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Ava is a company that makes a wearable fertility device. This identifies a person’s most fertile days in each cycle, which can help with planning.
This article looks at what Ava is, how it works, and some alternatives.
Ava is a digital women’s health company with offices in San Francisco, Zurich, Belgrade, and Makati. The company launched its fertility tracker in 2014.
This device is the only wearable fertility tracker to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, granted in February 2021. The device also has a CE mark, indicating that the manufacturer states that the product meets the high health, safety, and environmental protection requirements of the European Economic Area.
Ava has listings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot. The BBB has not accredited the company and currently gives it a A- grade. Trustpilot reviewers give the company an average of 4.1 stars out of 5.
Positive user reviews say that the device is easy to use and more convenient than ovulation test kits. Reviewers also mention accurate, effective period tracking. Some credit their pregnancies to the Ava tracker. Some also praised the company’s customer service department.
Negative reviews, however, mention inaccurate ovulation prediction and difficulty syncing data between the device and the Ava app. Others say that the device’s light was too bright during the night, and several users report that soon after they started using their bracelets, the bands broke.
The Ava Fertility Tracker is an FDA-approved, wearable device. Its makers say that it identifies the 5 most fertile days in a person’s menstrual cycle.
The device is shaped like a watch or bracelet, and a person needs to wear it for at least 4 hours while they sleep. The device tracks signs of hormonal changes, such as:
- skin temperature
- resting pulse rate
- blood circulation through tissues, which is called perfusion
- breathing rate
- heart rate variability
Ava says the tracker identifies fertile days with up to 90% accuracy. This knowledge can help a person plan whether to have sex that could lead to pregnancy on those days.
The device is suitable for cycles of 24–35 days.
Fertility tracking can work to either promote or prevent conception. With this method, people track their menstrual cycles to predict ovulation and fertility.
Those trying to conceive can then have sex on their most fertile days, right around the time of ovulation.
Fertility tracking methods are also known as fertility awareness methods (FAMs) or natural family planning. FAMs include the temperature method, cervical mucus method, and calendar method.
Some people combine all three techniques, a practice known as the symptothermal method. This blended method is most effective for fertility tracking.
The wearable Ava Fertility Tracker uses technology to work in much the same way as FAMs to predict its users’ five most fertile days and time of ovulation.
The Ava Fertility Tracker is a wearable medical device that predicts a person’s five most fertile days in their menstrual cycle. It works for individuals with regular menstrual cycles lasting 24–35 days.
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. Ava Fertility can work for people with slightly shorter or longer cycles if their cycle length is consistent. The device may not work for people with cycles that last fewer than 24 days or more than 35 days.
A person can use the fertility tracker while nursing after their menstrual cycle has returned.
Ava Fertility Tracker can work for people with endometriosis, as long as they do not have severe scarring that interferes with ovulation.
The device can also work to time conception for those using alternative methods of conception such as artificial insemination.
The Ava Fertility Tracker will not work for people using hormonal birth control because it detects changes in natural hormone levels that these types of contraception disrupt. Further, the device does not work for individuals with an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker.
The Ava Fertility Tracker comes with:
- a sensor pod
- a bracelet
- a USB charging cable
To start, a person needs to charge the pod and download the Ava app, which is available for free on iOS and Android devices.
After connecting the device to the app via Bluetooth, wear it regularly for at least 4 hours during sleep. The company recommends making sure that the sensor pod sits on top of the wrist. A person can open Ava app on their phone each day to synchronize their data from the night before.
A person can start using the device right away. Depending on where a person is in their cycle, the device can predict a 5-day window of fertility and the date of the next menstrual period.
The Ava Fertility Tracker has a battery life of up to 12 hours.
Research demonstrates that the Ava Fertility Tracker’s technology perceives simultaneous changes in wrist skin temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate that occur throughout the menstrual cycle.
The device’s machine learning algorithm is 90% accurate in determining a person’s five most fertile days.
However, the people involved in this research were either previous or current Ava employees or on the company’s board. This may prevent the results from being objective.
People can order the Ava Fertility Tracker online through the company’s website. A person may opt for one of three packages:
- Basic: This contains the Ava device, as well as in-app cycle, fertility, and pregnancy tracking and the ability to join Ava’s online community. At the time of publishing, this package cost $279.
- Plus: In addition to the features of the Ava Basic plan, this contains an e-book with advice about becoming pregnant and the offer of a full refund if pregnancy does not occur within 12 months. At the time of publishing, this package cost $309.
- Premium: This has the same features as the Ava Plus package, but it offers a full refund if the person does not become pregnant within 6 months. At the time of publishing, Ava Premium cost $359.
| Package | Included | Cost | Guarantee |
| Ava Fertility Basic | Ava bracelet In-app cycle, fertility, and pregnancy tracking Membership in Ava’s online community | $279 + free shipping | None |
| Ava Fertility Plus | Ava bracelet In-app cycle, fertility, and pregnancy tracking Membership in Ava’s online community Full refund if not pregnant within 12 months Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant e-book | $309 + free shipping | 12-month money-back guarantee |
| Ava Fertility Premium | Ava bracelet In-app cycle, fertility, and pregnancy tracking Membership in Ava’s online community Full refund if not pregnant within 6 months Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant e-book | $359 + free shipping | 6-month money-back guarantee |
Shipping
The company offers free shipping and delivery within 3–5 business days.
Ava currently ships to the United States, Canada, and certain countries in the European Union, as well as Switzerland and Lichenstein.
A person can sign up on Ava’s website to receive a notification when the company sells the device in their country.
Warranty and returns
A person can return their device within 30 days if it is in its original, unopened packaging. The company refunds the cost, minus a $25 shipping and processing fee. After 30 days, the company does not accept returns or issue refunds.
Ava offers a 1-year limited warranty on manufacturing defects.
Before making a purchase, it is important to consider the possible benefits and downsides.
Pros
- Research indicates that the device tracks fertile days with more than 86% accuracy. However, during the study, the researchers were employed by Ava, so interpret this finding with caution.
- The device is easy to use and operate, reviewers note.
- There is no need to deal with urine, take temperature, or manually input data, as with other methods of fertility tracking.
- The device can follow menstrual phases in real time, its makers say.
- The device can monitor sleep patterns, as well as fertility, the company says.
Cons
- The device is unsuitable for people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or irregular cycles.
- The device is more expensive than some other fertility trackers.
A person might consider other wearable fertility trackers, which are also available to buy online, including:
OvuSense
This company makes two fertility trackers, the OvuFirst, which is a skin sensor, and the OvuCore, which is a vaginal sensor. Unlike Ava, both trackers are suitable for people with PCOS and irregular periods. These devices can accurately predict an 8-day fertility window, their makers say.
The OvuFirst does not provide live ovulation prediction. A person wears it on their arm or wrist.
The OvuCore does provide a live ovulation prediction, as well as medication tracking. A person inserts the device into their vagina.
Tempdrop
Tempdrop does not identify a person’s fertility window. Instead, it tracks body temperature. A person wears the skin sensor on their upper arm then checks their daily temperature readings using a syncing app.
Then, the person can enter this information into a fertility app or otherwise uses the data to track their fertility.
Menstruation, or having a period, involves the lining of the uterus shedding every month.
On average, there are
Anyone who has a menstrual cycle that is shorter than 24 days or longer than 38 days should contact a healthcare professional. It is also important to raise any concerns or questions about periods.
The
- irregular or absent periods
- painful periods
- endometriosis
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- had more than one pregnancy loss
People looking to become pregnant should also speak with a healthcare professional if a male partner has a history of testicular injury, hernia surgery, or chemotherapy.
Below are some common questions about the Ava Fertility Tracking bracelet.
Does the Ava Fertility Tracking bracelet work?
A peer-reviewed clinical trial in 2019 found that this device was 90% accurate at identifying fertile days.
A 2021 study found that skin temperature, which the Ava device checks, was more effective at detecting ovulation than basal body temperature.
How long does it take Ava to confirm ovulation?
The device needs to gather enough data in a given cycle to accurately assess the cycle’s pattern. This can take around 6 days after the estimated ovulation date, the makers say.
If a person does not wear the device regularly, it may return inaccurate results. For this reason, the company recommends wearing the device every night.
Can people use Ava as birth control?
Ava does not recommend using their product to prevent pregnancy. Speak with a healthcare professional about the best methods of contraception.
The Ava Fertility Tracker can notify people about their most fertile days. However, the company says that it is not suitable for people with PCOS or irregular periods and is not an effective method of birth control.
Other fertility devices are available to buy online. Anyone trying to conceive should discuss fertility strategies and planning for pregnancy with a healthcare professional.