling to an indicator. A resilient band, sized to fit snugly around an indicator, may serve as the movable marker. The movable marker may be coupled to the ordered set.
The first, second, and third indicia may be different colors. In some embodiments, the indicia of the twenty-seventh indicator may be a first color, the indicia of the other indicators in the fourth set may be a second color, and the first color may be different from the second color. The indicators of the fourth set may be provided with luminescent indicia. Further, the indicia of the twenty-seventh indicator may be a first shape and the indicia of the other indicators in the fourth set may be a second shape, with the first shape being different from the second shape. The indicia of the indicators in the fourth set other than the twenty-seventh indicator may be the same as the second indicia. Also, the second indicia and the indicia of the indicators in the fourth set other than the twenty-seventh indicator may be the same color. The indicia provided to the indicators in the fourth set may also comprise shape and color.
The menstrual cycle monitor may further include a foldable case having an inner portion, a first annular region with a marker disposed thereon, and a second annular region with the ordered set disposed thereon. The first and second annular regions may be coupled to the inner portion

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