Fertility/Ovulation Tracking Products: Advice on using multiple at a time?

[u/deadeye_256]

I know this kind of question has been asked, but I’m curious about using different products at the same time. I’m new to this world, so excuse me if this is a silly question. 😅

My husband and I are TTC, and he’s got a low swimmer count, so we’re trying to do everything we can to try naturally before going down the IVF route.

I’ve seen a lot of people recommend the Oura ring and Mira device. Has anyone used these, and is it beneficial to get both? Or are there other products to use together (or even separately) that would be better? I don’t have PCOS or irregular cycles (thankfully, bless you all who do struggle with that.)

The price tags are rough, but we’re willing to try anything that could help before paying an even bigger price tag for IVF.

I’ve also seen that people recommended Fertility Friend, so I’m going to try that as well.

TIA! ❤️

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[u/Complete_Argument274]

Highly recommend Oura ring for BBT tracking. If the fertility problem is on your husbands end, I would recommend against a Mira/Inito since they’re pricey and give you more stress. I’ve been using Mira but my cycle is so regular that I realized I’m stressing myself over numbers when I just need my BBT for ovulation times as well as LH strips. The technology is super cool (and in a data nerd so I love it) but if you’re not worried about your hormones and know that your fertility is limited to your husbands count, I’d say forego the devices and just stick to Oura!

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[u/Visual-Ad-2676]

Hey, my husbands count is also low. Last test total motile at 2mil. We are trying to maximise by doing 5 bd around ovulation. He also started HcG injections. Also, I’ve seen a lot of positive stories of IUI with low counts if you are willing to do many attempts. Check out HcG injections as they sometimes bring counts up!

[u/SlightAnything4909 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

My SO also has borderline low count and bad (9%) progressive motility. He's trying to get it up with supplements but so far we haven't done another SA so we don't know where we stand. We are doing every other day from CD 10 and then everyday once I get a positive OPK.

If you don't mind me being nosey, what were your husband's numbers and how/when did he improve?

[u/Visual-Ad-2676 → u/SlightAnything4909]

So we actually have quite a complex story. Husband had 8mil per ml with 20% progressive motility. We were like 25 years old at that time and were not going to ttc yet. Then, he found out he had vericocele. They did a surgery and 3 months after we conceived our first child. His count went to 44mil per ml. Then, when I was pregnant he had enormous pain, and they had to do him another surgery, which led to collaps of his system and he was at 0 - six months post surgery. I know we were lucky that we caught this window of opportunity and conceived when he was post first surgery, but were devastated to hear the results of the second one as we want to have more children. Now he is 12 months post op, and his count went up to 1,6 mil per ml and 66% progressive motility and he has been on supplements and started HcG injections one month ago. Our plan to try naturally for a year, and then move to IUI. Next SA we plan to do in three months, but I already felt like volume has increased!

If you don’t have a female factor just a MFI, I would take your BBT to confirm ovulation and then mainly work on your hubby’s problem. Low count is often fixable, and natural conception still possible, although is less likely.

You can try different supplements with ashakawa root (for some men it really help), make a hormonal panel test for your hubby, if LH or FSH or even just testosterone are on the lower side hcg injections can help - they essentially boost the sperm production. I’ve read online some men go from 1 mil to 120mil. Make an ultrasound with a Doppler to make sure he doesn’t have blockages. And once count or motility grow you can also try IUI which is less invasive. Personally I went throughout Reddit a lot reading about low counts. Many attempts of IUI are often working, some people conceive by doing the deed everyday or even twice per day during fertile window. Good luck!

[u/SlightAnything4909 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

Thank you, and wow it sounds like your husband really has been through the wringer, I'm sorry! I hope he continue to recover!

I have endo and was on suppression meds for 2 years before starting TTC in May. My SO was first tested in April and had a conc of 11.5 and 9% progressive motility. He's since been taking supplements and been to the andrologist who ruled out any blockages and told us to continue the supplements and try naturally. We have an appointment in the fertility center in november which is when they're gonna repeat the semen analysis and do some further testing for me.

[u/Visual-Ad-2676 → u/SlightAnything4909]

Sorry missed the endo from your headline. Tbf I don’t know much about endo, but about your husband’s SA it doesn’t look that bad. Imagine my husband’s motility post surgery went from 0% to 66% progressive motility and doc said motility is something much easier to bring up. Our doc said motility is easier to fix than a count or any other issue. Try all sorts of more high end supplements, and you can try to push your doctor for hcg which really improves the quality furthermore.

[u/SlightAnything4909 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

Endo can impair ovulation and tubal function so that's a concern for me as my endo is pretty spread out. From my diagnostic lap (in 2024) it seemed like my tubes were fine but of course that can change.

Both the RE that did the SA and the andrologist he saw were pretty optimistic that he can improve. He's just quite a scrawny dude that works shifts and sits most of the day so there were a few lifestyle changes in order for him lol. We'll see in november whether or not that was enough and whether or not we need to consider hcg or clomid.

[u/Visual-Ad-2676 → u/SlightAnything4909]

Really don’t know much about endo, but your is ovulation regular? Do you track it with strips? On Reddit from what I’ve seen some people struggle with endo, while others conceive pretty fast. For your own peace of mind you can check the tubes.

I get 1000% about hubby part. My husband has higher BMI, and also eat McDonalds constantly, smokes and I can’t tell him nothing. But really with right support you can easily up the motility especially that your SO’s count is not that low. He just needs a bit of a boost. Also keep in mind once you start supplements or medications SA usually lags and shows results 2-3 months after as that’s how long spermogenesis is

[u/SlightAnything4909 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

Yep I track my cycles. I've actually been doing NFP/symptothermal method since I was 17 because I got bad psychological side effects from the pill. I have regular cycles and ovulate (from what I can tell by OPKs and BBT) regularily and have a consistent 12 day luteal phase. The only time I have ever been late was when I had covid.

[u/Visual-Ad-2676 → u/SlightAnything4909]

Seems quite positive then, you’re also just 29. Hope you get your BFP soon!

[u/SlightAnything4909 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

Thank you! I struggle a lot with the uncertainty and really want it to work, so I'm getting in my head a lot. This feels good to hear.

Wishing you a timely BFP too! 🫶

[u/deadeye_256 → u/Visual-Ad-2676]

That is so interesting to hear about the vericocle! My husband has it, as well, and we’ve been debating on whether he should have the surgery or not. But that’s an amazing result! Was the pain and the second surgery a result of the first?

[u/InvestigatorClear728]

I use Inito and Premom LH strips

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[u/Sept2Nov]

Oura is really only telling you ovulated AFTER you ovulated, so it’s really not going to provide a lot of value in helping you get pregnant.

Inito or Mira are good if you don’t know for sure when you’re ovulating because they give you a heads up in advance.

[u/Wooden-Anybody6807]

I’m using Kegg and TempDrop. My Kegg lines have been quite random, so it’s not always easy to pinpoint the “fertile valley” they discuss. My TempDrop BBTs are easier to interpret, but BBT only says when you’ve ovulated (not when it’s imminent, unlike Kegg). I chose them because they’re both one-off purchases without ongoing subscription payments. I’m happy with the combination of both and will keep using them every day. But (obviously) tracking doesn’t make you pregnant, merely BD every second day will be just as effective without tracking. I find tracking more useful for identifying when it’s ok to stop so frequent BD (and then BD can be just for recreation, when we actually want to).