Health & Wellness

Today I’m writing all about one of my favorite fertility tracking apps: Natural Cycles! 

If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve probably tracked your period with an app at some point. But what was once a glorified digital calendar with a simple average cycle length calculation, is now an advanced wearable with algorithms that can do so much more. Fertility tracking apps are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding your own fertility, and taking charge of your health journey as a woman. My favorite fertility tracking apps are Natural Cycles, Oura, and Proov, and I’ll walk through how to use each of them during upcoming blog posts! 

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This income goes to supporting this website. As always, ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

Fertility Tracking Apps as Birth Control: the Natural Cycles App

5 years ago, I started to question my use of hormonal birth control. I wondered what the side effects could be on my fertility, and my body in general, in a way I didn’t consider before. I began looking for non-hormonal methods that were more effective than calendar-based methods, and found Natural Cycles. Natural Cycles is not just a fertility tracking app. It’s the first FDA cleared medical device for birth control. I talked to my OB/GYN, stopped hormonal birth control, started Natural Cycles to prevent pregnancy, and I’ve never looked back. Natural Cycles is as effective as hormonal birth control pills with typical use, which includes any mistakes made by the app or by the person using it. You can also use Natural Cycles to plan for a pregnancy, monitor a pregnancy, and track recovery from a pregnancy using their Postpartum mode.

How Natural Cycles Fertility Tracking Works 

Natural Cycles works by tracking your basal body temperature (BBT), which is your body’s lowest resting temperature, as it changes during your cycle. After ovulation, progesterone rises, and so does your BBT.  An egg can survive for about 24 hours after ovulation, and sperm can survive for up to 5 days in the female body, so about 6 days each cycle could result in pregnancy. By tracking your BBT, the app can identify these fertile days, (and non-fertile days after your ovulation). 

If you just want to know which days to use protection to prevent pregnancy, don’t worry: the Natural Cycles app makes it easy. The app’s Home Screen shows either a “red” day where you could be fertile, or a “green” day where you aren’t. No algorithm is perfect, but recall that the app is as effective as hormonal birth control with typical use (93%), so the risk of an unplanned pregnancy is the same.

Using Natural cycles Fertility Tracking App to Plan for Pregnancy 

If you’re looking to plan a pregnancy, you’ll use the app the same way, but your target days to use protection or abstain now become your target days to try to conceive (TTC). The app also prompts you to take LH (Luteinizing Hormone) tests at relevant points in your cycle, to better predict your ovulation day. LH rises and peaks 24-48 hours before ovulation, so simple morning urine tests can detect this rise and give you a closer idea of when you may ovulate. My favorite LH test is from Proov— keep an eye out for my post about Proov for my Women’s Health Month series! 

Using Natural Cycles with the Oura Ring or Apple Watch

What makes Natural Cycles such a great fertility tracking app is its integrations with the Oura Ring and Apple Watch. Natural Cycles uses the temperature data for your device as part of its algorithm to predict your fertility. All you need to do is keep your device charged, wear it nightly, and check your Natural Cycles app daily. I was thrilled when this integration was announced, because I was already using each app separately! It’s the simplest hormone-free birth control solution, while providing the added bonus of world-class sleep lab data, HR, HRV, and SPO2 monitoring from the Oura Ring for total-body health. This is how I use Natural Cycles, and it’s been such a game-changer. 

Buying an Oura Ring along with a Natural Cycles subscription comes with a device and subscription discount. If you don’t want an Oura Ring or Apple Watch, you can always opt for using the NC thermometer to take your temperature manually each morning, included for free with the annual plan.

How Natural Cycles Provides Cycle Insights 

Natural Cycles is Now Covered by Health Insurance

Thanks to a federal directive in 2022, health insurance companies are now required to cover other methods of birth control, which includes Natural Cycles as an out-of-network provider. You’ll pay for a subscription out of pocket, then submit your receipt, your Rx from your doctor, and an out-of-network claim form to your insurance for reimbursement. This process can take a while, but Natural Cycles provides resources such as a template to use with your doctor requesting a prescription for Natural Cycles, and instructions and links to your insurance company’s forms. Their customer service is also there to help if you need to appeal your insurance claim. Hopefully this process will be easier in the future, as insurance companies adjust to the directive. 

Making the Switch to Non-Hormonal Birth Control

Switching birth control methods can be a scary decision. Make sure you talk with your doctor before stopping any medications. Remind yourself of the efficacy of each method you’re considering. If you can, plan your switch for a time that’s convenient to you. It might make sense to switch after a big event such as a vacation, wedding, big work project or move, since your body will likely need some time to adjust to the change in hormones. If your first period off of hormonal birth control is different or painful, don’t worry too much, you’ll adjust! (If you need period products again, head to my post about menstrual cups and other sustainable period products!) Good luck making the switch! I’m rooting for you.

Have you made the switch to non-hormonal birth control? Drop me a line in the comments below.