Vol. 5 (Part 1) kegg | Knowing Your Ovulation Day From Your Discharge? How kegg Changed the Way We Think About Fertility

Keywords: fertility / ovulation prediction / cervical mucus / infertility treatment

Just wondering.

How much attention have you ever paid to "cervical mucus"?

Something that just gets on your underwear.
Its amount and color can change.
But you don't usually think much about its special meaning.

I was the same.

Even I, who has studied the female body and been involved in public health and fertility discussions,
had never treated vaginal discharge as "important information."

But then one day,
I encountered a product that claimed to "determine the fertile window from changes in cervical mucus."

Initially, to be honest, I didn't understand what was so new about it.

It is medically known that the quality of cervical mucus changes as ovulation approaches.
But how many people actually utilize this in their daily lives?

Let's briefly consider the structure of fertility efforts.

In Japan, approximately 35% of couples have worried about infertility.
Approximately 18% of couples have undergone examinations or treatment.
Today, about 1 in 10 people are born through infertility treatment.

Fertility efforts are no longer an unusual topic.

But the typical flow goes like this:

If things don't go well, turn to medical care.

Measure basal body temperature.
Use ovulation predictor kits.
Visit the hospital.

There are methods.
But they are difficult to sustain.

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

There is not much room for understanding and observing your body yourself.

I have always felt uncomfortable about that.

kegg as an option

kegg is a home device that measures changes in cervical mucus.

Insert it into the vagina and measure for about 2 minutes.
You can check daily changes with the app.

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

However,

It is a tool that visualizes your body's signs, which you have relied on your senses for, in a sustainable way.

In fact, it is said that the 2-3 days before and after ovulation are more conducive to pregnancy than ovulation day itself.
However, this "window" varies from person to person.

That is why it is important to continuously understand your own cycle.

Around 2017, when I was working at a Japanese investment company

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

That's when I encountered this kegg.

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

Even with advancing technology,
why was women's fertility journey so analog in this one area?

From that question, kegg was born.

(Kristina Cahojova, CEO of Lady Technology, who created kegg)

With limited funds, she created the world's first device that treats cervical mucus as data.

I felt potential in that.

"Measuring"

Fertility efforts are not difficult because there is no information.

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

kegg takes 2 minutes a day.
You don't even have to do it upon waking.

It may seem like a small difference,
but for those involved, it's a huge difference.

Measuring is not about pushing yourself.

It's about understanding your body a little bit.

That might make the next decision a little easier.

Question for Part 1

Why have we invested so heavily in infertility treatment,
but not so much in the prior stage of "understanding"?

Was that order truly rational?

In Part 2, I will write about the story of implementing this product in Japanese society.