How Do They Work
Cycle tracking apps store and analyze information like your past periods, sleep patterns, heart rate, basal body temperature, and cervical fluid.
You enter the data into the app, which uses the information to make predictions about when youâll have your period and when youâll ovulate.
If you know when youâre ovulating, you can avoid unprotected sex on the days around ovulation.
Why Use An Ovulation Tracker App
Ok, so now that youve seen my top four options, why use one of them? No matter where you are on your fertility journey, I believe the knowledge is your best friend. Even if you dont struggle with infertility, theres still so much that needs to happen right in order to conceive.
If youre trying for a baby but have no idea when your fertile window is or your cycle is inconsistent, itll probably take you longer to conceive. For some people, this is perfectly fine. All in good timing, right? But for others, time is of the essence, and the more you understand your cycle and when youre ovulating, the higher your chances will be that you conceive because youll be able to time your intercourse.
For me personally, I operate better when I have some kind of control. I couldnt control that I had PCOS, but I could control how I responded to it. On top of monitoring by my doctor throughout fertility treatments and protocols, I liked to keep track of my ovulation to make sure it was happening when it was supposed to.
Using an ovulation tracker app is so much easier, precise, and more convenient than trying to track the old fashion way with ovulation tests, a basal thermometer, and good old pen and paper. It can also end up saving you money as years of ovulation tests can get pricey quite quickly!
How Tracking Helps You Avoid Pregnancy
For women trying to avoid pregnancy who have very regular cycles, the fertility awareness method is used by some women as a means of birth control. The idea is to avoid sex during the time in your cycle when you are most likely to conceive.
However, Attaran cautions, this isnt foolproof and will definitely not work for people who have irregular periods. For these reasons, it is not recommended as a way of preventing pregnancy, she says.
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Start Tracking Your Ovulation And Regain Control
I hope that you found this article helpful in your search for the best ovulation tracker for your specific needs and situation. Fertility trouble or not, I think that theres a ton of value in understanding your cycle throughout the month, even if youre not currently TTC.
Which one will you choose? If you purchase one of these trackers or have experience with any of them, be sure to stop back and let me know in the comments below! Lets all help each other by sharing our journeys, stories, and recommendations.
Sending you all the baby dust, mommas!
Best For Irregular Periods: Myflo
MyFLO
If your period is late, happening too frequently, or not appearing at all, it can be stressful because you dont really know whats going on. Is this normal? is always running through your head and you can find yourself wondering everything from am I pregnant? to am I starting menopause?
For a one-time fee of around $2, MyFLO helps you track and identify those random symptoms and analyzes the health implications. Instead of going down the WebMD rabbit hole, MyFlo will explain what those weird cravings mean and why you might be experiencing them, plus possible lifestyle and health changes you can make to manage them. It also gives you a thorough look into what is happening to your body at each stage of your cycle.
If you have PCOS, fibroids, or endometriosis, or if you are going through perimenopause, MyFLO is one of the only apps that addresses these conditions and provides comprehensive information to help you better manage your symptoms. It also offers functional medicine programs with diet, exercise, and supplement suggestions to aid you in managing and decreasing the symptoms you are suffering from in each phase of your cycle.
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Best Period Tracker App For Preventing Pregnancy: Spot On Period Tracker
Created by Planned Parenthood, the Spot On app works double duty as a menstrual cycle trackerand an education provider. Just as with others on the market, the app can record your period days, including your flow intensity, symptoms, and the activities you did while menstruating . But it stands out from the crowd by allowing you to log your contraceptive â whether it be the pill, patch, ring, shot, IUD, or another methodâ track how frequently you use it, create reminders to take it or switch it out, and get tips on how to switch your birth control method. Plus, the app also features articles straight from Planned Parenthood experts that are sure to answer all your reproductive health Qs.
Available in the App Store and on .
The 8 Best Period And Ovulation Tracker Apps For Getting Pregnant
Trying to conceive? There’s an app for that. In fact, the fertility app space has never been, well, more fertile. Check out these 10 fertility, period and ovulation trackers that could help you get pregnant.
We have an app for everything now, including baby-making. If you’re TTCthat’s “trying to conceive” for the newbiesand eager to get pregnant as efficiently as possible , these apps can help you with pretty much everything you need to conceive quickly, except for, ahem, doing the deed itself. That’s on you.
So tap that App Store icon … get ready, get set, conceive!
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When To See A Fertility Specialist
Dr. Chan says one of the biggest misconceptions about getting pregnant is that pregnancy can be achieved after only a few tries. Sometimes it can take a few months or even longer.
There are factors in both men and women that can cause infertility.
“If there’s something causing infertility, like poor sperm, blocked fallopian tubes, or advanced age, none of these things can be fixed with an app,” Dr. Chan says. “There’s a limit to the amount of information that technology can provide before you need a real, complete medical evaluation.”
A couple is defined as infertile if conception does not happen after 1 year of unprotected sex for women under age 35, and after 6 months of unprotected sex for women over age 35.
“If you’re still not pregnant after 6-12 months of trying, definitely make an effort to see a fertility doctor,” Dr. Chan says. “If there are other aspects of your medical history that might put you at risk for infertility, such as irregular or no periods, or a history of endometriosis, you should be seen even sooner.”
While apps can help women be more aware of their menstrual cycle, it’s important to regularly see a physician to discuss your birth control options and family planning.
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Best Overall: Eve By Glow
Eve by Glow
This one earned the title of best overall because its so much more than just a period tracker. Eve is an app that also lets you keep tabs on your sexual health, all in an unexpectedly fun emoji format. In addition to monitoring your cycle, it can keep track of your sexual encounters, whether or not you used protection, your sex drive, moods, period symptoms, and when you are ovulating.
It has an extremely easy-to-use interface that is visually driven and makes it simple to record your past periods to determine patterns and help you time your next one. It also has a nifty Forecast feature that predicts the likelihood of common period symptoms you might experience each day, from cramps and constipation to breast tenderness.
The app is free to download, but there are also monthly, annual, and lifetime subscription options that give you access to comparative insights from other women , private messaging, and additional informational content.
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Best Strips: Pregmate 50 Ovulation And 20 Pregnancy Test Strips Predictor Kit
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Kits come in different quantities
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Budget-friendly
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Lines are hard to read
If you dont want to mess with a monitor, these ovulation strips from Pregmate provide a straightforward way to determine when youre at your most fertile. They measure your LH and let you know when youll be having a surge. The number of tests you’ll need each month will depend on the length of your cycle, but this kit contains 50 tests, so youll be set for a while. It also includes 20 strips to test for pregnancy, which is a nice bonus.
Quantity of tests: 20 ovulation tests | Time: 5 minutes | Format: Strip | App: No
Getting Pregnant With The Best Ovulation Apps Of 2021
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We spend our whole early lives making sure we avoid getting pregnant, and often times, were blindsided by how hard it can actually be. When youre ready to start a family, understanding how your body works and when youre ovulating are crucial to the process. Ovulation apps can help you do just that!
Rather than leaving things to chance, why not consider using one of the high-tech ovulation apps available to help you pinpoint when you should be getting busy?
While ovulation normally occurs any time within a specified timeframe, , most of us dont have perfect cycles. Thats why its helpful to have an app to help us determine our ovulation days.
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The 10 Best Period Tracking Apps To Try In 2021
Anyone who has experienced a period knows that the whole affair can be tricky, which is why finding the best period tracker apps is a worthy pursuit. Even if your cycle is regular, it probably comes with a host of fun things like mood changes, acne, nipple soreness, and other exciting and delightful symptoms. If you’re someone who deals with a reproductive issue like endometriosis, fibroids, or polycystic ovary syndrome , understanding your cycle as much as possible has major benefits. And of course, if youre trying to get pregnant or trying to avoid pregnancy at all costs, knowing information like when you ovulate can help you on your journey. In short: if you are a menstruating human, a period app can probably make things a little easier.
Most period tracker apps have standard in-app purchases that might give you expanded analytics, but even using the free features to track your cycle can be incredibly helpful and empowering. The problem is that there are so many apps available, and its hard to know which ones are worth your time. So we asked Alyssa Dweck, M.D., a gynecologist in New York City and author of The Complete A to Z for Your V, to give us some of her picks for best period tracker apps.
How Much Do Fertility Apps Cost
Most fertility apps are free to download and use on a basic level . Many remain free even as users access additional features, like message boards, reminders about fertile days, health info, and predictive data. Some options charge for in-app purchases of advanced features and some come with associated expenses .
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Have Yourself An Orgasm
Its true! Orgasms whether you have them on your own or with a partner can be tried and true period cramp relief. They send blood rushing to your downtown area and release feel-good hormones called endorphins that act as a natural painkiller and mood-lifter. So go on, give yourself a treatfor your health!
Cramps are a pretty normal part of periods, but if yours are so painful that its hard to do everyday things and over-the-counter medicine doesnt help, talk with your doctor or go to a Planned Parenthood health center. Cramps that are super bad can be a sign of more serious health problems. And you shouldnt have to suffer every month. Your nurse or doctor can help you manage the pain and put those cramps in their place.
If you have a regular period, Spot On can now predict and track when youre most likely to be fertile. If youre using a birth control method that prevents ovulation , but get off track with that method, the app will give you a heads up when you could be fertile until youre back on schedule. Fertility tracking can always be turned off. Fertility features in Spot On are not designed to support Fertility Awareness Methods, and should not be relied on to prevent pregnancy as ovulation can change from month to month.
What’s The Most Accurate Fertility App
The bottom line is that a lot of these apps do similar functions. But when you’re trying to get pregnant, more information is good. Dr. Nathaniel G. DeNicola, chair of Telehealth for the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, says there’s clinically proven evidence that tracking your cycle improves your chances of getting pregnant. But he warns against putting too much stock in app companies’ claims that they’ll get you pregnant so much faster than another app . There’s not a lot of data collected on accuracy that’s not done by the apps themselves.
“I wouldn’t want a patient to see an app company promise them some stellar result that hasn’t yet really been proven,” DeNicola said. “Tracking basal body temperature, tracking cervical mucus thickness, those kinds of things can make the fertility tracking and timing of ovulation more accurate. The app connected to a vaginal thermometer, I can’t really say we have a demonstrated benefit there.”
But again, more information when trying to get pregnant is usually good. So pick the app with the interface that best suits your style and get tracking!
Fit Pregnancy
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The Best Way To Determine Ovulation
If a woman or couple is trying to optimize fertility, using an ovulation predictor kit is the best method, says Dr. Chan.
According to the World Health Organization, home-based use of ovulation predictor kits may improve fertility management when attempting to become pregnant. In some studies, evidence shows that ovulation predictor kits may increase pregnancy rates by about 40%.
When Should You Use Fertility Apps
If you get a period, you should use a fertility app. Reproductive health tells women a lot about their overall wellness, including their hormone and thyroid levels, mental health, and dietary, sleep, and exercise needs.
That said, a fertility app is not a substitute for regular visits to an OBGYN or reproductive health physician. If you have tried to conceive for more than one year without achieving pregnancy, have extremely painful PMS symptoms or excessive menstrual bleeding, have irregular periods, or think you may be pregnant, make an appointment with a doctor.
Remember, too, that all the technology in the world cant guarantee the accuracy of a fertility app. If you rely exclusively on an app to avoid or achieve pregnancy, you may not end up with the results youre expecting. Fertility apps should be a tool used to supplement your knowledge about your reproductive health, not the final word on your fertility.
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