Taking Charge of Your Fertility Charting Software Review
There are different options for tracking your fertility, from paper to computer. The Taking Charge of Your Fertility Charting Software (also called Ovusoft) is an excellent tracking software I've used for the past several years (and three babies!).
I'll review the software here!
What it Tracks
You can use Taking Charge of Your Fertility Software (TCOYF) to track temperature, cervical mucus, cervix changes, menstrual bleeding, and any other anonymous notes you'd like to track! This includes medications, pregnancy tests, ovulation tests (OPK's), and your fertility monitor. You can also input and track cravings and physical symptoms.
It's pretty comprehensive.
Ease of Use
I find TCOYF to be very, very easy to use. There are two “views” — a calendar view and a chart view. I prefer the chart view, but the calendar view is nice if you're trying to plan when you're going to to try to conceive, or if you'd like to plan an outing for before/after your period.
The calendar mode also shows predictions if you have that feature turned on — TCOYF will “forecast” your cycle for you so you can have a good idea of when you'll ovulate or start your period. It gets better at forecasting the more cycles you track, so it's good to be consistent!
I like to enter my data from the chart mode, and it's very simple to do. Just double-click on your cycle day on the chart (or calendar), and a window pops up for you to enter your temperature, cervical mucus, etc.
All your information is neatly plotted out on the chart. Temperatures are graphed, and cervical mucus shows a nice graphical “build up” pattern so you can easily see how your fluids get more fertile over time. Your period, intercourse, and cervical changes are plotted with special icons so you can track those, too.
It's very easy to understand your cycle at a glance. TCOYF also draws the coverline on your chart for you, making it simple to see when you've ovulated!
Here's a copy of one of my charts:
Online Syncing
TCOYF is a desktop application, meaning you download it to your computer and run it from there. I really like this aspect of the software over the “only online” charting programs. You can upload your chart to the TCOYF website so it's easy to share with other women using TCOYF and on any forums you're part of 🙂
I do like to upload charts so I can share with gals on my forums. I also really like the chart galleries, it's a lot of fun to look at them and compare them to my charts, especially if I'm in the “two week wait” and I'm hoping to get a positive pregnancy test!
It's nice the that software is right on my computer but updates online very easily. TCOYF also has a web-based version if you'd prefer that!
Accuracy
As I said at the beginning of the review, I've been using Taking Charge of Your Fertility Software for years, and that one-time payment has paid for itself many, many times over!!
It's clear and accurate and has always reported on my cycles accurately. It has changed ovulation date in a couple of cycles after it became clear I'd ovulated, but in those cycles it had based ovulation on my ovulation predictor kits and fertility monitor. It adjusted as needed when my own body signs clearly indicated ovulation.
It also picked up and reported one completely anovulatory cycle, and it has indicated three pregnancies for me!
I love the baby planning aspect of the software, which lets you put in a date you'd like to welcome a new baby, and it tells you about when you should conceive to have a baby around that time. It's fun to play with, and useful to plan with 😀
The only thing I'd change about the software is to give it an updated “look and feel” overall, so that it's a little prettier to look at. But the charts are clear and easy to read, and it's easy to use, so that's a minor issue.
Overall I give a great rating and it will continue to be my “go-to” charting software when I need to understand what's going on with my cycle or when we're trying to conceive.
Click here for more info on charting with TCOYF
(NOTE: Want the Top Easy Steps to Boosting Your Fertility? Use these 5 simple, evidence-based steps to get pregnant and carry your healthy baby to term. Get them here.)
