[AD] Lady-Comp Review [My Introduction to Natural Birth Control]

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I’ve been using a Lady-Comp fertility monitor since late 2016. I originally relied on it as my primary method for avoiding pregnancy but later began to manually analyse my own fertility. I am now a qualified fertility awareness method (FAM) instructor but continue to use Lady-Comp as my primary thermometer. I wanted to take this opportunity to give you some more information on Lady-Comp devices as well as my thoughts from the perspective of teaching FAM.

In this post:

What is Lady-Comp? How Accurate is Lady-Comp?

Lady-Comp is an intelligent fertility computer. It has a built-in thermometer and displays all of the data you need on the screen. It has an accuracy of over 99% when used according to instructions to prevent pregnancy (according to Lady-Comp’s website).

To use Lady-Comp, you take your temperature upon waking and also ensure menstruation is entered on the device when it occurs. The device then analyses your temperature alongside those from previous days to decide whether you are able to have intercourse without the risk of pregnancy. Lady-Comp then displays a light: green means safe, yellow means fluctuating or, use protection if you’re serious about avoiding pregnancy, and red means fertile so not safe.

Some people also purchase the device to identify the red days to fast-track their trying-to-conceive journey. If you were to fall pregnant while using the device, there is a pregnancy indicator that will show on the screen.

Lady-Comp comes with a full instruction booklet which is something new users should definitely read in full and contact the company if there are any questions. Here’s a link to the Lady-Comp manual I’ve used for reference in the past (the link is for the model I own, always check the manual relevant to the model of device you have).

The device also has other features such as an alarm to make sure you wake up at the same time each morning for maximum effectiveness. In addition, it has a cycle statistics area which can be really interesting to look at.

Pros

Lady-Comp is a good option for those who cannot learn a full, manual method of fertility awareness. Having a device like this means that people within this group still have access to a non-hormonal method of birth control without the pressure or expense of learning a method if this is not for them.
All of the information is stored on the one device. This means that there is no syncing or the need for WiFi to use it. Lady-Comp is also quite small in size so it can easily fit into a bag when travelling.
Lady-Comp runs by battery so no need to recharge the device. Batteries are also relatively easy to come by as opposed to finding a specific type of cable.
From my personal experience, the UK customer service team are very helpful and always provide detailed answers to questions.

Cons

Lady-Comp is a fairly high initial investment. However, I feel that anyone considering Lady-Comp should also weigh up any costs currently being spent on other birth control methods (private prescriptions, doctors fees relating to this etc). Some anecdotal stories I have come across claim that Lady-Comp has worked out more affordable over time given that the device is built to last.
Unfortunately, no computer algorithm will ever be as accurate as analysing your charts yourself. Learning to chart would give you the ability to know if a device like Lady-Comp ever inadvertently put you at risk of pregnancy. However, as said above, learning to chart is not for everyone so Lady-Comp is still a good option to consider if you’re ok with the potential lower efficacy compared with learning a method for yourself.

Conclusion

Overall, I think Lady-Comp is a good option for those who cannot learn manual charting but are also looking for something with a long, positive track record (they are over 35 years old as a company). As always, I personally believe that no device will ever be as accurate as learning a fertility awareness method yourself (see my final point in the cons section). However, I appreciate that there is definitely a place for technology like this in the world.