Posted by Article on 1/19/2002, 5:40 pm

Ovulation Test Offers Spitting Image Of Fertility Status A new ovulation test will soon allow women to find out if they're fertile by simply licking a swab, according to the Association Press. The TCI Ovulation Tester, a saliva-based ovulation test recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites), has reportedly been shown to be more than 90 percent reliable in detecting if a woman is in the ovulation stage of her reproductive cycle. Using the test involves dabbing a small brush onto saliva in one's mouth and then dabbing the sample onto a tiny slide that is then viewed through a handheld microscope. If a dotted, fern-like pattern appears, that means salt levels in the saliva have increased and ovulation is imminent. FDA officials told the AP that one advantage of the test is that women can actually get a bit of a warning that ovulation is approaching when they see the early formation of the patterns. Urine tests, on the other hand, offer only a positive or negative reading. That means that women can miss their chance at conceiving during ovulation. The new product, made by TCI Optics, is expected to hit store shelves within a few weeks for $59.95.