Standardized protocols for characterizing women's fertility: A data-driven approach

Khandis R Blake; Barnaby J W Dixson; Siobhan M O'Dean; Thomas F Denson

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.004

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Standardized protocols for characterizing women's fertility: A data-driven approach

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Standardized protocols for characterizing women's fertility: A data-driven approach

Khandis R Blake, Barnaby J W Dixson, Siobhan M O'Dean and Thomas F Denson

Hormones and Behavior, Vol.81, pp.74-83

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.004

PMID: 27072982

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Abstract

Fertility

ovulation

Luteinizing hormone

menstrual cycle

ovulatory shift

forward-counting method

backward-counting method

fertile window

Experts are divided on whether women's cognition and behavior differs between fertile and non-fertile phases of the menstrual cycle. One of the biggest criticisms of this literature concerns the use of indirect, imprecise, and flexible methodologies between studies to characterize women's fertility. To resolve this problem, we provide a data-driven method of best practices for characterizing women's fertile phase. We compared the accuracy of self-reported methods and counting procedures (i.e., the forward- and backward-counting methods) in estimating ovulation using data from 140 women whose fertility was verified with luteinizing hormone tests. Results revealed that no counting method was associated with ovulation with >30% accuracy. A minimum of 39.5% of the days in the six-day fertile window predicted by the counting methods were non-fertile, and correlations between counting method conception probabilities and actual conception probability were weak to moderate, rs = 0.11-0.30. Poor results persisted when using a lenient window for predicting ovulation, across alternative estimators of the onset of the next cycle, and when removing outliers to increase the homogeneity of the sample. By contrast, combining counting methods with a relatively inexpensive test of luteinizing hormone predicted fertility with accuracy >95%, but only when specific guidelines were followed. To this end, herein we provide a cost-effective, pragmatic, and standardized protocol that will allow researchers to test whether fertility effects exist or not.

Details

Title: Standardized protocols for characterizing women's fertility: A data-driven approach
Authors: Khandis R Blake (Author) - UNSW Australia
Barnaby J W Dixson (Author) - The University of Queensland
Siobhan M O'Dean (Author) - UNSW Australia
Thomas F Denson (Author) - UNSW Australia
Publication details: Hormones and Behavior, Vol.81, pp.74-83
Publisher: Academic Press
Date published: 2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.004
ISSN: 1095-6867; 0018-506X
PMID: 27072982
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99629737402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Behavioral Sciences; Endocrinology & Metabolism