To try the Natural Cycle App as contraceptive?

[PandaEyes25]

I've been taking the pill for about 6 and a half year. I've had to keep changing what pills I've been on due to several nasty side effects- the worst being Cervial Erosion which I've had to have cauterised twice. I've put on 3 stone (probably also due to me being a bit of a fat git aswell!) and completely lost my libido with this new one I'm on.
I'm tired of trying new ones and of pumping my body full of crap.
I've seen the Natural Cycle App advertised and I'm really tempted.
So basically, you track your cycle through taking basal temperatures and it lets you know when is safe to have unprotected sex and when it's not. (I'd like to point out I've been with my OH for 7 years and STI protection is not needed)
It also says it's clinically proven and is just as effective as the pill but without the side effects. This seems perfect! The only thing that's putting me off is the fact I don't want to depend on an app for potentially bringing a child into the world if it doesn't work!
Has anyone tried it? What do you think? Would you try it or am I being too naive?

[namechanger2019]

Currently pregnant from using the app. It moved my ovulation day and made previous green days turn to red days. Was too late for map. So here we are, due in May!

[nattynoonoo821]

currently 40 +2 from using natural cycles. had a good base of info from cycling for 9 months and had sex 3 days before the red days. luckily not a massive issue for us a we discussing baby 2 and i loved not having any hormones and finding out about my body.

[Rezie]

I think this app along the lines of pulling out and counting days can be effective. But they should only be used if pregnancy would be okish.

[Islands81]

I used it for two months.

Then I got pregnant.

[BreadFingers]

My friend used this 'natural' method... She's currently pregnant with their second.

[Camomila]

I’ve been using since September, not pregnant yet
(I also used the rhythm method successfully before I started TTC)

But I have regular periods, have never used hormonal contraceptives (bar trying the pill for a week as a teen) and can tell when I’m ovulating.
I’m also very ‘boring’ - don’t drink much, don’t take anything stronger than ibuprofen, have a regular bedtime...

How bad would getting pregnant be? For me it would just be a bit inconvenient rather than terrible.

[Cheila]

I used your code! Thanks a lot

[Thistles24]

It worked perfectly for me for 10 years- tried to conceive twice and fell pregnant both times first month. Must have slipped up over the Xmas period, and am currently 38 weeks pregnant, which was a HUGE shock but thankfully not a disaster- I had my first 2 quite young, we have a spare bedroom, financially ok and fantastic family that are happy to help with childcare. If I had been planning to have 3 I would have wanted them close together, but that can’t be changed! However, if you REALLY wouldn’t want another child, I’d choose a more reliable method- I know I will once this one has been born!

[Mehaveit]

My friend has a 3 week old baby girl as a result of this app. Pregnant first cycle!! And she's one of the brightest, medically aware people I know.

So no. I wouldn't recommend it!

[wheezing]

Once I’m done having children I’m just going to track as contraception.
TTC number 2 now and my cycles are all over the place, but I still manage to pinpoint ovulation every cycle and I think once I’ve finished having children and breastfeeding and everything gets more regular again, it should be surly straightforward. I wouldn’t use it as contraception until I’d done a few months and was confident.

[specialsubject]

o k, contraception from taxes which we all pay. and there is a choice before the big pharma thing comes up.

the only way a phone can be reliable contraception is if you hold it between your knees.smartphones being too big to insert anywhere else...

[MrsBryonyB]

When googling Natural Cycles this popped up as someone posted about a week ago to see how the original poster got on so I thought I’d share my experience. Plus there are so many referral codes going about but I didn’t know about them when I signed up, so I didn’t want that to happen to someone else when signing up so thought I’d help them save a few quid. And yeah obviously it helps me a bit, means I’d get discounted subscription in the future which would be very helpful as I’m so happy with this method I plan to use it until I reach menopause, so if i can help other people and save a bit myself then win win :) plus I just feel so empowered and happy with my hormones, lack of migraines, sex drive, knowledge etc I’ve gained that I wanted to encourage other people to take the step so they can feel this great about it. I’m just genuinely amazed with this app and so sad I spent over 8 years on hormonal contraception!! So would happily spread the word! Referral code or not :) I’ve only got a code recently following my 7th month of temping, but I’ve been telling everyone that will listen about Natural Cycles because I just think it’s amazing, with no benefit to myself. Just sharing the love :) Xxx

[PinguDance]

Oh sorry I scanned to see if anyone had already posted that link and completely missed that they had!

[PinguDance]

I know this an old thread but if anyone reading is interested this is an interesting article about fertility apps - the most pertinent bit is where it says it’s designed for people who want to come off the pill before trying for a baby, aka - if you really don’t want to get pregnant then don’t use it. www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/21/colossally-naive-backlash-birth-control-app

[Matcha]

And the year-old thread wasn't reactivated by the person with the referral link, was it? I see NT04 posted on August 19th 2018 to ask the OP how her experience went. The discount offer came a few days later by MrsBryony.

[Matcha]

the nhs provides real contraception free.

Free at point of use. But all contraception is a commercial product, with its various routes of marketing/distribution/pricing structures aimed at getting the stuff to consumers either directly or via an intermediary like the NHS or your health insurance company.

I think posting a referral link does make a positive review seem less credible, but it doesn't mean the product itself doesn't work (subject to suitability, and with exceptional failures always possible).

[Confusedbeetle]

As long as you don't mind getting pregnant. Clinically proven? oh dear

[specialsubject]

this year old thread has been reactivated by someone with a referral link. top tip - products that have to pay for marketing probably not very good.

the nhs provides real contraception free.

[Gnomesoftheglaaxy]

Used it for many years on and off. 5 or 6 in total. No accidental pregnancies and 3 easy conceptions when wanted.

It's really important to fully understand your body though and to be fairly dedicated in keeping track. My cycles aren't 100% regular and I still managed just fine.

Gave birth to my third and final a couple of months ago and am now considering a Mirena purely to hopefully deal with painful periods otherwise I'd be cycle tracking again

[Matcha]

I feel sympathetic towards the author of that Guardian piece, but also very frustrated. She talks a lot about advertising, image and social media, but how important is that stuff when you're choosing contraception? It may bring the product to your attention, but it's obvious that contraception needs to be something that suits your body and your lifestyle, and that you need to take full personal responsibility for checking that it does. The paragraph in the middle really shows the issues she had:

I now know that the ideal Cycler is a narrow, rather old-fashioned category of person. She’s in a stable relationship with a stable lifestyle. (Shift-workers, world-travellers, the sickly, the stressed, insomniacs and sluts be advised.) She’s about 29, and rarely experiences fevers or hangovers. She is savvy about fertility and committed to the effort required to track hers. I could add that her phone is never lost or broken and she’s never late to work. She wakes up at the same time every day, with a charged phone and a thermometer within reach.

The age thing aside, I agree with all of this. I don't think the lifestyle profile is as rare as she suggests, or old-fashioned, and I don't think the effort required to use NC effectively is outrageously demanding. Most of all, I think all the requirements are clearly signalled by NC itself, plus in all the user reviews and articles etc, so it's inexplicable that someone would find them a shock.

• yes: you need to wake at roughly the same time each day, most days, to produce accurate and usable data. If that doesn't work for you (if you frequently forget, or get up at totally different times), then this isn't the right system for your needs.
  
• yes: the thermometer has to be in reach. You wake up, take your temperature (less than a minute's effort), record your data on your phone. I keep my thermometer next to my phone, on my bedside table. Again, if you think this is hard work, then NC isn't for you.
  
• no, it doesn't work if you often lose or break your phone, because you need to put the data into your phone.
  
• yes, you have to be aware of your fertility and put the required effort in. I take LH tests and watch for the other ovulation symptoms too. It's not like taking a pill or having an implant. It's an ongoing maintenance kind of system.
  
• fevers, hangovers, jet-lag, greatly reduced sleep and shift work do affect the accuracy of your data. If you experience some or all of these, then NC isn't for you.
  
• if by 'sluts' she means 'women with multiple sexual partners' (nice bit of shaming), then, no: NC isn't a great option, unless you're also going to use condoms every time as well.
  
• a stable relationship and a stable lifestyle? this isn't obligatory, but it's probably a good indication that NC might be a good fit, although I'd say having a regular cycle is also helpful.
  

I've used NC for over a year. When I chose it, I was aware of all the above factors and judged that it might suit me. I was extra cautious for the first few months, just in case. It wouldn't have suited me at all in my twenties, for so many reasons, but it works for me now, and it's frustrating to hear someone complain how something which is patently unsuitable for their current lifestyle has failed them.

[GoatWithACoat]

I used it in conjunction with the Depo Vera shot because I was so afraid of falling pregnant again.

My 7 month old unplanned complete miracle baby is here.

Husband now has the snip and I still don’t trust it.

[AGirlinLondon]

I used the fertility friend app and a basal thermometer for becoming pregnant and found it INCREDIBLY effective, almost creepy. My dates were bang on. Was mostly good because I didn’t know my cycles were 34 days long before I started temping! I’m not sure how confident I would be to use it the other way around though - my temp was very much affected by even the tiniest bit of alcohol/change in room temperature/jet lag. I’m going back on cerazette post pg but I did really enjoy learning more about my body - just be careful because it definitely does work!