Unregulated fertility apps making misleading contraceptive claims
Unregulated fertility-tracking apps available in UK app stores are making misleading claims about their contraceptive effectiveness, with some marketed as comparable to condoms despite using only basic period data to predict ovulation. The apps pose a risk of unplanned pregnancies among millions of users, particularly young women seeking natural contraception methods.
What happened
An Observer analysis of fertility and period-tracking apps in the Apple and Android stores found apps that are not registered as medical devices being described as 'birth control' and claiming to be 'as effective as condoms'.
Period & Fertility Tracker promotes itself as an 'ovulation tracker' based on 'scientific research' to 'help determine the fertile days of the month', but its predictions are based purely on user-entered period dates and length. Cycles promises 'accurate' daily predictions and markets itself as a 'reliable healthcare partner', though it is based on the standard days method, which is among the least effective contraceptive options.
Reported impact
Apps promising to help women 'take control' of their sex lives by predicting fertile days are putting users at risk of unplanned pregnancy by making misleading claims.
Millions of women in the UK, including 69% of 18-24-year-olds, have used smartphone apps that track their periods, many treating them as reliable forms of contraception despite the quality of predictions varying drastically and being often limited and unreliable.
Index analysis
Most apps use only the dates of the user's past periods and standard cycle information to predict ovulation, despite being widely promoted in the UK as reliable contraception.
Almost all apps are unregulated, and many are based outside the UK.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.