When women (and men) today think of contraception or birth control, the most common and obvious solution always revolves around the birth control pill and its derivatives. It has become the norm for women to take these synthetic, hormone-altering substances, without giving them much thought. But a drug is a drug, and whether noticeable or not, side effects are always present. In fact most women experience debilitating short term and long term side effects from using chemical hormonal substances like the birth control pill.
This is why one of the most valuable things a woman can do for herself today, is to empower herself by understanding, connecting with and working with her monthly cycle. Modern society has disconnected us from understanding the language of our bodies, especially for women who are made to feel like they cannot trust their body. Nowhere is this more evident then when it comes to fertility and contraception topics. The good news is that today we have choices, and one of those options is to connect with our body, understand our cycles as women and benefit at the same time from natural contraception using some of today’s advanced technology.
Natural Contraception with Pearly
October 2010 marked the one year anniversary of me owning what I consider to be one of the greatest inventions ever for women. This device is not only valuable for all those interested in natural and holistic health, but for truly every woman out there. And if you are a male, please do not stop reading here. Every guy should know about these units too, to help the ladies in their lives lead empowered, chemical-free lives, while feeling secure about their personal contraception in the least invasive of ways.
This invention is the electronic device called the Pearly, and its sister product Lady Comp. These are both natural birth control, contraceptive devices that are by far the most superior, natural method of birth control available to date. Whether you are interested in natural family planning, or simply want to avoid the harmful chemicals and hormone-altering side effects of pharmaceuticals like the birth control pill, patch, or needle, Pearly and Lady Comp are the way to go.
Out of all the natural health products I’ve ever reviewed, I have to be honest, this one makes me the most excited to share with you all, because it is such an incredible daily tool for women today, and has profoundly changed my life too. Please note that I am in no way affiliated with the makers of these devices; I have not and do not receive any compensation for this review or the recommendations I make, nor did I receive my device for the purpose of a review.
After I finally decided to call it quits with the birth control pill, which was the last big incongruence left in my natural and holistic lifestyle, I thought I would just have to resort to charting my own temperature each morning and going from there. I had no idea that an amazing device like the Pearly existed. I was not about to consider other non-chemical methods, as they too can be invasive like the pill, just in other ways.
I thought there had to be something natural and highly reliable out there for women, and indeed there was. After a simple Google search for natural birth control, I came across Pearly and Lady Comp. I read up thoroughly on each one and was greatly overjoyed, because even though I was going to do it, I was not too enthusiastic about taking my temperature each morning, charting it, and then trying to figure out if it is safe or not to avoid getting pregnant. But if that was the only natural method to avoid chemically and physically invasive methods, then so be it I thought. But then there came Pearly to the rescue!
What is Pearly and Lady Comp?
Pearly and Lady Comp are both electronic devices that function as natural contraceptive methods. They work based on highly sensitive electronic thermometers that allow women to take their basal body temperature, but their secret lies in the sophisticated software program that they each have built within.
Both of these devices provide an impeccable level of contraception that is 99.3% effective. The only way for these to fail as I see it, is if one goes against the recommendation of the unit.
Both are very similar in how they work. The main difference between the Pearly and Lady Comp is that the Lady Comp has a few extra features compared to the Pearly. After a thorough comparison of both, I decided the Pearly would be enough to meet my needs. The main differences, aside from the shape and size, are that the Lady Comp has a lit up display, a bigger memory for storage of past trends, and works via a rechargeable battery. Pearly is smaller, does not have a backlit display and requires no battery charging, rather a battery replacement every few years. For my needs at the time, I liked that the Pearly was more compact, and cheaper as well. Pearly is a small compact device that is just slightly smaller than the palm of a full hand. It comes with its own felt fabric pouch, and packaged in a small box with detailed manuals.
Pearly and Lady Comp are made in Germany by Valley Electronics, and their quality, reputation and reliability is superb. They are internationally available and renowned, and used by women in numerous countries around the world.
Please note, for those who are not in monogamous relationships or concerned about sexually transmitted infections, these devices do nothing to protect you from those, and other precautions must be taken to avoid any STI’s.
How does Pearly and Lady Comp Work?
The devices are both super easy and pretty identical to use from the write up about them, but since I have a Pearly, I will speak directly about it and how it works.
Each morning as a woman wakes up, before she does anything like sit up or get out of bed, she simply needs to reach over for the Pearly, which should be within arm’s reach on a night table, turn it on, and place the thermometer sensor in her mouth. Note, Pearly also comes with a built-in alarm clock that can wake her up at the desired time.
The sensor is meant to go underneath the tongue, far back on one side of the frenulum (the part that attaches the tongue to the base of the mouth). Then one simply waits until a beep sounds, indicating that Pearly took the temperature and analyzed the results. This normally takes less than a minute.
At that point, you would simply remove Pearly from your mouth, and read the display. The display will clearly say the temperature and a triangle will be present under the red, yellow, or green area. Red means that it is unsafe to be sexually active, without other backup, as there is a risk of a pregnancy occurring. Yellow means proceed with caution or at your own risk. This reading is usually only given when Pearly is learning your cycle. And green means that a pregnancy is completely unlikely, and it is safe to be sexually active.
The display will continue to flash for a few minutes, until the unit powers itself down, between the temperature reading and the day of your cycle, but always pointing to the red, yellow, or green area.
As I mentioned, Pearly is highly sophisticated and intuitive and within a few weeks or couple of months (depending on how regular your cycle is), learns your cycle. At this stage it may even flash when the actual day of ovulation is suspected and will always flash an “M” when you are likely to start menstruating. If you have started your period, you would simply press the plus sign to let Pearly know that indeed menstruation has begun. Otherwise you would press the minus sign to disregard it. Pearly will try again each consecutive day until the start of menstruation is indicated. As this contributes to a large portion of Pearly’s reliability, menstruation data must always be entered, and “M” must be enabled for at least 3 days in a row, even if a period is shorter than 3 days.
As you have probably already deduced, Pearly can also be used in reverse if one ever decides to conceive, as you would know the exact days and/or times of fertility during which a pregnancy is possible.
My Personal Experience with Pearly
In a nut shell, I LOVE my Pearly and today cannot imagine my life without it! I really cannot say enough good things about it. My only regret is that I did not find out about Pearly sooner. This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about spreading more awareness about this unit.
For any guys reading this and interested, yes, my husband loves this unit so much too, as he does not want for me to have to take any unnatural, hormone-altering substances among other things, and it has given us a whole new and liberated perspective on fertility and contraception. So do definitely consider this, perhaps even as a great gift, for the woman in your life that you love and whose health you care about.
The device is not cheap and carries a roughly $300 price tag, but I have to tell you that it is one of the best three hundred dollars that I’ve ever spent. For the reliability, quality, convenience, ease of use and sophistication of this product, it is a very justified and fair price in my opinion.
Using Pearly is so easy and so harmonious with my body, and I never have to worry about an unwanted or unexpected pregnancy.
Of course buying a high quality basal thermometer and charting your own temperature, along with mucus changes, will be much cheaper. However, for the hassle and added risk of trying to figure it out yourself, in my opinion Pearly is so very worth it. Plus, Pearly will typically give you less “red” days each month, than if you had to rely on charting your own temperature. I get on average 11 red days each month, which are Pearly’s way of making sure that there is enough padding on both sides of ovulation to maintain the 99.3% contraceptive guarantee. Also, if you consider how much other birth control methods may be costing you, Pearly can quickly pay for itself. There are even refurbished options for those on a more limited budget.
2013 Pearly Updates
As of January 2013, I have had my Pearly for over 3 years. It continues to work flawlessly and I have not needed to change the battery yet. It looks like the first day I bought it, and continues to be such a pleasure to use, and something that has helped to empower me as a woman. It has allowed me to learn my cycle and temperatures so precisely, that I would now be confident about staying pregnancy-free with just a basal thermometer reading in the morning if I had to. It is truly such a joy working with Pearly, and knowing that I can rely on a natural contraceptive method that is so safe, effective and practical.
In June 2013 my battery indicator light began flashing and it was time for my first battery replacement. This means that my Pearly battery lasted over 3 and a half years. Depending on one’s use a battery is estimated to last 2 to 3 years. I presume that because I never use the alarm function, this extended its battery life that much longer. To have the battery replaced I contacted RaxMedical, and they were fantastic at responding quickly and sharing about the process of a battery replacement. The cost of the battery replacement was $35, plus a $20 shipping fee, plus tax. The turnaround time was about 2 weeks. It was a flawless and efficient experience that allowed me to get right back into using Pearly without any major disruptions. During the time that I did not have Pearly I relied on a basal thermometer for temperature readings.
2016 Pearly Updates
In February 2016 my battery indicator light began flashing again and it was now time for my second battery replacement. I have now had this unit for six and a half years. This time around, the battery lasted me only 2 and a half years. I still have not been using the alarm function, so either the unit becomes less efficient with age or the replacement battery is not as efficient as the original one. Either way, the replacement process was just as smooth and even faster than my last one. I had my Pearly back within a week of sending it in and the cost was pretty similar: $35 for the battery replacement and $24 for shipping, plus applicable tax.
The battery replacement was again done through RaxMedical and customer service was very good like last time. This time however I was informed that the typical life of a Pearly device is about 6 to 10 years. (The Lady Comp life expectancy is stated at 7 years.) I do not recall knowing this at the time of my purchase. So while my unit continues to function perfectly and I hope it lasts as long as possible, it looks like I will have to make a new choice in the coming years, of whether to get another Pearly, or perhaps explore similar new options, like Wink with Kindara that has also started to offer advanced natural contraception.
Summary of Benefits
- Completely 100% natural birth control
- 99.3% effective against unwanted pregnancies
- Super easy to use
- Versatile
- Reliable
- Compact and discreet
- Has built-in alarm clock
- Helps woman get in tune with her monthly cycle
- Offers excellent support and customer service
- Offers phone and other resource support for women
- Fair price
Who May Not Benefit from Pearly or LadyComp?
The only women that these devices won’t be suitable for, that I can think of, are:
- Women who work night shifts, or highly irregular hours, as temperature has to be taken each morning within 3 hours of the previous day’s window, and require a proper night’s sleep.
- Women who have a hard time being conscious in the morning, and jump out out of bed unexpectedly, or are forgetful, etc.
- Women who get up frequently throughout the night, as this will alter the basal body temperature.
- Women who are not confident enough and will succumb to any kind of peer pressure on red days.
Pearly Questions and Answers
Where can I buy the Pearly or LadyComp?
Both devices used to be widely available online in Canada and the United States but are now unavailable, as of several years ago.
In Europe, they are still available from Valley Electronics.
Will Pearly work for me if my periods are extremely irregular (ex: ranging from 2 weeks to 2 months apart)?
My first advice would be to work on balancing your hormones, as something in the body is definitely in need of proper care and attention. It may be lifestyle problems like diet or stress, it may be toxicity, it may even be some underlying condition that needs proper attention. Monthly cycles can range between 26-36 days but anything outside of that, and constantly irregular should be addressed by your natural healthcare practitioner.
Pearly is most accurate and gives most “green” days when it learns your cycle and can work with its natural pattern. To get a specific answer if Pearly would be of value for very irregular cycles, it is best to contact the Pearly manufacturer or distributor.
Since the alarm would be set for the same time every day, does this mean you can never sleep in again on the weekends, for example?
The alarm is available only if you want it. For many women this is an extra security blanket to make sure they remember to take their temperature. Otherwise you can wake up when you do naturally and activate the device to read your temperature before getting out of bed. (Just keep the device handy beside you so you remember every morning for best reliability.) So yes, you can sleep in on weekends. The temperature should typically be taken within a 3 hour window for best reliability. For example, let´s say you wake up at 7am during the week, you can sleep in until 10am on the weekends.
I want to start using this device, but my husband/boyfriend/partner is not convinced that this is a reliable and effective contraceptive option. Any advice?
Just like for most women today, the lack of understanding of the female cycle is even worse for men. Despite any “sex ed” classes in school, most teenagers enter their adult years completely not understanding how human fertility or the female cycle works. Most do not realize that there is only about a 48 hour window when a woman is fertile each month. All Pearly/LadyComp is doing is working with the intelligence of the human body and its natural cycles, and doing it with precision using advanced software technology. If we trusted and understood our bodies more/better, we could do this without the device. Of course many couples do in natural family planning methods.
One of the main reasons why the LadyComp/Pearly is so effective is not going to be found in studies per se, but in understanding the female cycle and both partners working together.
If Day 1 is menstruation, traditionally one does not ovulate during menstruation unless there is a major irregularity in the cycle. The device gives you a green light from day 1, until about day 10, at which time your temperature is below 36C degrees. After day 10 it is starting to get close to possible ovulation time, so the device ensures enough padding to not take any chances and states RED. The device then stays RED (meaning no unprotected sex) until your temperature goes above roughly 36C degrees. Above 36C the egg cannot survive and this is an indication that the ovulation is done, a new wave of hormones have taken over, and a woman has moved into the last part of the cycle leading up to menstruation again. At this time the device shows green.
Your green days are therefore day 1 to roughly day 10, and then a second set day 18(20) to whenever you menstruate – day 28(32). The first green days may be considered risky if one has really irregular periods as the temperature is viable for an egg to survive. During the red days, you do not have sex without another back up. Then the second set of green days are completely safe once the temperature goes above 36C degrees.
It commonly makes people worry because we have become conditioned to put our trust in pharmaceutical means, rather than into our own bodies. Men are more prone to this especially when it comes to pregnancy issues, as they already feel it is so out of their control, that if there is no “pill,” which they believe to be full proof, then it causes them to lose even more control. But really it is all a matter of conditioning and education. As a woman, you can also learn your own body’s signs of when you are ovulating to be extra sure.
My medical doctor (friend, coworker, etc.) told me that they know people who got pregnant using the Pearly/LadyComp and don’t recommend it. Any advice?
Just like we all know someone who apparently ate or worked out in such a “healthy” way, yet succumbed to some disease, the same goes for other areas. Case and point is that people share lots of stories and unwarranted claims that rarely ever present the whole story. Normally we are not told how this person used the device, whether they had other health, mental, stress, emotional issues, as well as other factors. Each circumstance must be considered in full detail to present proper data
However, as wonderful as the device is, of course there is a tiny percentage chance (0.7%) if using it correctly to get pregnant on it. But in the same token, it is possible to get pregnant on the pill, and every other method of birth control to an even greater degree. None of these methods are 100% full proof. However, the Pearly/LadyComp devices are fully backed to be 99.3% effective. In comparison the pill, patch or injection, when used correctly, are 91 - 99% effective, and this drops greatly in the presence of other pharmaceuticals like antibiotics.
If these devices are do great, why are they not commonly known about and recommended by medical doctors and health care professionals?
Most people in the general population are simply not aware that these exist, because most depend on the mainstream media or their mainstream medical professional to tell them about it. That is not going to happen, given the pharmaceutical industry’s stronghold. With just a little research, it is easy to learn about the control and corruption within most modern medical and pharmaceutical organizations today that are focused solely on profit. Not to mention how much doctors or insurance companies benefit when people use pharmaceuticals. At around $30 per package of birth control pills per month, that adds up to a lot of money, compounded by the amount of years these products are used by an individual woman and the millions of women who use them.
I have never had sex before and do not intend to until I get married. Would it be a good idea to start using the device several months before the wedding so it can “learn” my cycle by the time I get married and have more green days?
It is definitely a good idea to start using the device at least 3 months before your wedding so that it has a good chance to learn your cycle and make adjustments as needed.
This is not only good for more green days, but it is also really good for you to establish the habit of checking your temperature each morning, before you actually need to start seriously relying on it.
What if I miss my morning temperature readings, is the day missed or entire month then not safe?
The more days you miss, the more Pearly/LadyComp will give red readings to maintain its 99.3% accuracy, as it cannot trust where you might be at in your cycle. The specific day and/or month is not necessarily unsafe, as the device will aim to adjust for the lack of data.
However, let’s say that you had a “red” reading on Monday and forgot to take your temperature on Tuesday (and maybe even Wednesday), you have to expect that they will count as red days, and not engage in unprotected sex until you actually get a “green” reading from the device.
For another example, let’s say that you had a “green” reading on Monday and forgot to take your temperature on Tuesday (and maybe even Wednesday) if these green days are in the last part of your cycle (after the ovulation mid cycle red readings and before menstruation) then you can assume “green” that day. BUT, if the Monday “green” reading is part of the green days between your menstruation and your ovulation, then you CANNOT assume green that day, as the device may have told you that it was in fact a red day if you had taken your temperature that morning. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and take personal accountability for your choices.
I am a teenager, is it okay to use this method of birth control?
It isn’t so much about the age, as it is about how regular one’s cycle is and how responsible they are about the method of contraception they choose. As long as you have a regular cycle and follow the device’s instructions precisely, it should work as intended to.
I would also recommend using the device for at least 3 months before having unprotected sexual intercourse to allow it to learn your cycle well and for you to get into a habit of taking your temperature daily – without skipping a morning. Being diligent is the key to the effectiveness of the device.
Finally, you must remember that this device DOES NOT offer any protection against STI’s. So you need to take that into serious consideration as well, and how you will go about protecting yourself, and your partner.
As with any major life decision and choice, it comes down to being responsible and accountable for your choices and having proper education about any particular topic that impacts one’s life.
I want to use my Pearly/LadyComp device now as contraception but plan on getting pregnant in the near future. Can I use the device to help me get pregnant by having sex on the red days?
Absolutely! Either device can be used to avoid a pregnancy, or if wishing to get pregnant knowing when the most fertile days are (the red days) and having sex during that time.
What is the main difference between the Pearly, LadyComp and BabyComp?
The main difference between the Pearly, Lady Comp and Baby Comp is that the user gets more features with each one, hence they get more expensive. Technically the Pearly can do the main jobs just as well, and is just as reliable as the others. But the others for example have a backlit display if one wants to see in the dark, also record your data for 6 months or more (Pearly only 3) if you want to chart your data, etc. So it all depends on what features one wants. But if one is not interested in the extra bells and whistles than a Pearly can definitely track your cycle and be used for effective contraception.
Community Input
Jasmine — September 15, 2012
Great review! I’ve had my LadyComp for 9 months now and couldn’t be happier! I feel more alive than ever and finally got my libido back. It’s nice to know your cycles and to be more aware of your body. It also brought my boyfriend and I closer because he can finally be a part of something most guys feel left out on. No more hormones pumping in my body from the pill. No more crazy side effects. No more paying for birth control period!!! On their website, they have an optional payment plans for those that can’t pay the full amount up front, which is what I did. Definitely worth every penny! I wanna give credit when credit is due and The LadyComp definitely deserves it!
Rebecca — April 2, 2012
Thanks for your article. I’ve been doing a lot of research and am very close to buying the Pearly. The fact that barely anyone knows about it, and those that do, don’t trust its effectiveness, is a sign of our drug-minded health system and lobbying of multi-billion dollar drug companies. From what I’ve researched, sales are not allowed in Canada because the FDA (a US government agency) took some issue with the advertisement in Canada. How ridiculous is that – when this product contains no drug or side effects and is simply a way to safely monitor your fertility!
The mantra of doctors is that the pill is a safe and (really only) solution for birth control, however how can we say that is true when so many women have awful side effects? What other person in their right mind would take a drug every single day when they have no illness?
As women of child-bearing age, we have to take responsibility (with the assistance of our partner) for any chance there is for conceiving. No birth control is 100% effective. I believe the product needs time to ‘learn’ your cycle which it has to do by itself not with data entry. In any event, I plan on using back-up until the learning period is done as I feel that would be the responsible action.
Ladies, let’s inform our friends about this and spread the word. The only losers are the drug companies!
Linda — July 27, 2012
I live in Canada and purchased a Pearly from Rax Medical earlier this year. They are a great company with fantastic customer service.