Fertility Tracking Apps

This is such a popular topic at the moment and I have seen such a mixed review on wether people should use fertility tracking apps or not. Today I wanted to share my experience with you and give you a list of pros and cons on this popular topic.

Which app do I use?
Natural Cycles

How long have I been using Natural Cycles?
1year 5 months

How does fertility tracking apps work?
Every morning you take your basal temperature and put that information into the app. The app then calculates where you are in your cycle and will indicate wether you are fertile or not. It will give you a green day if you are not fertile which means you are safe to have sex without protection if you wish or it will give you a red day which means you are fertile and must use a form of protection.

Do you get a lot of green days?
When you start with an app it will give you far more red days than green as it does not want to take any risks. As time goes on and the app gets to know your cycle better you should get more green days. If at any point the any is not 100% sure you are not fertile it will always give you a red day.

Why have I chosen this form of contraception?
It does not require me to take any pills or put any foreign substances into my body. I used to be on the pill and when I came off I lost my period for over a year. As I do want to prevent a pregnancy at this stage of my life I need a form of contraception and I did not want to go back to the pill or in that direction. I love to be in tune with my body and this was a chance for me to take that a step further.

Have I ever fallen pregnant unplanned using this method?
No

Does this method protect you against STI's?
No but neither does the pill or similar forms of contraception.

Does this app help you with your menstrual cycle?
Absolutely! You get to really understand your cycle and it provides you with more information so if you want to know where you can improve you can do so. For me it has been 100% accurate at predicting when my period will start and if I am late it eliminates my stress as the app acknowledges I am late and reassures me my period is on its way.

Can anyone use this app?
This app is not for everyone! You have to be a certain type of person with a certain type of lifestyle.

Who is a good candidate for this method of contraception?
Someone who has a good sleep schedule and goes to bed at a similar time every night and wakes up at a similar time. Someone who doesn't drink alcohol frequently. Someone who isn't forgetful and will remember to take their temperature every morning. Someone who is interested in being in tune with their body.

Who is a bad candidate?
The opposite of the above! If you suffer with very irregular periods this may not be the best option for you as your ovulation may be very hard to predict.

What can effect your results?
When you record your temperature in the morning it MUST be the first thing you do. You can not get out of bed go to the toilet and then take your temperature. If you are sick, hungover or slept more of less (± 2 hours) than usual you the app with give you the option to mark your temperature as deviated.

What other pros do I have for using this method?
By tracking my basal temperature I was able to re discover my thyroid was slightly under active. So I went back to take supplements to help my thyroid function and my body responding amazingly! Especially my hormones and skin!
I feel great as my body is working to its natural rhythm. Although I do not want a baby right now I love that my body is functionally on its own so it is prepping me for when the time comes and I do want to conceive.
I find it very easy and it is the same as remembering to take a pill except I take my temperature. I also have less stress using this method.

What other cons do I have for this method?
I wish there was an option for when you travel to say you have changed time zones as that does have an effect on your reading.

Can I trust this method?
I trust it the same as any other method. No form of contraception is 100% I even have friends who have fallen pregnant whilst being on the pill. That being said I have to be consistent and make sure I am putting in the correct data.

Do I think this method is good for people who are not in a position to have a child?
If you know you can not have a child due to age or circumstances then I recommend using protection like a condom even on green days. That way you can use this method to be in tune with your body and gain those benefits and be sure you won't get pregnant.

I hope this post and video has helped you if you are confused on this topic or are unsure wether this is a good option for you or not.

Ebony