Period-tracking apps not accurate, study shows
Women beware, period tracking apps are not that accurate after all.
The use of mobile applications to track the menstrual period has been embraced by many young women in the hope that it can create an alternate contraceptive.
A recent study has however shown that the apps are not as accurate as one can get pregnant on their “safe days.”
A study done by researchers from the University of Washington has concluded that menstrual cycle tracking apps often disappoint users with a lack of accuracy.
The researchers reached their conclusions in a survey of 687 people combined with data from 2,000 reviews of nine of the most popular period-tracking apps, including Clue, Eve, Glow, Period Tracker and Period Pad.
UNRELIABLE
They found that all the apps were not accurate hence concluding that they are unreliable.
“The apps are most accurate if your cycles are really regular, but the people who most need an app are the people whose cycles aren’t regular,” stated researchers.
Some of the responders stated that the designs of the apps are limiting when asked what else they did not like about the apps.
The study was done by Daniel A. Epstein, Nicole B. Lee, Jennifer H. Kang, Elena Agapie, Jessica Schroeder, Laura R. Pina, James Fogarty, Julie A. Kientz and Sean A. Munson and published on one of the researcher’s website.
