Cambridge Temperature Concepts (CTC) is a UK-based company that specialises in the design and manufacture of continuous physiological monitoring devices. Their main product is a patented fertility monitor called ''DuoFertility''.

History

The company was started by six post graduate students (Dr Shamus Husheer, Dr David Naumann, Dr Oriane Chausiaux, Dr. Lydia Ferguson, Chafic Ayoub and Scott Mackie) at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, England in 2005, and won multiple entrepreneur awards at the University, regionally and nationally, including the ''Downing Enterprise'' award, the ''CUEBiC Business Plan Competition'', and the ''UKSEC Business Plan Competition''. In 2011 the company was named European Wireless Start-up of the year by Qualcomm.

Media coverage

During development, CTC received media publicity, including in ''Business Weekly'', ''The Cambridge News'', and ''The Telegraph''. The company captured national and international media attention with a novel "Pregnant in 12 months or your money back" offer for its DuoFertility product in 2009. The DuoFertility product featured on a BBC television documentary following innovations to retail success, resulting in the UK pharmacy chain Boots stocking the product.

DuoFertility

The ''DuoFertility'' device can aid the practice of

fertility awareness Fertility awareness (FA) refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods may be used to avoid pregnancy, to achieve pregnancy, or as a way to monitor gynec ...

natural family planning Natural family planning (NFP) comprises the family planning methods approved by the Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations for both achieving and postponing or avoiding pregnancy. In accordance with the Church's teachings regarding s ...

(although marketed only to help achieve pregnancy, while other systems for FA and NFP can also be used as birth control). The device is a stick-on patch containing a coin-sized chip that automatically measures and records

basal body temperature Basal body temperature (BBT or BTP) is the lowest body temperature attained during rest (usually during sleep). It is usually estimated by a temperature measurement immediately after awakening and before any physical activity has been undertaken. ...

every few minutes. A hand-held device is then used to read out the temperature data collected via wireless transmission and analyse it. This analysis is used to predict the time of ovulation based on 24-hour time measurement, in order to aid couples trying to conceive. In 2010, data on the first 200 couples using DuoFertility was released demonstrating a pregnancy rate after 6 months of use similar to that of a cycle of IVF for couples with a history of unexplained infertility or mild-to-moderate male or female factors.Better than IVF? Pregnancy rates of the DuoFertility programme over six cycles of use. Chausiaux et al. Proceedings of the 13th world congress on controversies in obstetrics, gynaecology and Infertility. C529, p. 319-324

References

{{Reflist

External links

Cambridge Temperature Concepts

DuoFertility

WIPO Patent WO/2008/035151WIPO Patent WO/2010/023255
Fertility awareness Companies based in Cambridge British companies established in 2005 Technology companies established in 2005 Health care companies established in 2005 2005 establishments in England