Let me ask you a question.

How much attention have you ever paid to "vaginal discharge"?

It's something that somehow gets on your underwear.
Its quantity and color might change.
But you rarely consider its special meaning.

I was the same.

But one day, I came across a product that claimed to "understand the fertile window from changes in vaginal discharge."

At first, honestly, I didn't understand what was so new about it.

It is medically known that the quality of vaginal discharge, including cervical mucus, changes as ovulation approaches. But how many people actually use this information in their daily lives?

1｜A brief look at the structure of fertility planning

In Japan, 39.2% of couples have worried about infertility. It is said that 22.7% of couples have undergone or are currently undergoing infertility examinations or treatments.

And in 2023, 85,048 babies were born through assisted reproductive technology. This accounts for 11.7% of all births, meaning approximately 1 in 8.6 babies.

Fertility planning is no longer a special topic.

But the common pattern is:

Measuring basal body temperature.
Using ovulation predictor kits.
Visiting a clinic.

There are methods. But they are difficult to maintain.

Measuring temperature at the same time every morning.
Adjusting work to go to the hospital.

There's not much room to understand and observe on your own.

I've always felt something was off about that.

2｜The kegg option

kegg is a home device that measures changes in vaginal discharge, including cervical mucus.

Insert it into the vagina and measure for about 90 seconds. You can check daily changes on the app.

It does not guarantee pregnancy. Nor is it intended for treatment or diagnosis.

However, it is a tool that "visualizes" bodily signs that previously relied on sensation, in a sustainable way.

In fact, the fertile window is not just "ovulation day itself." The short period of several days leading up to ovulation is a crucial time for the possibility of pregnancy.

And cervical mucus and vaginal discharge are said to start increasing 5-6 days before ovulation and sometimes peak 2-3 days before ovulation.

However, this "window" varies from person to person.

3｜In 2017, when I was working at a Japanese investment firm

Around 2017, I was working at a Japanese investment firm.

That's when I encountered kegg.

The founder, Kristina, said that when she went to a clinic considering pregnancy, she was told to "check the state of your discharge with your finger and record it."

kegg was born from that question.

With limited funds, she brought to life a home device that treats cervical mucus as data.

I saw potential in that.

4｜About "measuring"

Fertility planning isn't difficult because of a lack of information.

Information is abundant. But it's hard to keep up with.

kegg takes about 90 seconds a day. It doesn't even have to be at wake-up time.

This might seem like a small difference, but for those involved, it's a huge one.

It's about understanding your body a little better.

That might make the next decision a little easier.

That's how I see it.

5｜The question from the first part

Why have we invested so heavily in infertility treatment, but so little in the preliminary stage of "understanding"?

Was that order truly rational?

What kegg is proposing is not just about knowing your ovulation day.

It's about bringing the process of observing, recording, and understanding the bodily signs that were previously treated as mere sensations back into daily life.

In the second part, I will write about the process of implementing this product in Japan.