A Critical Appraisal of Fertility and Menstrual Tracking Apps
- mark
- May 17, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 25
I frequently see clients who rely on fertility apps in their efforts to conceive. The short answer is:
"Although more research is needed, current evidence suggests that if you’re trying to conceive, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on an app—especially if you’re experiencing difficulties.".
Objective Review and appraisal of App Store applications (apps) designed for menstrual cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, and other topics related to fertility or the management of infertility.
Results A total of 140 apps were analyzed, with the following findings:
90 apps (64.3%) were free.
The average App Quality Score (AQS) was 32.5%.
No significant difference was found between free and paid apps (31.5% vs. 34.2%; P = 0.491).
The personalisation and convenience of apps makes them empowering and attractive. However they require some caution in their use.
While fertility apps use individualised information to estimate the most fertile period, they are not completely reliable. Even if an app indicates when a woman is most fertile, it doesn’t mean a pregnancy will follow if a couple has sex during this window.
An algorithm cannot capture all factors that affect fertility
Although we need more research in this area, the evidence so far suggests if you’re trying to have a baby, you should not rely too heavily on an app – particularly if you’re finding it hard to conceive.
My input here, "if at all." Menstrual tracking , sure thing. Ovulation tracking not so much due to a multitude of factors including ( though not exclusively):
Diet
exercise
body weight
ethnicity can all play a role in a woman’s menstrual cycle and a couple’s chance of conceiving.
Although many apps allow users to input personal information, factors like changes in body weight or periods of high stress—which can lead to irregular menstrual cycles—are often not accounted for in the algorithms predicting fertility.
This may contribute to a delay in conception and lead to distress, particularly if a couple has already been trying to conceive for many months.
Moving forward:
Make yourself an appointment with a well informed practitioner so you in turn can make a well informed decision for your circumstances.
The information in this blog has been reproduced from :
