Family and Preventive Medicine

Study Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine how long it takes couples of normal fertility to get pregnant once they begin to try. Married couples are eligible for this study if they have had a previous pregnancy, want to get pregnant in the near future, but do not start to try to get pregnant until after they have enrolled in the study.

This study is observational in nature. There are no blood tests or medications in the study. All participants will receive information about their own individual fertility cycles and reproductive hormones, based on fertility charting and urine testing.

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive instruction about identifying the days when a woman is mostly likely to get pregnant from intercourse, and the other group will receive instructions about the menstrual cycle, fertility, and preparing for pregnancy.

All participants will keep a daily fertility chart and use a computerized device called the Fertility Monitor with urine dipsticks to monitor hormones of the menstrual cycle. Detailed data from the Fertility Monitor will be given to you at the end of the study, which is about seven months after study entry, or when you become pregnant, whichever comes first.

Benefits from participating in the study include

  1. You will receive information about some of the important hormones produced by your body’s reproductive system, as measured by the Fertility Monitor.
  2. You will develop an increased knowledge and awareness of your own personal menstrual cycle and fertility patterns.
  3. You will receive information that will help you increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.
  4. You might be able to achieve pregnancy more rapidly than if you were not involved in this study.
  5. This study will contribute to increased scientific understanding of human fertility.

Study Reimbursement
You will be reimbursed for your time and effort in study participation. The maximum total reimbursement for this study is $140. If you become pregnant during a menstrual cycle after the first study cycle, you may receive the full $140 reimbursement for the study, without contributing additional cycles to the study. In other words, if you become pregnant anytime during cycles 2-7 in the study, you may receive the full $140, regardless of how long you have been in the study. You may also receive $140 by contributing 7 full cycles of sufficient data ($20 per menstrual cycle). All study reimbursement will be paid upon your completing your active participation in the study and after you return the Fertility Monitor.

If you want to know more

To find out more about the study, please call the study enrollment coordinator, Becky at 587-3616, extension 2. If Becky is not in, please be sure to leave your name, phone number, and good times for her to return your call.

You can also email Becky at Becky.Crockett@utah.edu. Please be sure to include in your email your name, phone number, and good times for her to return your call.

To read more details about what is involved in participation, click on the button below to review the study consent form.

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