If you are an Oova user, you will have noticed that we ask for the first day of your most recent period. This is important information to enter for each cycle so that Oova’s algorithm can get to know your personal cycle pattern.
Once the algorithm knows when your cycle started, it will accurately be able to tell you when to take each scan.
How to log your period in the Oova app
Open the Oova app and go to Calendar. Select the date you want to track a bleeding day, then tap on the LOG button in the top right corner.
In the app, you have four options for how to define your period flow.
- Spotting: Spotting means that blood only appears when wiping, but you don’t need a pad or tampon. In the app, we do not consider spotting to be the first day of your period.
- Light: A light flow means that the bleeding is enough to require a panty liner or, if using a pad or tampon, the bleeding will not soak through a single pad or tampon in 3 hours.
- Moderate: Moderate bleeding means soaking through 1 pad or tampon in 3 hours.
- Heavy: Heavy bleeding means that you are soaking through more than one pad or tampon in under 3 hours.
Enter a period flow and tap Save in the top right corner.
What if I haven't had my period recently?
If you haven’t had your period in a couple of months, you can still use either the Oova Fertility Hormone Kit or Perimenopause Hormone Kit! It will be more difficult for the algorithm to time exactly when you should start using Oova until we collect enough data. However, you can begin testing at any point, and the algorithm will figure out your cycle once it collects your baseline and daily hormone levels.
For users who haven’t had a period recently, we recommend testing for more than 15 days to fully understand where you are in your cycle.
What if I'm using Oova for a subsequent cycle?
If you're using Oova for a subsequent cycle (i.e., your second or third time using Oova), then be mindful to log your period flow in your daily log. If skipped, this step will have bigger downstream effects on your scanning days.
What if I enter the first day of my last period incorrectly?
If you enter the incorrect first day of the last period upon registration, you must contact Oova Support (support@oova.life) to change the date to the correct one.
Why do I need to log my period in the Oova app?
Your period is a critical component of your menstrual cycle. It tells us when Cycle Day 1 is and enables us to track your cycle over time, whether you're looking to find your fertile window, see if you're ovulating, or track how your hormones are changing at different points in your cycle. Your period is one of the most important pieces of information you need to log in to the app.
It is important to enter the first day of your last period as accurately as possible during registration. This information will be used to determine when your scanning window will open.
Why does my cycle length matter?
Your cycle length is really important for our algorithm to map out where you are in your cycle.
While your hormone levels ultimately determine the data and conclusions, your cycle length helps us figure out when you need to scan an Oova test. It also helps our algorithm interpret the hormone levels so we don’t prematurely tell you that you are in your fertile window or if you have ovulated.
For your first cycle, our algorithm relies pretty heavily on the length you enter. This is why you will be unable to modify the cycle length in the future.
However, as you continue to use Oova, we learn more about your cycle length and override the information you entered based on what the data says.