We’ve had some questions from you around the science of Tempdrop and how it compares with some of the other options out there (especially traditional oral temperature!). We always want you to be confident in our product and in your fertility awareness journey, so we decided to do a deep dive into what goes into Tempdrop’s machinery and technology.

What does Tempdrop measure?

Tempdrop doesn't measure hormones like some monitors, but rather your temperature. More specifically, your sleeping temperature or basal body temperature (BBT). So whether you have regular periods, irregular periods, or are even waiting for a return of fertility, Tempdrop can help you catch temperature changes key to confirming ovulation has happened! To understand more about how hormones affect temperature, check out this article about implantation dips. Basically, estrogen helps to suppress body temperature while progesterone helps to elevate it - so the combination results in a clear shift at ovulation.

The temperature it measures is your sleeping auxiliary temperature (that is, the temperature at your underarm) over the course of the night while you're sleeping. Then our proprietary algorithm determines which temperature of all the data points it collects to use (more on that below).

It also has an accelerometer taking readings all night, which adds data about movement to the temperatures. The movement gives the algorithm information about when you were resting as opposed to awake or restless during your sleep.

How does Tempdrop get a final temperature?

Throughout the night, Tempdrop takes thousands of data points - both from the thermometer and the accelerometer. As raw data, this isn't useful to individuals; but it's the core of Tempdrop's algorithm. The data hits the algorithm when you sync it to the app after wearing it for the night. 

Thanks to continuous axillary temperature and accelerometer measurements, Tempdrop collects and analyzes thousands of data points throughout the night. Using all this raw data, the algorithm filters out when you woke up to feed your baby, or had trouble getting to sleep, and even just your standard tossing and turning. Throughout all of it, Tempdrop looks for when you are most restful and uses the temperature at that time.

As soon as you've synced your Tempdrop device to the app, you'll receive an accurate reading for the night. The algorithm used to make retroactive updates, but there are no longer any changes - we've honed in on the correct algorithm to make sure the reading is as accurate as possible from the moment you sync it.

When traditionally you would have to exclude a BBT reading as questionable, Tempdrop's unique filtering capabilities can work its magic and give you more usable temps across your cycle. That doesn't mean you'll never have to disregard a temperature (for example, a high fever will reflect in your temperature), but it does mean you have more usable data if you had a restless night.

Why should I trust and love Tempdrop?

The real beauty of Tempdrop is that you can wake up whenever you want and you don’t have to do anything extra. Plus, our app (Android/iOS) allows you to manually chart your cycle! If manual interpretation isn't your thing, we also offer a premium subscription to help you identify your fertile window and ovulation. We also integrate with a few other apps, including OvuView (Android), Read Your Body (Android/iOS), and Chart Neo (Android/iOS).

In addition, the battery lasts for months, is available at most stores, and is easy to change. There’s also no radiation while you sleep since Bluetooth has to be initiated by you to sync a period of data - it doesn't just run all night! Tempdrop is manufactured by a medical supplier according to the strictest quality standards and the plastic is BPA free.

Some of the people behind it

If that wasn’t enough, Tempdrop is backed by some of the top leaders in the field:

• Talithia Williams, Chief Scientist - You may have watched Talithia's TED Talk about the insights she gained on her own fertility from tracking her BBT every day for over 6 years. But with a Ph.D. in Statistics, Dr. Williams is first and foremost a mathematician, making sense of numbers and what they can tell us about our body and health. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Dr. Williams and her husband, Donald, actively teach Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods.

• Dr. Joseph Hasson, Specialist in Gynecology, Obstetrics & Infertility. Dr. Hasson is an attending physician at the IVF & Infertility Center in Tel Aviv Medical Center and also served as a Clinical & Research fellow at the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at McGill’s University Reproductive Center in Canada.

So what are you waiting for? Tempdrop gives you unprecedented accuracy in your BBT measurement, and the science is leading the femtech (female reproductive technology) companies out there! That aside, though, Tempdrop is the most comfortable and affordable option out there. It  was designed with the input of a lingerie designer. You’re going to forget it’s there, and be so happy to get your full amount of sleep.