Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor Reviews

• Thank heaven for little boys....

  
  By A3HGSHD8XRG7I2 on 2005-11-06
  I bought this monitor after 8 months of trying to concieve. I have very irregular periods so the thought of a machine telling me when I was ovulating sounded great.
  
  About the machine: You have to program it to start during your period. So, if you buy it in between your cycles, you need to wait until your next period to begin using the monitor, however you can program it up to day 5 on your period, meaning if you buy this and you are anywhere from day 1-5 in your menses, you can program it for whatever day between those five days you are on. If you purchase the monitor and you are on day 3 of your period, the monitor will allow you to program day 3 and start from there. For me I had a bit of trouble figuring out the programming but to be honest Im not that mechanically inclined, but I did eventually get it.
  
  You start testing when the maching tells you to, so you won't be testing everyday. This helps because it saves $$ on the sticks. You pee on the stick in the morning (first morning urine for best results, as opposed to afternoon urine with OPK'S) at the same time every morning. There is a 3 hour window that is allowed. So if you set your clock for 7am, but you really have to pee at 5:30, you pee at that time so the urine is concentrated. The 3 hour window can go either way- before 7am or after, just as long as its the first urine. The machine will give you either a low, high or peak (with a little egg next to the peak days) reading. The instructions advise you to baby dance on high and peak days.
  
  Now for the cons. Its pricey! The machine itself is expensive, much, much more then OPK's and the sticks are pricey as well. When you buy the machine it will come with a certain amount of sticks, but then you need to buy refills which can get costly.
  
  Did it work?? For us it worked. I was able to get pregnant the second cycle using this monitor. It showed that I was ovualting on day 10, where I figured I was around days 12-16, so we were way off. With the new found knowledge of when I was actually ovualting we got pregnant with our little boy.
  
  
  
  

• Don't put all your eggs in one basket!

  
  By A35TRA1PLB9TRP on 2002-05-30
  I am not advising that you purchase or not purchase this monitor. I simply need to tell you of my experience if you do use it. I was very excited to find a tool that would take the human error out of reading the ovulation test sticks to determine the LH surge, therefore predicting the peak days of fertility.

  I used this monitor every month for over a year with one successful pregnancy (ending in miscarriage). The very thing I liked about this tool is possibly what prevented my getting pregnant sooner. I relied too much on the accuracy of the monitor! The machine reads the stick and displays the "fertile day" sign. If there are any errors in this reading, you won't know because you can't read them yourself. You must rely totally on the accuracy of the machine. Whereas, with the simpler ovulation predictor sticks, you can read them yourself; see the line to determine if it is darker or lighter than the test line and can compare it with sticks from one day to the next.

  After trying to conceive for so long, I found myself only focusing on the "prime fertile days." I didn't have the energy to "try" if the monitor didn't say I had to. I think by narrowing my target to the 2 or 3 perfect days that this machine predicted, caused me to actually miss my fertile days. I think the machine was wrong. I came to this conclusion one month when I decided to check behind the monitor by using it simultaniously with the ovulation predictor sticks. The monitor read my LH surge as day 12 and I read the sticks as surging on day 18. If I had not checked behind the machine, so to speak, I would have missed my actual peak time. By NOT paying attention to the monitor readings, I persevered and kept at it until day 18 and this was the month I got pregnant.

  I'd recommend that if you do buy this monitor, use it as a guideline and not as the gospel. Use it to indicate your fertile days but don't stop there. Don't just "try" on the fertile days. The one pregnancy I did have was due to "trying" even after the machine said it wasn't productive.

  One final note, the sticks for this machine are bought in boxes of 30 and are very expensive. You MUST use 10 per month dictated by the machine. Purchasing the box of 5 or 7 ovulation predictor sticks is actually less expensive and you need only use the number of sticks until you see the "peak." These kits are complete as is (just add urine!) and do not require the purchase of an expensive machine.

  Good luck!
  
  

• Pregnant after one cycle!!

  
  By A2X8QRM8QW4DT7 on 2004-09-25
  My husband and I tried for several months off the birth control patch with no success. I am 35 and had always assumed I ovulated around days 14-16. I bought the monitor on the recommendation of friends (among our set, it's resulted in several pregnancies!). I wasn't able to use it immediately at the time I bought it, because I was too far along in my cycle. The first time I did use it -- bingo! We're pregnant. It turns out that I was ovulating on days 11-12.
  
  The machine is simple and easy to use. I know that it's expensive and that the cost may be off-putting, but it is certainly cheaper than consultations with fertility specialists. I also have a very demanding job and was not consistent with keeping up with my charting, etc.
  
  This is such a sensitive issue for so many people. I think we need all of the help we can get. Good luck!
  
  

• Great investment!! TWO beautiful children!

  
  By AO2APISMBA1M7 on 2005-06-24
  I HIGHLY recommend this monitor. It took all of the guesswork out of conception, giving me ACCURATE readings of my peak fertile days. And as a mommy of Advanced Maternal Age (over 35) believe me, I needed to take the guesswork out of baby making. I used this monitor to conceive my TWO beautiful children (28 month old and 8 month old). You could say I am a TWICE happy customer!!!
  
  
  For those who claim it gave inaccurate readings: did you test EVERY day, because missing a day will yield incorrect readings; are your cycles IRREGULAR, because this product won't help you if your cycles run over 40 days; and did you perform your test within the proper WINDOW of the day, because, again, if you tested outside of the specific time period your results won't be accurate. The directions are very specific!!
  
  
  
  

• I have babysat the little results from this monitor :-)

  
  By AAEDI63SPD3PU on 2006-01-08
  This monitor really can help some people.. I just happen to be one of those people who have seen the results of this monitor.
  
  It is easy to use, honestly the instruction manual is kinda overwhelming.. BUT it has a lot of required troubleshooting info.. if you get an error on the screen what to do etc.
  
  Basically you set the monitor for whatever time you want to test and every morning you test at that time or two hours around that time.. You pee on a stick click the cap over the pee area and put it in the monitor.. it just SNAPS in place. It reads it then tells you weither you are Low, High or Peak.. VERY Clearly and it's easy easy easy to follow and read. You don't have to sit and look at it waiting for a response you can go about getting ready for your day come back and take the stick out and read your status.
  
  I found that it just let's you know EXACTLY when you should try to conceive. I learned some months you peak and some you don't and that is just a normal thing..happens sometimes. My Sister-in-law had problems conceiving and she tried it and got pregnant about 3 cycles into using it. I've got two friends that have used it as well and both have newborns now. It's fast and easy.
  
  On a side note.. I have also seen the stresses it puts on couples.. TONIGHT'S THE PEAK NIGHT ETC... Personally I think you should keep "that" info to youself.. don't want to deal with performance anxiety!! I also found that just making sure during peak and HIGH that you are doing the "baby dance" makes conceiving a higher possibility.
  
  ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: These monitors CAN NOT be reset. So if you buy one off of ebay or borrow from a friend.. it will still think you are her..with her cycle time and all the other info it learned from her. SO your first month you may find that you are using A LOT of sticks for it to get used to you and figure out when you ovulate. Customer Service told me the first months reading may even be inaccurate with a borrowed monitor.
  
  Also from Checking EVERYWHERE for the best stick deal amazon has just about everyone beat AND they offer free shipping on the sticks!! :-)
  
  Good Luck!
  
  
  
• Worked for Me!
  By on 2004-06-10
  I bought this monitor after trying over a year and a half to get pregnant. I have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and I got it after about 6 months of Glucophage treatment for the PCOS. I got pregnant the first cycle. It turns it I was ovulating later than I thought I was by doing the temperature chart alone. Even though Clearplan site says it is not accurate for PCOS people I believe it made the difference for me. I know it may seem like a lot of money, but for me it was worth it. I figured if it didn't work the money was well spent anyway. The first month it just seemed like we had sex every day starting about 2-3 days after my period ended for about 20 days in a row. Also, the waiting at least 15 minutes with your hips elevated after sex. Good luck to all of you who are trying!
  
  
• Buy this monitor!!
  By on 2004-04-06
  After I came off of birth control pills, my first two cycles were irregular (ranging from 33-40 days) and I could not tell whether I was ovulating. We tried to get pregnant for one month without using any monitors or temping, but I miscalculated my ovulation date by a week and so it didn't work. I decided to buy the monitor so I could know if/when I ovulated and I also started charting my temp & cervical fluid. The monitor gave me my first high fertility day much earlier than I thought it would based on the length of my past two cycles off of the pill, and if I hadn't been using the monitor I would have had no idea that my fertile period started so early. It gave me my first peak reading four days later, and my second peak day corresponded with my temp rise so I knew I had ovulated on that day. Now, three weeks later, I am very happy to say that I am pregnant!! This monitor is great!! Due to my irregular cycles, I would have had no idea when I was fertile were it not for the monitor.
  
  
• Worth the money!!
  By on 2003-01-08
  I had a miscarriage last year. Since then, my husband and I have been trying to conceive again, but with no luck. We bought the monitor and used it for one month. We're now pregnant!!! This product takes the stress out of trying to conceive. You don't have to think because the monitor does it for you!
  
  
• Warning - This Maching Actually Works Too Well
  By A3D4F5Z9K6QF82 on 2007-03-26
  As an "older" couple (mid-late 30's) my wife was worried that she wouldn't be able to get pregnant. We were hearing horror stories from friends who'd been trying unsuccessfully for a year or more. To top it off and add to my wife's stress level, her mother was sending her articles on how drastically fertility rates drop with age.
  
  A couple friends had used this monitor with amazing results, and though we hadn't started trying to get pregnant yet, I purchased this monitor in the hopes of improving our chances (and my sanity - since my wife was getting wound up worrying that we wouldn't be able to conceive).
  
  The plan was to use it one "practice month" so that the machine could learn her cycle and she could get use to it, and then get serious the next month. Well, guess what? Using the machine she got pregnant that first "practice" month.
  
  It was truly a mixed blessing because I was looking forward to at least a month or two of hard work but instead my part was done before I ever really got started (husbands should take this into account). In all seriousness though, the relief on my wife's face was well worth the expense of this little gadget. We were sold on this device and used it again, with similar results, to conceive our second child.
  
  I will add a caveat though. We have a friend who was not successful using this device. In the end it took her 3 invitro sessions to finally get pregnant and have her baby, so I'm thinking other issues were involved, but I want people to know that while this device works surprisingly well, no device is 100% guaranteed.
  
  
• Skeptic turned believer!!!
  By A2FYCP9STM8Q92 on 2005-03-15
  I just want to start by saying we had been trying for quite some time and I purchased this with little hopes it would help. I ordered this in the beginning of January and I am happy to say that we are expecting our 1st child!!!!! I have always used those other sticks and thought they were fine but I was testing at the wrong time or the "end" of my peak time. It is more $ than the regular sticks, but it will help you to narrow down your peak and fertile days. Our 1st month using it it worked and showed me I ovulate earlier than I thought, I recommend it if you have tried other methods besides medical. Good Luck!
  
  
• Don't just rely on the monitor!
  By A1K15PCOM652YH on 2008-01-15
  Don't get me wrong....this monitor is great, easy to use and fairly accurate. I just wouldn't completely rely on the results it gives. After trying for a couple months to concieve our 2nd child, I invested in this monitor thinking it would save a little time and heartache. We used the monitor religiously for 7 months and still nothing was happening. I began to feel frustrated, especially after reading all of the reviews of others getting pregnant after the first or second month. I purchased the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and read about all of the other signs I should be watching for (ie. cervical fluid, BBT, etc.). I found this extremely helpful and used the book in conjunction with the monitor. Basically, I found that the monitor was telling me that my "Peak" day was earlier than it actually was. Because I was solely relying on the monitor to tell me what days we should be trying, we stopped trying once the monitor stated our peak day was over. That was the mistake that kept us from conceiving. Bottom line: Great tool to use along with other methods, but don't take the results too literally. I'm happy to say that we did concieve and are expecting another little boy. Good Luck!
  
  
• Not worth the money!!!
  By A23OOLXD9AIR4X on 2005-05-09
  You are better off using your money for disposable test sticks. Why? Because:
  1. Getting up in the middle of the night (or early morning) to pee throws off the monitor's result, leading to the wrong "peak" days.
  2. Missing the first test day (cycle day 6 or so) throws off the monitor's result, leading to the wrong "peak" days.
  (Note: I confirmed with my doctor and other tests that this monitor gave the wrong result, missing ovulation by four days).
  3. There is no ability to scroll back and forth to review previous month's data.
  4. The setting of the time window for testing is very unintuitive and inconveniently restrictive.
  5. Per the company's spokeperson, the monitor only picks up one "peak" day and automatically labels the following day also as "peak" regardless of what is actually detected in the urine. This is problematic because the monitor can get the first peak day wrong for the reasons above and, because of this feature, does not allow you to continue to monitor to detect your real peak. (Actually, it does allow you to submit a sample but the result is pre-determined).
  6. There is actually very little useful information about the so-called period of "high" fertility preceding the "peak" time. The monitor doesn't actually use your previous cycles like it claims to (so say their representatives when you call to ask about it).
  7. The representatives of the company are not very knowledgeable about their product, refuse to share information about how it works on grounds that it's proprietary, and generally are quite rude when you call with questions.
  
  You would do just as well and save a lot of money buying the inexpensive test sticks.
  
  
• AGE 38, AND PREGNANT AFTER 3 MONTHS!!!!!!
  By A1ZVKNP5XI2GJ0 on 2007-12-13
  I had seen this monitor a while back, but figured I'd try on my own first, since I have very regular cycles and can actually feel when I ovulate every month. But after two months and no luck, I then tried the OTC ovulation/LH surge strips - also without success. I could hear the clock ticking louder and louder, since I'd had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy last year, and I'm already 38... so I FINALLY decided to buy this, since it had received such stellar reviews, with so many women saying they got pregnant within the first several months....(check the reviews on other sites as well). Not much of an optimist (because I was tired of being disappointed every month), especially given my age (DON'T read the statistics regarding age and chances of pregnancy - it'll just depress you), we used it for three months. It was pretty cool, because it gives you a much longer fertility window than just the regular test strips, since it also tells you of the estrogen surge (which occurs before the LH surge). I charted all of this every month (just on a calendar), and this last cycle had FOUR days of "high" fertility (past months only 2 days) followed by two days of "peak" fertility (LH surge) - and I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I highly doubt this would've happened with the LH strips, because I might've only caught ONE peak day (LH surge), and wouldn't have known of the "high" fertility days leading up to it!! DO YOURSELF A FAVOR - IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET PREGNANT, AND DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE, GET THIS MONITOR!!! You will really appreciate the accuracy of information, and will obtain a longer fertility window - KEY!!! It may seem costly, but imagine the cost of seeing an infertility specialist and undergoing all of the testing (we had just had our first appt several weeks ago, and were ready to start down that road....)!
  
  
• PREGNANT AFTER ONE CYCLE W/ PCOS & using CLOMID!
  By A36KU4DQ9F1KP4 on 2004-08-25
  I would just like to state that I have PCOS, and although the instructions state this product does not work with women with my condition, it has worked for me. I have just received confirmation that I am pregnant after using this product for one cycle! The ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor gave me FIVE high fertility days (4 prior to me ovulating) and TWO peak days! I thought this might be wrong because most women ovulate within 36 hours of the "surge", so I double-checked by purchasing a $19 ovulation predictor by Answer, and it gave me those SAME TWO fertility days! I am not telling you to buy this product or not buy it, but it definitely takes the guessing out of trying to conceive. It turns out I ovulate a few days later than the "normal" mid-cycle. I ovulate on day 17 and 18 and have a 30-day cycle. If I hadn't purchased this monitor, I would still be thinking I was ovulating closer to day 15 like my doctor told me! There is hope for those of us out there with PCOS! Don't give up!
  
  
• My story...
  By A1FRHONL133JZ2 on 2006-04-23
  I bought the monitor after 1 1/2 years of ttc. I did not get pregnant using it but it did do what it was supposed to and that is tell me when I was about to ovulate. My cycles vary between 24 and 28 days (a few times 32 days) I didnt know when I was ovulating. After using it for a few months I payed close attention to any possible "twinges" or pains assosiated with ovulating and it was and is dead on every cycle. I know everyone doesnt "feel" ovulation, but if you really pay attention to your body and your cervical fluid you will see how it corresponds with the monitor. I did have to consult a specialist and went through all of the testing with my husband only to find there was no problems with either of us. After over 2 years of TTC and a lap to remove endo in me (which could have caused the infertility) I took clomid unsuccessfully. We moved on to IUI while taking clomid. The month of the IUI the specialist took my blood on certian days to track my hormones, I used use my monitor too to see if it would detect an LH surge at the same time the doctor did. Well, they called me after I gave blood telling me they detected a surge, but I didnt on the monitor, I only had a "high" reading. I remember asking the doctor if they were sure because I didnt get a "peak" on the monitor. The month I didnt get a "peak" reading I got pregnant. So dont think your not ovulating if you dont get a "peak". In most cases if you get your period, you're ovulating. My son is now almost 2 and I am using the FM for #2. One thing to remember is you will ovulate "within" 24 hours of getting a "peak" reading and I only had a "peak" reading 2 days in a row once. I usually only get 1 "peak" day not 2. The month I didnt get a "peak" could have been altered from the clomid. Have intercourse every other day for max sperm count. Good Luck to everyone, TTC can be very frustrating, especially when everyone around you is getting pregnant with no problems. It's so easy to get obsessed with it. Try and take a break (if possible ;>)).
  
  
• TTC must have.
  By ADTJ29AG1CZ01 on 2005-11-19
  I love this monitor, it gave me easy to read results and was right on with my BBT and cervical fluid observations.
  I don't find it difficult to use at all. I collect my urine in a cup and use a watch to time the 15 seconds you need to dip the test stick. If I wake up and have to go earlier than usual the instruction book said just to collect urine in a cup and keep it at room temp till your usual test time. I have done this several times with accurate results. I ordered my monitor and 2 boxes of test strips not realizing that the boxes came with enough strips (30 in a box) for 2 to 3 cycles (for the average cycle). If you have a reg. cycle and only need to test for the 10 days then these test strips cost about the same as using the reg. ovulation kits without having to try and read the lines.
  
  We're 7 days from finding out if we were successful this cycle but even if we weren't it will be easier to pin point next month's most fertile time.
  
  Goodluck everyone!
  
  
• Trying for our second Clearblue Baby!
  By A2PJHDJXFLLP3N on 2005-01-01
  I bought this item about 3 years ago, and my clearblue baby is going to be 3 in March. We had tried for 3 years before before purchasing this moniter, my cycles are somewhat irregular so it was hard to detect my peak fertility days. We concived on the third month of using this moniter! We are now going to use it agian to concieve another child. What a great product for helping to concieve. Very easy to use and understand, takes out all the
  guessing, and helps you concive a baby natrually
  
  
• A "Life Starter"!
  By A17Y2F0V80HJTH on 2004-12-16
  This is an incredible piece of equipment. My wife and I tried for over a year to get pregnant, and we used every method available to find out her prime ovulation time. We purchased this monitor 3 months ago and we are already pregnant! It turns out that we were misled about my wifes ovulation days by doctors and other methods of testing we had used in the past. This monitor pin-pointed the best days to try and is extremely accurate!!!
  
  I highly recommend this monitor if you have had any trouble in finding your peak days of ovulation.
  
  
• Excellent product
  By A1K80IFGQFSK6B on 2004-11-17
  This is an awesome product. My husband and I have been infertile trying to conceive for several years and doctors kept telling me I ovulated on day 14 like everyone else. NOT TRUE. I have found that although I have miscarried 5 times, I am closer to an answer to my problem with this product. I never liked charting -its a pain in the rear. This product has showed me in my irregular cycles that some months I have ovulated on day 12 and other months I have ovulated on day 16. So save yourself time and try this monitor-you won't be dissappointed. It is very accurate. Even if you do do it in your sleep and pee on it more than 3 seconds.
  
  
• You CAN let your friends borrow it!!
  By A30PCS6SX6F494 on 2009-10-20
  This is an AWESOME monitor and helped a good friend of mine conceive in 2 months after trying for over a year without this monitor. I am writing this review in hopes that people will realize that you can have multiple users borrow it. She has let me borrow it and all I had to do was reset it. It states in the booklet that you can use it again after a pregnancy. Well HELLO after a pregnancy your hormones are different, menstrual cycles have changed which means ovulation has changed. So after pregnancy you are pretty much a new user. I know they try to convince you can't share (it states it multiple times in the booklet, on the 800 number and on the website. But that's only because you are losing 200 bucks for them each time you let someone borrow it!
  
  If you do borrow it from someone, remove the battery and reinsert it then reset the monitor as if you just bought it.
  
  WORKS GREAT!
  
  
  
  UPDATE!!!!!
  
  I am holding my beautiful baby boy now and only used this machine for 2 months. It is a godsend!!
  
  
• For those of you ttc for over a year....
  By A1T59LXREG76FG on 2007-07-18
  Just like many of you, once I decided I wanted a baby I wanted instant gratification. Well, there is no magic pill, device or method to insure that happens. I had been ttc #1 for a little over a year when I stumbled on this device. I also chart my basal body temperature and cervical mucus and use "Pre-seed," a sperm-friendly lubricant, on my dryer fertile days. My doctor put me on Femara which is a fertility drug similar yet different than Clomid when I went for my first infertility workup at 8 months ttc. My doctor diagnosed me with a hormonal imbalance and he wanted to correct that with the fertility drug. I was convinced that it was too early to be on a fertility drug but tried it anyway. On my first month of using this monitor I noticed that I had 15 days of high fertility and no peak - keep in mind, I was using Femara at that point. I went off the fertility drugs at that point, started an organic diet and herbal regimen to naturally correct my hormonal imbalance. The second month, I was stressed out and ovulated very late (CD 22). By using the monitor and taking my bbt every day, I realized that my body ovulated late and the monitor was very helpful. On the 2nd month, I had 3 days of high and no peak. I continued with the herbs and organic diet in an effort to balance my hormones. This is now my third month of using this monitor and I finally have had a normal cycle off fertility drugs with 2 days of high fertility and 2 peak days. To sum this up, anytime you are ttc, you need to have some patience and learn how to interpret what your body is trying to tell you. For me, I think this device gave me peace of mind and it is very helpful when you combine the information with your basal body temperature. I give this product a 4 because it does a great job for most women if you give it a chance. The reason I did not give it a 5 was two-fold: 1) customer service is terrible (the 1-800 help line) and 2) the company will not tell you how the product works (it's top-secret). After 3 months, I am still not pregnant, however, the high and peak days on my fertility monitor have let me know that I am ovulating and my hormones have returned to normal. This gives me peace of mind. For any woman reading this that is having problems conceiving, do your research and keep trying until you find something that works for you! Below I've pasted two links to products that have helped me.
  
  Pre-Seed Intimate Moisturizer - Free Shipping and 2 Free Early Pregnancy Tests
  
  The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies
  
  
• It accomplished its goal, I guess
  By on 2004-07-03
  Let me just start off by saying that I am a spaz with the little sticks that you pee on. So that might have something to do with my experience.

  Here's the deal: You are given a 4 hour window of time to pee on the stick and put it in the monitor. You set the 4 hour window, but probably it's in the morning because when you choose to do this, you shouldn't have been to the bathroom for 4 hours previously. So if you're like me and you wake up around 4 am to pee, but you have to wake up at 7 for work and you'll undoubtably want to go again at that time, you're stuck doing this test at 4 am.

  So you're half asleep and you're trying to pee on the stick for 3 seconds. Not more, not less. Either of those could affect the performance of the monitor. Another option is to pee in a cup and dip the stick in the urine for 15 minutes. Who wants to be up for 15 minutes in the middle of the night? The good news is that you can put the stick in the monitor and go back to sleep. When you wake up in the morning, you can turn it on and get the reading then, instead of waiting 3 minutes for the results at 4 am.

  Now, my experience with this thing was mixed. The monitor is supposed to register when you're having an estrogen surge, which preceeds ovulation. That's way better than the disposable sticks that you buy at the drug store, because it's important to start having sex before you ovulate to maximize your chances of fertility. Then the monitor is supposed to show a little egg in the window when you are actually shooting out an egg, based on another hormone.

  Here's the thing. Out of the 4 months, only once did I get the monitor to do that. The other months I either got the estrogen surge and no egg indicator, or I got an egg indicator and no estrogen surge. But like I say, I am kind of lame at peeing on the sticks. So maybe it's not like that for everyone.

  On the flipside, I did figure out when I was ovulating, because I definitely seemed to be getting these readings at the same time every month. Plus I found the fact that it kept track of the days of my cycle helpful.

  So all in all, it was a good thing to use. I am 36 and I'm pregnant after only 5 months of trying. According to the statistics, people my age usually take 12 months or more to conceive. So I think it helped me.

  PS: During the month I conceived, the monitor only showed the estrogen surge. According to the monitor, I never ovulated.
  
  

• Poor Experience
  By on 2004-06-12
  I ordered this item from amazon after a lot of research. For one the monitor arrived 10 days later even with faster shipping ordered on it. Another thing was that it says it comes with 20 test sticks and it came with NONE.

  I called customer service and they told me to return it. They didn't offer me test sticks. They didn't appologize for having a decieving advertisement. They didn't appologize for the fact I got this 10 days after I ordered it with fast shipping.

  Beware.
  
  

• Provided helpful information but clomid might confuse it...
  By A18SUS6FTDRWV0 on 2007-09-30
  I had been trying to conceive for about 4 months before deciding to use this monitor to help me understand my cycle and to shorten the time to conception by helping me identify my high and peak fertility days. I used this for six cycles without success and then chose to consult with my ob/gyn. She put me on the generic version of clomid, and for the first two months (cycles 7 and 8 using the monitor) it appeared to work by identifying peak times for conception. However, the third month on the medication (cycle 9 using the monitor), I had only high fertility readings, but no peak. Yet this was the month that I conceived. My research online seemed to suggest that this system isn't always compatible with Clomid.
  
  In the meantime I had also purchased "Taking charge of your fertility" and used the information about the physical signs of fertility in conjunction with the information I had previously learned from the monitor to understand my own signs better. All this information together allowed my to successfully identify my peak days during the one cycle when the monitor didn't register. Although it is tedious to test 10 times during each cycle and the cost of this unit was a little on the high side, I am so thankful that it helped me conceive that I don't mind the downsides.
  
  
  
  
• It really works
  By on 2004-08-04
  My husband and I had seen fertility specialists who determined he had a low sperm count and IVF was recommended. We continued to try on our own and after my 2nd month of using this monitor I got pregnant. The money I spent on this monitor was so much cheaper than IVF which would have cost us thousands. It's easy to use and a great way to keep track of when you are most fertile.
  
  
• It worked for me the very first month!
  By A2QQP9INOWPGU7 on 2009-06-30
  Before investing in this product I read many reviews from customers who have used the monitor both with and without success. In the end I decided it was worth it and I definitely don't regret my decision. Now keep in mind that both my husband and I are young (26) and healthy so it is quite possible we would have easily conceived without the use of this monitor. But I am one of those people who likes to feel in control and know that I am doing everything possible to help myself succeed in any aspect of life. I first want to say that this monitor is very user friendly and easy to understand. On the downside it is expensive and the test strips are not cheap either. Basically with your first cycle of use you turn on the monitor during Day 1-5 of your cycle. You press a button to tell the monitor what day you started your period (Day 1). As long as you turn on the monitor during the first 5 days of your cycle you can easily press the button to set it to Day 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Unfortunately if you do not turn the monitor on during these 5 days then you must wait until your next cycle to use it. Keep in mind that the time you press the button to start your cycle is important. You must turn on the monitor every day between 3 hours before and 3 hours after the time you push the button. So you have a 6 hour window every day. When you turn on the monitor every day it will tell you what day of your cycle you are on and if you need to test your urine that day or not. With the first cycle it will automatically tell you to start testing on Day 6 of your cycle. You will then either test 10-20 days in a row. From my experience and talking with others who have used the monitor typically you will use 20 sticks the first cycle as the monitor gets to know your cycles and it may or may not show that you ovulated that cycle. With the next cycle the day you start testing will depend on what the monitor has learned about your cycles, but normally you will only test for 10 days unless you have a very long cycle. Each day you test the monitor will either show that you are at low fertility with little chance of conceiving(one bar), high fertility when the monitor detects the estrogen surge that occurs several days before you ovulate(2 bars), or peak fertility when the monitor has detected a surge of LH meaning you will ovulate within 24-36 hours(3 bars with an egg). Typically after the first cycle of use you will have anywhere from 2-5 days of high fertility and 2 days of peak fertility. Once the monitor detects the LH surge and you are at peak fertility you will automatically be shown 2 days of peak fertility followed by one day of high fertility. So if money is an issue you can stop testing at the point when you are shown peak fertility. I have been on birth control for almost 10 years so I got off the pill one month before we tried to conceive so I could have one normal cycle. We were very careful that first month not to get pregnant but I did use the monitor my first month off the pill (the instructions recommend waiting several months after going off the pill before using the monitor). The first month I was shown low fertility on Day 6-8 of my cycle, high fertility on Day 9-19, peak fertility on Day 20-21, high fertility on Day 22, and low fertility on Day 23-26. Obviously I used 20 sticks on my first cycle, but it did show that I ovulated. My second cycle using the monitor (first month trying to conceive) the monitor asked me to start testing on Day 9 of my cycle. I was shown low fertility from Day 9-12, high fertility from Day 13-15, peak fertility from Day 16-17, and high fertility on Day 18. We had sex on Day 12, Day 14, and Day 16 of my cycle and 2 weeks later I was pregnant!!! I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and due March 6, 2010! So it worked for me on my very first try! Once again my husband and I are young and healthy and this is our first attempt to become pregnant so we may not have needed the monitor at all. But for my peace of mind I loved having the monitor tell me which days we needed to have sex. It gave me comfort and reduced my stress so for me that was worth the money. If you are the type of person who becomes stressed when thinking about testing and having to put so much effort into conceiving I don't think the monitor is for you. Everyone is different. I think it was worth every penny and I cannot wait to hold my precious baby in a few months!!! Good luck to all the women out there trying to conceive!
  
  
• Finally after three years...
  By AFPQM3SHUOVUS on 2005-10-30
  My husband and I had been trying in the past three years with no luck, so we finally purchased clearblue under the recommendation of my coworkers. After 4 months of using clearblue (when we were almost convinced that we needed infertility treatment), I found that I was pregnant!! It turns out that my ovulation is not always on the 14th day. In fact it's sometimes on the 12th and sometimes on the 16th. I am glad I used this tool and I will highly recommend it to whoever wants to get pregnant!
  
  
• Best tool short of actual fertility drug treatments
  By A3I3CQ0Y9472FA on 2005-12-16
  If you have a problem with fertility or think you do, you need to see a specialist, PERIOD. Specialists will order tests for you to determine your ovarian reserve and your partner's semen quality. These tests are important, and if you have a hormonal problem, no ovulation kit is going to cure you. In other words, this fertility monitor is not a panacea.
  
  Go see your doctor about a fertility workup if you are having problems conceiving.
  
  If you are healthy and normal, with regular cycles and ovulation, then this little gadget is well worth the money. Think of it as an investment--are your children worth it? What is a piddly $150-$200 if it helps you bring children into your lives?
  
  Some couples undergoing IVF have spent tens of thousands of dollars to achieve their dream of a child. Just keep perspective.
  
  I would definitely recommend this monitor to anyone who is trying to conceive simply because it works. Obviously you need to follow the instructions, but this monitor allowed me to know when I was ovulating and when having sex would most likely lead to conception. The first time I followed the monitor schedule I was able to conceive. I'm not saying that is representative of everyone's experience, but if you are using the monitor correctly and time your intercourse to the peak and near-peak days, you should be able to conceive. If you have problems conceiving, you should see a fertility specialist/reproductive endocrinologist.
  
  
• Don't get TOO excited!
  By A1DSY7S51E6X29 on 2007-03-19
  11 months ago my husband and I decided to start TTC #2. I got pregnant with #1 immediately so never anticipated a long wait. After about three months with no success, I started to research my options and found out about the Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor. Well of course after reading all of the reviews...I just had to buy it, everyone was having success and most within the very first month!! Well...we have been using the monitor for seven months and still have not gotten pregnant. We are doing EVERYTHING right...bd(ing) on the high and peak days, charting my BBT, watching for EWCM, etc. But it just has not happened. I definitely do not have anything bad to say about the monitor...it does what it is suppose to do. I just want to be realistic...not everybody gets pregnant right away. So when you purchase this, don't get overly excited that you are going to get pregnant within one to two months.....or you will be disappointed just like me.
  
  
• I love this thing!
  By A1D6D8B3S5YK1B on 2006-11-12
  Well, here we are after trying for seven months to have a baby, and I am just 5 weeks pregnant! We are over the moon and have this product to thank for it.
  
  We started using this monitor two cycles ago. What it showed me was that I ovulated earlier then I realized. Our timing was all off! You can baby dance until the cows come home...but it wont work unless you catch that egg! Clearblue easy helped us to do just that!
  
  Another thing I liked is that it was easier to get my hubbie involved in the process. Lets face it...men do not want to be bothered by a ovulation stick and trying to help you decide if it looks dark, or if you missed your LH surge!? Well, with this monitor, he can look at it and see exactly where you are in the cycle. When the little egg symbol popped up... I no longer had my husband; I had SUPERMAN! He put on the cape and went after that egg! teehee
  
  He baby danced on my High and peak days, and here we are after two cycles!
  
  Do yourslef a favor and get this! Also...I used Fertilaide as a supplement.
  
  Good luck and lots of baby dust to you!
  
  
  

• OV-Watch Fertility Predictor Value Kit with 3 Month Supply of Sensors
• Nivea Body Good-Bye Cellulite Gel-Cream, 6.7 oz (198 g) (Pack of 2)
• Angel Milk Soy-Based Chocolate Decadence Shake Mix, 14-Ounce Can
• Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor Test Sticks, 30-Count Box
• Rayovac 824-24PP Alkaline AAA Batteries (24-pack)

• Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor Test Sticks, 30-Count Box
• Clearblue Easy- Fertility Monitor Test Sticks, 60 Sticks (2 Pack)
• First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test, 3 tests
• Basal Digital Thermometer
• FertileCM: for Fertile Cervical Mucus