Menstrual health testing equipment

The current compliant home menstrual health testing equipment is not an IQ tax. It can provide quantitative reference for menstrual recording, pregnancy preparation monitoring, abnormal signal warning and other scenarios. However, its accuracy is not enough to replace clinical diagnosis. You need to choose rationally based on your own needs and be wary of exaggerated publicity.

A while ago, I accompanied my best friend with a history of polycystic cysts to the city for a follow-up visit to maternal and child care. She took out three months of saved data from a wrist-worn menstrual monitor. After flipping through two pages, the doctor directly crossed out two routine blood tests. He said that the basal body temperature curve was recorded continuously and completely, and it was sufficient for reference. She could check it again at the next follow-up visit. In the past, she only relied on mobile apps to keep track of her pregnancy. She often missed her ovulation day and couldn't estimate her menstrual blood volume. She was left speechless by the doctor every time she consulted, and it cost hundreds more to check her blood back and forth.

At present, the attitude of gynecological clinics towards such household instruments is actually divided into two schools, and there is no unified conclusion. Most of the supporters are outpatient doctors who have come into contact with many young patients. Many girls either ignore menstrual disorders and delay seeing a doctor until amenorrhea, or become overly anxious about small fluctuations and consume skin care products blindly. Home instruments can convert vague "feeling less menstrual flow" and "seeming to be a bit painful" into traceable specific data: for example, the range of normal menstrual blood volume is 20-60ml. You can only estimate the absorption amount of sanitary napkins by yourself, but the flow detection patch attached to your underwear can be accurate to the milliliter. ； The hormone fluctuations in the luteal phase cannot be determined by oneself. Wearable devices that can measure skin metabolic hormones and continuously record curves can also help doctors quickly determine whether there is an insufficiency of the luteal phase.

There are also many doctors who are cautious. The core disputes focus on the product's compliance and exaggerated publicity. Many products on the market are now promoted under the banner of "can detect endometriosis" and "predict premature ovarian failure". In fact, the sampling accuracy of home equipment is several orders of magnitude worse than that of biochemical testing and ultrasound testing in hospitals. If users fully believe the diagnostic conclusions given by the equipment and take medicines to treat themselves randomly, it may delay the true condition.

I also have the experience of stepping on pitfalls. Two years ago, I followed the trend and bought a urine sample testing device from an Internet celebrity. It claimed that inserting a drop of urine can synchronize 12 sex hormone data and is equipped with an AI interpretation function. I tested it three times in a row and it told me that my progesterone was low. It was recommended to supplement a certain co-branded soy isoflavone health product. I was so scared that I rushed to the hospital to draw blood for a review. The results showed that all indicators were within the normal range. Later, I checked the information and found out that the hormone levels in home urine tests fluctuate greatly due to the influence of sampling time and concentration. The algorithm of that product deliberately relies on abnormal values, just to divert the sales of health products and simply cut leeks.

Oh, by the way, when purchasing, you must first check whether there is a Class II medical device registered. Products without mechanical fonts cannot even guarantee basic accuracy, so don’t touch them.

There are a variety of products on the market now, and there is no so-called "best". It all depends on your needs. Sisters who are preparing for pregnancy can choose a wearable model with automatic monitoring of basal body temperature. It is much more convenient than setting the alarm clock every morning and getting up and flicking the mercury thermometer. It can be measured while sleeping. The curve is automatically synchronized and the ovulation day can be accurately caught. Several friends around me who are preparing for pregnancy have used it to save a lot of time in going to the hospital for ovulation monitoring. If your menstrual flow is too heavy or too little for a long time, you can choose a disposable flow detection patch and measure it for 2-3 consecutive cycles. Going to the doctor with the data is much more useful than saying "I feel that my flow is particularly heavy". If you have severe dysmenorrhea, you can choose a model with pelvic blood flow or electromyography testing, which can help determine whether you have primary dysmenorrhea due to excessive prostaglandin secretion or secondary dysmenorrhea due to organic lesions. You don’t have to drink brown sugar ginger tea for half a month and still break into cold sweats in pain.

There are also many sisters who feel that it is completely unnecessary, and a mobile app to record the date is enough. This is true. If your menstrual periods have been regular, you have no discomfort symptoms and no need to prepare for pregnancy, then there is really no need to spend this money. The essence of the instrument is an upgrade option for people who need accurate recording, and it is not a must-have for everyone.

To put it bluntly, this type of instrument is more like a "quantified menstrual diary". It can help you remember body signals that you don't even care about. For example, if your menstrual volume is less than 20ml for three consecutive months, or your basal body temperature does not fluctuate in both directions, it can remind you to "check in with the hospital when you have time."