Saliva Used to Determine Woman's Fertility in New Ovulation Kit

While traditional ovulation kits use urine sample to test a woman's fertility, a new kit launched in Britain conducts tests by taking a saliva sample.

Traditional fertility predictor kits use urine to test for an increase in lutenising hormone (LH), which takes place one or two days before ovulation.

But the new Maybe Baby tester, shaped like a lipstick, claims to measure oestrogen and salt levels found in traces of women's saliva which surges when they are most fertile, the Daily Mail reported.

The manufacturer claims that the 40-pound saliva test is 98 percent accurate and could end the traditional and, less than dignified "pee-on-a-stick" method.

The technology it uses is based on research from the University of Turin, Italy.

Scientists there discovered that when oestrogen is present in dried saliva, it forms a pattern resembling fern leaves, which can be clearly seen under a microscope.

With the new battery-powered saliva kit, women spit on, or lick, a tiny microscopic lens before putting the stick back in its container.

After 10-15 minutes, the user holds the reusable device up to one eye and presses a button to activate a light.

If the lens shows pebbles and dots then the woman is not deemed to be fertile.

But if small fern leaves appear on the lens, the woman is believed to have two or three days until ovulation.

A full pattern of fern leaves on the lens means the woman is ovulating at that moment.

The new tester will be available in more than 500 Lloyds Pharmacy stores across the UK at the start of November.

It is currently available to buy on rowlandspharmacy.co.uk.

Source: ANI