Ovulation monitor

Claim 2

An instrument for monitoring ovulation comprising: a vaginal probe assembly including first and second electrode means for sensing the composition of vagInal fluids and developing a first electrochemical signal having a first polarity when said vaginal fluid has one composition and a second signal having an opposite polarity when said vaginal fluid has another composition; and monitoring means connected to said electrode means for indicating the polarity and magnitude of said signals.

Claim 3

An instrument according to claim 1 in which said probe assembly includes an elongated cylindrical fluid impervious, electrically insulating body supporting said electrodes in spaced relationship with the surface of the electrodes exposed to contact said fluid.

Claim 4

An instrument according to claim 2 in which the forward end of said probe terminates in a rounded tip and the rear wall of said body includes a dual terminal electrical connector for connection to said monitoring means.

Claim 5

An instrument according to claim 3 in which the body of said probe is hollow and a single conductor extends from each of said electrodes to each terminal of the connector.

Claim 6

An instrument according to claim 2 in which said first electrode means is disposed adjacent the tip of the probe body and said second electrode means is disposed from 1 to 5 inches from the first electrode.

Claim 7

An instrument according to claim 1 in which at least one of said electrode means is formed of two electrically connected metals which develop opposite polarity signals in reducing and oxidizing mediums.

Claim 8

An instrument according to claim 1 in which said first and second electrode means are each formed of the same two electrically connected metals which develop opposite polarity signals in reducing and oxidizing mediums.

Claim 9

An instrument according to claim 7 in which said first and second electrode means are each formed of two separate metal discs; and there is a conductor support means for electrically connecting the discs of each electrode means into a dual metal electrode.

Claim 10

An instrument according to claim 8 in which said conductor support meAns comprises a first hollow metal pipe supporting and connecting the two metal discs of said first electrode and a second hollow metal pipe supporting and electrically connecting the two metal discs of said second electrode.

Claim 11

An instrument according to claim 7 in which the first metal of an electrode is chromium and the second metal of an electrode is gold.

Claim 12

An instrument according to claim 1 in which the monitoring means includes a high impedance field effect transistor balanced differential amplifier and a zero center microammeter for measuring the output of the amplifier.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 12 including the step of observing the polarity reversal as indicative of the presence of reductive fluids and the onset of ovulation.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 12 which includes the step of making each of the electrodes from a pair of dissimilar metals which when electrically connected are capable of functioning as an anode and cathode in oxidizing and reducing media.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 14 further including the step of conditioning said electrodes by exposing them to an oxidizing media before exposing them to the reducing media present during ovulation.

Claim 18

An instrument for monitoring ovulation comprising a vaginal probe assembly including: a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly; both said electrode assemblies being supported spaced from each other on the Surface of said probe for exposure to a vaginal fluid at two different locations; each said electrode assembly comprising two spaced electrically connected metals providing means for producing a voltage having one polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in an oxidizing state and an opposite polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in a reducing state; and indicating means connected to said electrode assemblies for indicating the polarity and magnitude of the resulting voltage developed.

Claim 19

An instrument for monitoring ovulation comprising a vaginal probe assembly including: a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly; both said electrode assemblies being supported spaced from each other on the Surface of said probe for exposure to a vaginal fluid at two different locations; each said electrode assembly comprising two spaced electrically connected metals providing means for producing a voltage having one polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in an oxidizing state and an opposite polarity in the presence of a vaginal fluid in a reducing state; and indicating means connected to said electrode assemblies for indicating the polarity and magnitude of the resulting voltage developed.

Claim 20

An instrument for monitoring as recited in claim 16 wherein one of the metals of each said electrode assembly has the property of functioning as an anode in an oxidizing media and as a cathode and a reducing media; and the other of the metals of each said electrode assembly has the property of functioning as a cathode in an oxidizing media and as an anode in a reducing media.

Claim 21

An instrument for monitoring as recited in claim 17 wherein one of said metals in said electrode assembly is gold and the other of said metals is chromium.