REFRACTOMETRIC DEVICE FOR THE IN VIVO DETECTION OF FERTILE PERIODS OF OVULATING FEMALES

摘要

Devices for detecting hydration of cervical mucus include a detector (18) having a light source (18-1), a photoreceptor (18-2), and a light guide (18- 6) positioned so as to guide light from the light source to the photoreceptor. The light guide includes at least one active surface to be wetted by the cervical mucus. The detector may be planar or curvilinear and may be embedde d within a distal sensing head or extend upright therefrom. Most preferably, t he light guide is fabricated from a fluorocarbon polymer.