Do Fertility Apps Work?

Did you know that over 100 million women around the world use fertility apps to track their ovulation? Yes, fertility has become digital. There are over 400 fertility apps in existence today! You may have heard of some popular fertility apps such as Clue, Flow, Glow, Ovia, and Natural Cycles.

To help you understand how fertility apps work, we should first explain ovulation. A woman has a menstrual cycle that is typically 28 days. During the cycle, there are three phases: menstrual bleeding, the follicular phase, and the luteal phase. Ovulation occurs at the end of the follicular phase. It’s surprising to hear, but a woman can only get pregnant during the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation. This is called the “fertile window.”

Fertility apps attempt to track the timing of ovulation to inform the woman when it’s time to try getting pregnant. The woman logs her menstrual cycle the first month using the app. Then using an algorithm, the app will predict when ovulation occurs. This estimate may be based on a calendar or several variables including basal body temperature (your temperature changes when you are ovulating.)

The question of whether these apps are accurate is another story. Although fertility apps provide an estimate, studies have shown that they are not necessarily reliable. The accuracy of a fertility app could be anywhere between 25 percent to 50 percent. This is because most apps are based on the 28-day cycle, but there are so many different factors that can influence your cycle. For example, many women don’t have 28-day menstrual cycles. Depending on your age, weight, or even race, you could have a longer or shorter cycle.” The timing of your cycles could also fluctuate due to certain variables such as diet, exercise, and stress. The algorithms just can’t predict it entirely accurately.

So what’s the verdict? Fertility apps can be useful as a data point for ovulation. They help you become more aware of your menstrual cycles and that is information you may also want to share with your doctor. They shouldn’t necessarily be relied on if you’re serious about getting pregnant. We recommend an ovulation predictor kit to detect ovulation under the supervision of your fertility specialist.

To get the whole picture of your fertility, consult a fertility specialist at the Alabama Center for Reproductive Medicine. The ACRM guides clients through every aspect of the fertility journey.

To learn more about fertility options at ACRM, call for a consultation today.