Cervical Fluid

Modifying the settings under this tab affects how TCOYF interprets your cervical fluid and vaginal sensation observations.

Identifying the Start of the Fertile Phase

Use cervical fluid observations to identify the start of my fertile phase:
Checking this option causes TCOYF to identify the start of the fertile phase with the presence of cervical fluid and/or a vaginal sensation that is more fertile than your Basic Infertile Pattern (for most women, this means being anything other than "dry".)

Override using:
This setting determines which historical cycle length value is used by TCOYF when using the "Short Cycle Rule" to determine the start of your fertile phase (or when overriding the early appearance of more fertile quality cervical fluid as described in the previous option).  Setting this value to "Average" generally results in a shorter (and more accurate) length of your fertile phase for pregnancy achievement.  However, if you are trying to conceive and have wide variations in cycle length, you should probably set it to "Shortest" so that you don't miss your best conception dates in your shorter cycles.

Fertile and Infertile Patterns

Cervical fluid is measured on a continuum, with the least fertile being described as Sticky, progressing to a more fertile quality described as Creamy, and reaching its most fertile quality as Eggwhite. Vaginal sensations follow a similar pattern, with the least fertile being described as Sticky, the next most fertile quality described as Wet, and reaching its most fertile quality as Lubricative. The absence of cervical fluid and vaginal sensation normally indicates an infertile state.

Relative changes from one pattern to another are used by TCOYF in predicting when fertility begins, when you are most fertile, and when ovulation has taken place. However, not all women match the patterns as just described.  The two options that follow let you adjust TCOYF to recognize patterns that differ from these norms.

Basic Infertile Pattern:
For most women, the presence of sticky cervical fluid and/or vaginal sensations indicates a fairly low state of fertility.  However, for some women cervical fluid and vaginal sensations are scant, and the appearance of any cervical fluid would indicate a return to fertility.  This option lets you indicate what your Basic Infertile Pattern is if it differs from the norm.  There are two descriptions for each option, as cervical fluid and vaginal sensation are "matched sets".  The first word is the description for cervical fluid; the second is the corresponding description for the matching vaginal sensation.

• Dry / Dry - Use this setting if during the low fertility phase of your cycle you observe little or no cervical fluid and no vaginal sensation.
• Sticky / Sticky- Use this setting if during the low fertility phase of your cycle you observe sticky cervical fluid and/or vaginal sensation.
• Creamy / Wet - Use this setting if during the low fertility phase of your cycle you observe creamy cervical fluid and a wet vaginal sensation.  Please note that using this setting may make it difficult for TCOYF to produce accurate results.  If you have this condition for an extended length of time, you may wish to consult your physician.

Most Fertile Pattern:
For most women, the presence of raw eggwhite-like cervical fluid (clear, slippery and stretchy) and/or a lubricative vaginal sensation indicates their highest state of fertility.  This is because this kind of cervical fluid is most conducive to nourishing sperm cells and providing a medium for reaching an ovum in the fallopian tubes.  However, some women (including some pre-menopausal women) never experience eggwhite-like cervical fluid during their cycle, yet they are still fertile.  Because of this, TCOYF lets you adjust how your most fertile cervical fluid and vaginal sensations are represented.

• Sticky / Sticky - Use this setting if during the fertile phase of your cycle you observe sticky cervical fluid and/or a sticky vaginal sensation as your most fertile characteristics.  Please note that using this setting may make it difficult for TCOYF to produce accurate results.  If you have this condition for an extended length of time, you may wish to consult your physician.  Some fertility drugs such as Clomid(tm) have a tendency to dry up cervical fluid and produce this condition, as well.
• Creamy / Wet - Use this setting if during the fertile phase of your cycle you observe creamy cervical fluid and a wet vaginal sensation as your most fertile characteristics. 
• Eggwhite / Lubricative - Use this setting if during the fertile phase of your cycle you observe eggwhite-like cervical fluid and a lubricative vaginal sensation as your most fertile characteristics.

Dry-up days required:
This setting determines how many days of cervical fluid and/or vaginal sensation observations you must record after TCOYF identifies your "peak day" to begin the post-ovulatory infertile phase.  This doesn't affect the calculation of your "peak day"; it simply indicates how many entries after peak must be recorded in order for TCOYF to complete the calculation for post-ovulation infertility.