Thursday, September 9, 2010 ClearBlue Easy- Fertility Sticks and Monitor Package, 1ct Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I would like to add my support for this product but would also like to inject some reality into the reviews. Some reviews I've read make it sound like this machine is "responsible" for their getting pregnant or having a healthy baby. I know noone thinks that is true, but it's important to remember the sole function of this machine: to help you know when you're ovulating. This is particularly critical if you have irregular periods, like I do. This monitor really did help me know when the "peak" days were, and I just found out that I'm pregnant (yay!).

But, this is an expensive machine, and I think that not everyone needs it. If your cycles are regular there are other low tech ways to know when you're ovulating, e.g. charting your temperatures (read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility", a very empowering book) and looking for other biological clues which I won't get into here.

I like the monitor itself but am really not fond of the company who makes it--they are really trying to shake women down for every last penny. There is no way this machine should cost as much as it does, considering how simple it is. Also, they tell you that you need to use sticks only from the same package in case there are discrepancies in quality from package to package--technically, then, you will be throwing away a whole lot of (expensive, polluting) unused sticks. If there are quality discrepancies, that is their quality control problem! Yet, they want to pass this cost on to you.

Also, they tell you that you cannot pass your machine onto another person when you're done with it because a) it "learns" you and b) might be contaminated with bacteria. First of all, it also says that it only retains 6 months of info before erasing the data month by month as more data is recorded (i.e. it only "remembers" your most recent 6 months of info). This means that it could in fact "learn" a new person. Also, the bacteria b.s. is just to cover their heinies in the case that someone does pass on disease, but urine does not really come in contact with the monitor, only the strips. Also, urine is an antiseptic! So, it's not going to carry disease in that manner. In other words, they want every woman on the planet to buy their own monitor.

So, for women with irregular periods, I do recommend this. But, give yourself some credit to know your own body and its powers as well. If your periods are regular and you use this thing and get pregnant, don't act like this machine did it for you--you and your man had something to do with it too! Let's not glorify technology too much here.

[Postscript: I miscarried on that pregnancy. Again, not the monitor's responsibility. ;) However, I have again gotten pregnant, by making sure to take advantage of the 2 fertile days per cycle that it identifies for you. It solidified my confidence in this product, since I tried to "wing it" for a few months without the monitor with no results. Also, my friend who has an irregular cycle got pregnant very soon after using this. I still believe it is overpriced, but if you're really having trouble with timing, it might be worth it for you.]

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Product Description:
The only technology based solely on hormone monitoring. It more accurately identifies more fertile days than any other method. It also unmistakably displays your personal level of fertility every day.