Why Quit the Pill?
The pill is bad for our bodies. The debate is growing and ongoing, but I will never be convinced artificial hormones are something we should be putting in our bodies for years, and often decades, on end. I believe birth control was the major contributor to my health issues, all stemming from issues in my gut. Once I made the decision to quit the pill, I knew I needed to figure out a new birth control method. I think I’ll make another post going more into detail on my journey through quite a few of the various options out there, but this post is about the birth control method (amongst a few others) that I landed on. A birth control app – Natural Cycles.
Now there are various similar apps out there, but ultimately I decided Natural Cycles was my favorite. I had used Kindara for a long time and ultimately switched to Natural Cycles. To be perfectly honest, I can’t remember why, but I do remember something about Kindara wasn’t working for me anymore.
Guess I Should Add My Disclaimer…I’m no doctor or expert. I’m not saying you should listen to any of my advice. I’m also not saying you should ask your doctor, because I think the large majority of them want to do nothing but slap a pill on your symptoms. However, I do urge you to use that noggin’ of yours and make up your own mind on whether you want to talk to a doctor or do your own research or whatever. Lawyers come at me.
So What Is Natural Cycles?
Natural Cycles is a birth control app. It uses an algorithm to determine your fertility through the month based on your body temperature, which you input daily using a basal thermometer. The app will use your temperature and data you input about your period to determine days you are fertile or not fertile. The more consistent you are with entering data, the more green (not fertile) days you will get, and the more accurate your results.
How Does Natural Cycles Work?
The logic behind the app is quite simple. What some people don’t realize is there is a very small window of time during the month that the egg can be fertilized by the sperm. The difficulty is pinpointing when that time is actually occurring in your body.
Because sperm can survive in the body for five days, you can become pregnant if there are sperm present 5 days before, and including, your ovulation day. After ovulation day, your basal body temperature rises, and you then know you are no longer fertile. The app will give you “green” days. These increase as the app learns your cycle.
How Reliable Is Natural Cycles?
The major key is to be consistent. You need to take your temperature at the same time each day. Things like drinking, sleeping longer than normal, or being sick can all change your temperature so you need to exclude those days. The more accurate you are, the more accurate the app is. The website claims 93% effectiveness with typical use and 98% effectiveness with perfect use – the same as the pill and better than a condom!
What Other Features Are There?
There are a ton of features on the app! You can put in all sorts of data about your personal cycle. I bought the ovulation test strips that further assist the algorithm in narrowing down your ovulation day. You can track data such as cervical mucus consistency, sex drive, and mood, These are not used in the algorithm, but can be helpful as you further discover your natural body and cycle. There are many quizzes, articles, and guides that are again very interesting and helpful in further learning about your cycle.
ŌURA Ring
This is something new that I’m just discovering upon writing this post, so I don’t know a whole lot about it. It appears they have teamed up with ŌURA, and they have developed a smart ring. You wear the ring when sleeping (and beyond if you want). It will automatically detect and record your temperature, so you no longer need to do that step. Seems handy, but she’s pricey! ($349 at publishing)! More info here.
Cost and Membership Levels
Current Cost:
- $8.33/month for an annual subscription
- $12.99/month for a month to month subscription
The good news is the app is FSA/HSA eligible!
There are levels of Cycler Status that don’t really mean much until you get to Star Cycler. If you achieve that, you get free membership for life!
Conclusion
All in all, I really enjoy the app. I’m hopelessly single most of the time so I haven’t needed it much for pregnancy prevention, but I love knowing my cycle. Here’s my quick list of pros and cons:
- Pros
- All natural
- Informative
- In tune with natural self and body
- Easy to use
- Cons
- Somewhat expensive
- Requires consistency and a regular sleeping schedule
- Not as reliable (only because it depends on you putting in consistent data)
If you are convinced to give it a try, use my link. You will get 20% off an annual subscription and a free thermometer!
Have you used Natural Cycles or similar apps? Have you used other hormone free birth control options? Let me know below!