Hi, welcome to 2018 where apps do everything. While this isn't surprising, since there is an app for literally anything you can imagine, it's still disarming to know some people rely 100% on apps. Sure, we rely on them to take us from one destination to the next. We rely on them to deliver us In & Out at midnight. We rely on them to keep us from getting pregnant.
Wait--pause. Record scratch, hold the phone, etc. About that last one. Yes, you read it right:
There's an app that is a form of birth control and spoiler alert: it's faulty!
'The Natural Cycle' is an app that tells women when they're fertile.
Contraceptive app hit with complaints after being blamed for 37 unwanted pregnancies https://t.co/mvXCH9t9dE https://t.co/Bl4Z7pZgNR— The Verge (@The Verge)1516106665.0
Which isn't surprising....
The Verge reports that 37 women visited a Swedish hospital seeking an abortion after they became pregnant using the app. We're guessing the app is not going to get good reviews in the app store.
The app measures a bunch of factors in determining whether women are fertile or not.
It takes into account things like a woman's body temperature in order to figure the facts out. The reason why it's so tempting is because unlike other contraceptives, it has zero side effects. You know, because it's an app.Which, yes, sounds like a great idea in theory.
@frozenblueber The scientist in me asks, "37 out of how many?" and "How does this rate compare to other forms of co… https://t.co/uBwW5AVh01— Stef (@Stef)1515857716.0
The statement claimed that the media reporting is a little out of context.
Contraceptive app that offered couples high-tech "natural family planning" turns out to have an error rate of 5.5%.… https://t.co/UnhOiYgFKV— Erin dude gotta go Ryan (@Erin dude gotta go Ryan)1516044787.0
Over 700,000 people currently use the app.
Award for most up front press release goes to: "Natural Cycles ... is 93% effective at typical use, which we also… https://t.co/uUUTklrTZV— Edward Cronan (@Edward Cronan)1516119040.0
The aim says younger users should maybe consider a different from of contraception.
@lowengrip @NaturalCycles Can this statement seen as evidence that you are stating the 37 pregnancies reported by S… https://t.co/ZKBYUu1Q9K— Ellie (@Ellie)1515679015.0
Of course, despite the 700,000 that are using the app, plenty of people are skeptical.
No contraception is 100%. Natural Cycles states it’s 93% effective and at first shouldn’t be used exclusive as the… https://t.co/NdMDOtBAcW— Char 🌻👩🏻🦽 (@Char 🌻👩🏻🦽)1516018644.0
Other people are quick to point out the discrepancies with the app and evidence that it works.
"Well I'm shocked that this app promoted by Instagram influencers, which claims to replace actual contraceptives, and was warned against by every sexual health nurse I interviewed a year or so ago may have led to unwanted pregnancies," one Twitter user posted. We're all shocked.Yeah, those are pretty clear warning signs.
Remember what you learned in health class. https://t.co/Uk0XUqks77— Ginger Distancing (@Ginger Distancing)1516107119.0