A British fertility device has been hailed as an effective alternative to IVF.

The DuoFertility system was developed by a group of former Cambridge University students and works by measuring even the slightest changes in body temperature; this indicates when ovulation occurs. The device costs £495 and the research team claims that it can produce more accurate results than other ovulation kits on the market; they claim that the results are so accurate that they can be compared to those achieved by IVF treatments.

Oriane Chausiaux, chief scientific officer for DuoFertility, relayed the findings of trial studies at the World Association of Reproductive Medicine conference; she claimed that studies concluded that the device achieved a pregnancy success rate of 19.5 percent after six months, which is comparable to IVF.

Using the device involves wearing a small patch under the arm; the patch records the woman’s body temperature and will notice even minute changes. The device measures the woman’s body temperature 20,000 times per day in order to determine the fertile days and has an accuracy rate of 99 percent.

The team from DuoFertility claim that the device is as effective as IVF and couples are promised a money back guarantee if the woman does not fall pregnant within twelve months of using the device. Shamus Husheer, the inventor of the device, claimed that for some cases, the device is extremely effective; however, it cannot be used for all cases of infertility; for example, if a male is not producing any sperm at all, this device cannot help. However, for many common causes of infertility, including unexplained fertility, irregular cycle and certain male factors, the device is proving to be very effective.