Every month a woman's body "expects" that a mature ovum will be fertilised, and therefore, differently from a man's body, functions after a strict cyclic regime. Various sexual hormones cause cyclic and repeating changes in a body, and the menstrual cycle is nothing else than one of the consequences of hormone level dynamics. Therefore we have to concentrate on biological characteristics influenced by hormone level change in order to determine a woman's cyclic phase (fertile / infertile).

Traditional guidelines show the female menstrual cycle to last commonly 28 days. Nevertheless it can be both shorter and longer. Actually, in natural family planning manuals the cycles of 21-35 days are also considered normal. Based on the cycle length, usually around the middle of the cycle, which happens on the 13-15 days - in case of 28 day cycle, on the 8- 9 days - in case of 21 day cycle, on the 21- 23 days - in case of 35 days long cycle, the ovulation happens when a mature follicle releases an ovum which starts its journey into the fallopian tube towards uterus. If the ovum meets spermatozoid in its journey, it will be fertilised and a woman will get pregnant. Usually fertile period lasts from 4 to 7 days with a peak lasting for 1-2 days, nevertheless, numerous body and environmental factors influence every woman individually thus causing menstrual irregularities. Since it is the only phase when a woman is fertile, it becomes very important to determinate it for both conception and contraception purposes.

The calculation of fertile phase based on the cycle calendar can be quite inaccurate, especially in the case of women with irregular cycles. Therefore scientifically proved methods, based on biological-hormonal phenomena, are used. These methods aid to maximise conception possibility and, in case of pregnancy prevention, to minimize this possibility. The absence of sexual intercourse or use of contraceptive devices during the fertile period significantly decreases the conception possibility.

Therefore, monitoring of biological female body changes helps to predict fertile and infertile periods. The basal body temperature graph is most frequently used method. During the first phase of menstrual cycle, the basal temperature is low, and right after ovulation it raises and remains higher during the rest of the cycle. As the method requires special accuracy and its results are influenced by many factors as general health status or test timing, often the results do not justify expectations. The tests determining the peak of estrogen level are more reasonable and more accurate ones. Several days before ovulation, together with the increase of estrogen level in female body, body fluids (mucus, saliva, etc.) show a significant rise in minerals. Possibility to identify the increase in minerals using ARBOR™ microscope is one of the alternate methods to predict ovulation time.

It is scientifically studied and clinically proved, that structure of dry saliva or cervical mucus sample, taken during a fertile period, resembles fern leaves (so called arborisation effect). Actually "fern leaves" are mineral crystals grouped in the form of fern leaves. They usually start to appear 4-6 days before ovulation and disappear 1-2 days after it. During other phases of a cycle, only chaotic crystals, in the form of sand or grains, are observed. This natural phenomenon has been known for researchers and physicians for many years, but only the introduction of minimicroscopes enabled to apply the method widely. Nowadays every woman anywhere and anytime can check the phase of her cycle. As saliva is the easiest accessible body fluid, the complicated calendar method, blood test or urinalysis become no more necessary.

Microscope ARBOR is not a toy. It is a compact scientific instrument with 100X objective lenses, which will help you to monitor "fern leaves" phenomenon and to predict the time of your ovulation.