Can you rely on an app?
Apps can help you record your data but don't rely on one to tell you when you're fertile, unless you want to get pregnant.
If you want to use fertility awareness as contraception, you need to interpret your own data.
That might sound scary but taking charge of your data is probably not as difficult as you think, and can be wonderfully liberating - a bit like learning to ride a bike.
If you don't want to record your data on paper charts (like this one), the free US app Kindara is a good choice.
The new UK app Read Your Body is similar to Kindara but might be easier to use. It charges a small annual fee.
Natural Cycles is a very well advertised contraception app which does the work for you, so long as you enter your temperature data. It might be a good option if you're prepared to pay an annual fee, and you're happy with a 93% effectiveness rate.
CycleBeads is a less well-known app that's 95% effective and very easy to use. Enter day one of your period and the app does the rest. It's only suitable if your cycles are 26 to 32 days long.
Learning how to interpret your own data, and using precautions when you're fertile, is up to 99% effective.
If you want to use fertility awareness as contraception, you need to interpret your own data.
That might sound scary but taking charge of your data is probably not as difficult as you think, and can be wonderfully liberating - a bit like learning to ride a bike.
If you don't want to record your data on paper charts (like this one), the free US app Kindara is a good choice.
The new UK app Read Your Body is similar to Kindara but might be easier to use. It charges a small annual fee.
Natural Cycles is a very well advertised contraception app which does the work for you, so long as you enter your temperature data. It might be a good option if you're prepared to pay an annual fee, and you're happy with a 93% effectiveness rate.
CycleBeads is a less well-known app that's 95% effective and very easy to use. Enter day one of your period and the app does the rest. It's only suitable if your cycles are 26 to 32 days long.
Learning how to interpret your own data, and using precautions when you're fertile, is up to 99% effective.
What about gadgets?
There's all sorts of expensive fertility gadgets that claim to take the hassle out of fertility awareness.
This might sound harsh, but I think nearly all of them are a waste of money and not to be relied on unless effectiveness is not your number one priority (which is allowed by the way).
The only potential exception to this is Tempdrop (affiliate link) - a wearable thermometer.
It's expensive but it might be worth it if you have trouble getting an accurate temperature because you don't sleep well, or you work shifts and wake at very different times each day.
Don't rush to buy one though - you can make allowances for waking at different times, and there's plenty of days each month when you can skip temp taking.
Find out if fertility awareness as contraception is right for you here.
This might sound harsh, but I think nearly all of them are a waste of money and not to be relied on unless effectiveness is not your number one priority (which is allowed by the way).
The only potential exception to this is Tempdrop (affiliate link) - a wearable thermometer.
It's expensive but it might be worth it if you have trouble getting an accurate temperature because you don't sleep well, or you work shifts and wake at very different times each day.
Don't rush to buy one though - you can make allowances for waking at different times, and there's plenty of days each month when you can skip temp taking.
Find out if fertility awareness as contraception is right for you here.