Patent ID: 6149591
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A device for the in vivo detection of refractive indices of cervical mucus at a female's cervical os which comprisesa distal sensing head for intravaginal placement against the female's cervical os; anda refractive index detector carried by said distal sensing head and having (i) a light source, (ii) a photoreceptor which receives light from said light source and outputs a signal indicative of the refractive index of the cervical mucus, and (iii) a light guide positioned so as to guide light from the light source to the photoreceptor, said light guide having at least one active surface to be wetted by the cervical mucus which consists essentially of a fluorocarbon polymer having an optical clarity of greater than about 98% and a refractive index of between about 1.335 to about 1.450.