Many women struggle to find a method of birth control that not only works, but that also doesn’t mess too much with our mood, skin and hormones (which many conventional birth control solutions can do).
The good news is that thanks to some very handy apps, you can now help control when you do or do not want to become pregnant all with the aid of just your phone.
The rhythm method (AKA periodic abstinence) is a birth control solution that was developed in the 1920s and works by calculating when the most fertile days in your cycle occur. Depending on whether you are actually trying to get pregnant or trying not to, you can then choose to have intercourse… or indeed avoid it on those days.
You have probably seen movies where a couple is trying to get pregnant, and the woman will run into a room, clutching a thermometer, and shouting something like, “Honey, I’m ovulating!”And guess what; that is basically the rhythm method working to make a baby, instead of preventing one.
So to reverse this for prevention use must then be rather easy peasy, right? The thing is, it can be a little bit of a head-wreck trying to calculate and keep tabs on these dates yourself (and it’s something to be kinda strict about, like!).
But fear not. Now there are apps that will do this for you. Here, we rounded up three of our favourites…
This requires in-app purchases and a thermometer. The app comes with a free trial but after that it’s 9 per month or $65 per year to use. Here’s how it works: After waking up in the morning, you take your temperature with a thermometer (sorry, the app can’t do that) and the app shows you if it is a “red day” or a “green day.”
If it is a red day, you’re at “peak fertility”; if it’s green, you aren’t. It detects when you’re ovulating, when you’re going to get your period, and even when you’re pregnant. You take and record your temperature because it helps track your ovulation and detect your fertility more accurately.
The app works because it uses simple science. “A woman is fertile up to 6 days per cycle,” Natural Cycles explains. “The fertile window ends with the day of ovulation and begins up to 5 days before, depending on sperm survival. Natural Cycles carefully studies your body temperature to find your ovulation day and fertility.”
2. DOT
This app bills itself as, The Smart & Scientific Way to Plan Pregnancy, Prevent Pregnancy, and Predict Future Period Dates. There is no charge to use DOT because, according to their site, “we believe that family planning options should be free.” There is a Dot Pro available for purchase which offers added “nifty” features.
3. Daysy
This app combines a thermometer with an electronic fertility tracker. Here is how it works:
1. Every morning, take your temperature under your tongue.
2. Confirm menstruation on the days you have it.
3. Daysy evaluates your data and calculates your fertility status for the next 24 hours.
*Please note: Her reminds you to always speak to your GP about your contraception options. And of course, the above methods won’t protect you against STDs so always use a condom too.
