After the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, those at risk for pregnancy across the United States are faced with a new problem: long-used period-tracking apps that could become a political tool that uses your data against you in court. These apps store the data of your menstrual cycle to predict and support the changes in your hormone levels, but now many fear that this stored data can be used as proof of an abortion.
The menstrual cycle is an enigma for many, and requires a deep understanding of your biological processes to track or predict changes in your cycle. This is most often important for tracking your period and the hormonal changes that affect your mood, skin, energy, and more, as well as tracking your fertility to manage conception. For some, cycle tracking is a great way to prevent contraception, while for others, cycle tracking is an important part of intentional conception. In the past few years, developers have excelled at putting cycle-tracking apps on the market that do all of these things, as well as offer information, resources, and community support to their networks.
I have one of these apps myself. I first got the app in high school when I was having difficulty predicting my periods. Before that, I had used my calendar, but I was interested in the idea of having my phone just let me know when to expect it so I wouldn’t have to wait anxiously. This app was game-changing for me. As I hadn’t experienced any formal education on menstruation, I was excited to have this portal that would teach me everything I needed to know. And on top of that, there was a section where you could chat with other users about topics from cramps to birth control to period sex. This was the first time I could really understand what the network of people who get their periods looked like, and it showed me all of the difficulties we collectively faced, including the high prices of tampons and the emotional dysregulation we experienced on the pill.
It’s sad for me to realize that so much has changed for us since that time years ago. Now, we are scared that these apps, these places of support and connection, might be used against us in proof of our own decisions. In the Internet age, it’s no surprise to us that our data is collected. In many cases, such as this one, we actually appreciate it; stored data helps the app make intelligent assumptions about our bodies so that it can offer us support. It’s what allows us to get a little message that says, “You’ll be getting your period tomorrow! You might feel a little down today, so remember to drink water and have some chocolate.” Still, data stored in the metaverse is oftentimes not safe or secure. For our social security numbers, we might not want them stored in the cloud, but prior to this decision, the date of our last period wasn’t something we categorized in the same way. Now, this data could tell someone that you missed your last few periods, providing circumstantial evidence of conception. In states where abortion has been criminalized, many fear that this data could be obtained or subpoenaed into court and used against them.
To protect their companies, many of these apps have released public statements promising to encrypt each user’s information, making it impossible to access from any third party. Still, these companies could be required to release stored data should they be subpoenaed by the state. For many, the question becomes, “Are these apps worth it to keep using?”
There are a myriad of benefits of cycle tracking, as I mentioned before. It is particularly helpful for those who have irregular cycles, falling outside the 21-35 day range or changing from month to month. Especially for those not on birth control, understanding your period and fertility levels is critically important in obtaining or preventing conception. Those trying to conceive are able to see their days with the highest rates of fertility for each month, allowing them to know the best times to have potential insemination. This prediction tool in the apps operates similarly to this fertility window service on Women’s Health. However, studies have shown that the prediction and tracking services these apps provide really aren’t as accurate as one might hope. They primarily consist of a simple algorithm that compares your period dates to an average menstrual cycle, which does not reflect everyone’s individual circumstances. In fact, this study from 2018 called these trackers an “estimation” and found that they are on average only 21% accurate.
Luckily, there are a ton of alternative methods to cycle tracking that you can do in the privacy of your home with no digital footprint. The most common of these is the calendar method, which sounds simple but does require some education on your own cycle and the different hormonal phases it consists of. There are also at-home tests that you can take to measure fertility, including cervical mucus monitoring, basal body temperature readings, and measuring your LH hormone levels through saliva tests. These are considerably more accurate than any cycle tracking because they use physical data gathered from your body. We recommend speaking to an OBGYN, gynecologist, or other health practitioner to learn the best methods for your body and to gather support in your health goals.
By Sydney Sullivan