Relationships August 10, 2016
Are you using your smartphone as an easier way to track your menstrual cycles? Although menstrual tracking has become a trend, according to a new study cited by Huffington Post, fertility-focused apps and websites may not be as accurate as you think. After analyzing more than 50 popular websites and smartphone apps that offer to predict a woman’s “fertility window,” researchers discovered that there was a large variation between the fertility windows predicted by the apps and websites, some including days following ovulation that greatly reduced the chance of intercourse resulting in pregnancy.
In the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City wrote that “websites and electronic apps used by the general public to predict fertile windows are generally inaccurate … Because there is no rigorous screening process in effect to vet these websites and apps, we recommend caution in their use to assist with fertility.” Conversely, other experts in the field who were not a part of the study have run studies that provide some evidence that these apps and websites could still be beneficial for couples trying to conceive.
When a study was conducted to test if the websites and apps marketed could correctly predict the time of a woman’s ovulation, 80 to 87 percent of the products succeeded. However, the prediction of fertility windows varied greatly. Some estimated four days, while others guessed 12 days. Roughly 75 percent of the apps and websites included multiple days after ovulation in their window estimate.
Granted, most apps and websites differed from the exact fertility window by just a few days. Researchers believe that this misstep that suggests a fertility window that is potentially too early or too late “may lead to patients having intercourse in patterns that will not maximize their chances of conceiving.”
Because it is not clear if these apps are truly effective in terms of improving a couple’s chances to conceive, the post notes that the best protocol “is to have intercourse every two to three days after the woman’s period ends” to ensure the highest chance of pregnancy.
