FemiClock: Non-invasive Tools Development (Salivary and Hair Progesterone) for Ovulation Detection in Heathy Women With Regular Menstrual Cycles Without Contraception. (FemiClock)

June 30, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

FemiClock: Modeling Daily and Reproductive Parameters in Women: Proof of Concept and Feasibility of Analytical Methods for the Study of Female Fertility.

Currently, the gold standard to confirm ovulation is measuring LH and/or progesterone in blood.

However, because confirmation requires a blood sample, this approach is not suitable for epidemiological studies evaluating the impact of various factors on ovulation.

Additionally, in cases of irregular menstrual cycles, there is additional difficulty in determining when the blood sample should be taken.

Our objective is the development of non-invasive markers of ovulation (salivary and hair progesterone) in women with regular menstrual cycles over a period of 3 menstrual cycles. Our hypothesis is that there is a correlation between ovulation detection, using the "gold standard" i.e. detection of the pre-ovulatory LH surge associated with an increase in progesterone during the mid-luteal phase, and the mean level of hair progesterone measured between 2 menstrual cycles.

Various studies have shown that, to be functional, the female reproductive axis requires an intact circadian system characterized by the existence of biological clocks called "clock genes" which are expressed in 24-hour cycles. In rodent, mutations in these "clock genes" lead to irregular menstrual cycles and alterations in the preovulatory LH surge. A quantitative measurement (using quantitative RT-PCR) of clock gene expression in the oral cavity will be performed.

Since the reproductive system is also under the influence of locomotor activity and diet, all of these parameters will also be analyzed using participants' smartphones and connected smartwatches.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

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Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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Study Contact

Study Contact

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Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 18 to 40 years, with a body mass index (BMI) between 19.0 and 29.9 kg/m². (Women with low or high BMI were excluded due to extensive literature showing a negative impact of extreme BMI values on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.)
  • Women not using hormonal contraception (or using a non-hormonal copper intrauterine device), or who discontinued hormonal contraception more than 3 months prior to enrollment and do not plan to resume contraception during the 3 study menstrual cycles.
  • Women with regular menstrual cycles between 25 and 35 days, with cycle length variability (difference between shortest and longest cycle) strictly less than 7 days.
  • Women owning a smartphone (to enable collection and transmission of data recorded by a study-provided smartwatch).
  • Exclusive daytime workers (no night or shift work).
  • Hair length greater than 5 cm from root to tip, and willingness to provide a hair sample.
  • Individuals affiliated with a national health insurance system or equivalent coverage.
  • Individuals able to understand the study objectives and risks and willing to provide written informed consent (dated and signed).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known fertility disorder.
  • Night work and/or shift work within the 6 months prior to enrollment (between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.).
  • Untreated endocrine disorders or gynecological conditions that may affect menstrual cycles and/or ovulation, including clinical hyperandrogenism.
  • History of cancer within the past 5 years.
  • History of severe psychiatric disorder.
  • Current use of hormonal treatment or synthetic steroid therapy.
  • Self-reported pregnancy or breastfeeding within the past 3 months.
  • Participants currently in an exclusion period following participation in a previous clinical study.
  • Individuals under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship, or legal safeguard).
  • Inability to provide informed consent (e.g., emergency situation, cognitive or comprehension difficulties).
  • Desire for pregnancy within the 3 months following enrollment. The occurrence of pregnancy will not be considered an exclusion criterion; data collected during the menstrual cycle preceding pregnancy may still be analyzed, as it reflects a fertile cycle.

Exposure to potential endocrine disruptors will not be specifically assessed due to their high environmental prevalence and the complexity of their detection.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Healthy women undergoing non-invasive ovulation assessment
Healthy women with regular menstrual cycles will undergo non-invasive ovulation assessment over three consecutive menstrual cycles, including saliva, urine, hair and oral mucosal sample collection, blood sampling for reference hormonal measurements, completion of study questionnaires, and continuous monitoring using a smartwatch and smartphone application.
Device: Diagnostic Test: Non-invasive ovulation biomarker assessment - Smartwatch
Continuous monitoring of physiological and activity parameters using a connected smartwatch during three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Behavioral: Diagnostic Test: Non-invasive ovulation biomarker assessment - Questionnaires
Completion of questionnaires regarding menstrual cycle characteristics, lifestyle, sleep, diet and reproductive health.
Diagnostic test: Hormonal blood assessment
Blood sampling for luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone measurements used as reference markers of ovulation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Proportion of women in whom salivary and hair samples are successfully collected to assess the technical feasibility of progesterone measurements in saliva and hair.
Time Frame: Over three consecutive menstrual cycles (approximately 3 months)
Over three consecutive menstrual cycles (approximately 3 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Thibault BAHOUGNE BAHOUGNE, Dr, Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 8839
  • 2024-A01058-39 (Other Identifier: N° IDRCB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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