Study the accuracy of salivary ferning test as a predictor of ovulation

Abstract

Background: Women probably spent much of their adult life avoiding getting pregnant but when they are actively trying for a baby, it may be taking a little longer time than they hoped. So it is important for the women to know when they are ovulating. Recently, a small hand held microscope (KNOWHEN ovulation microscope) has been developed for the purpose of self-observing ferning patterns in saliva during female fertile period. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the accuracy of salivary ferning test by KNOWHEN ovulation microscope to predict the ovulation and to detect sensitivity and specificity of salivary ferning test and to correlate the salivary ferning with cervical mucus and Trans vaginal sonographic findings (TVS).Methods: This was a prospective observational type of study conducted on all healthy married women volunteers age between 21–40 years attending gynec OPD in sola civil hospital, Ahmedabad, with regular menstrual cycle From April 2016 to September 2016.Results: Salivary ferning test by KNOWHEN ovulation microscope is accurate method of detecting ovulation. Its accuracy was 86.5%.Conclusions: Salivary ferning test is a reliable test to detect fertile period of menstrual cycle. Hence can be use for monitoring ovulation instead of ultrasonography where facility of ultrasonography will not available. Detection of salivary ferning by KNOWHEN microscope has same accuracy as laboratory microscope. KNOWHEN microscope can be use by patient herself to detect fertile period.