Natural Cycles - Review
Natural Cycles is an app which lets me know which days I can have sex without contraception and without the risk of getting pregnant (it is marketed as 93% effective). As a 30 year old woman who is currently not wanting to get pregnant but would like to understand her ovulation cycle for when one does eventually want to start trying for a baby, Natural Cycles seems like a perfect tool.
The Natural Cycles app requires you to monitor your temperature every morning and enter it into the app. This enables the app to calculate when your ovulation days are. This in turn enables it to work out which days you can have sex without other contraception, and this is because you can only get pregnant during certain times of the month.
Obviously the app does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, and is more designed for women with a longterm partner. You should be using other protective contraception if you are having sex with someone you do not know the sexual history of!
I have tried to use the app for over 2 months and here are my list of pros and cons
Pros
You are able to understand your cycle better
This can reassure any fears you have of irregulataries as you can compare your temperature readings to an average reading
Its nice for you and your partner to be extra intimate on certain days of the month but not having to use a condom!
You are not having to take oral contraceptives which can throw your hormones out of wack if you’re wanting to try for a baby in the near future
I managed to take my temperature for 56% of the time, and this was enough in my 2nd month for the app to calculate
Cheaper than buying other forms of contraception
Can be used for both contraception or for if you’re trying for a baby
Cons
If you have more than two alcoholic drinks the night before, your temperature will be elevated, so your reading should be discounted. If you're working in the city and it can be usual to have a few drinks after work, this will likely mean you won't be able to input data at least a few times during the month. This will mean fewer green days.
If you wake up at varying times (more than a two hour window) then you cannot take a consistent comparative temperature. This is harder than you think if you sleep in at the weekend and/or if you travel.
It can be hard to see the thermometer result in the winter mornings as it’s too dark. Although it says online that once the thermometer has taken the reading you can press once and it will flash up the next time you press it. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong but this hasn't worked for me. I think I will try to buy a Basel thermometer with a light.
The thermometer takes a good minute for it to be able to get an accurate reading so if you didnt want to really wake up, you’re likely to be wide awake
The thermometer beeps repeatedly and quite loudly after reading is done which can wake your partner up
I've noticed that some days I gently stir awake over a period of time and the temperature I take when Ive fully gained consciousness is higher that expected. The app says you need to take it immediately when you've woken up so I'm worried that if I'm stirring awake im taking the temperature too late as my temperature is already slowly rising. Again I'm sure this may create more inaccurate readings. One idea is that I set my alarm clock slightly earlier and startle myself awake to get a more accurate reading.
Women have complained about getting pregnant whilst using it, I believe you have to be very careful and accurate with how you take your measurements, there are too many ways you can take it incorrectly!
As you can see from my review, it is not as easy to take your temperature accurately as first thought, there are a lot of variables you have to factor in which can increase the risk of an unwanted pregnancy. This is why even though it is marketed as 97% effective, because of potential human error in usage, this high effectiveness rate might not realistically and pratically be achievable. I feel the app may be great for couples in a stable relationship who would be ready for a baby if they got pregnant and would want one, but are just not actively trying yet. However if you are someone who categorically would not have baby just yet then I would say it just itsnt worth the risk, unless you have a very rigid lifestyle schedule and don’t drink. (Update: Natural Cycles have done a useful assessment questionnaire which helps you to work out if your lifestyle is compatible with using the app)
Hope this has been helpful! Let me know what you think or if you have any questions!
