First, review the directions to make sure you are using the OvuScope correctly. Also, make sure you are looking at the entire region where the saliva has dried; ferning may occur near the edges of the region. However, if you still do not see any ferning throughout your cycle, there are several possible reasons. First, not all women fern. This could be caused by one of many factors, including a hormone imbalance. In this case, please contact your physician. You also may not be near ovulating at the time you first check your saliva. Study a fresh sample of your saliva every day for about one month to get a good understanding of when you typically may ovulate during your menstrual cycle. Second, ferning may be disrupted by smoking, eating, drinking (water, alcohol, etc.), brushing your teeth, how saliva is put on the slide, or where/when you did the test.