*Disclaimer: every woman’s experience with birth control is different; this post shares my own story without casting criticism on other non-natural or hormonal methods. In addition, Natural Cycles does not prevent against STIs (only barrier methods, such as condoms, prevent STIs). Must be 18+ to use.

I had no idea a friend of mine had been struggling with depression.

“I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. I had no motivation at all.” She told me. “So I decided to get off the pill.”

“You’re off it completely?”

“Yes, and I finally feel like me again.”

Hormonal birth control was something I had always been a little on-the-fence about. Her story stuck with me… especially because I was on the lookout for a new method.

A few weeks later, I heard a separate story: an acquaintance of mine was hospitalized due to a near fatal blood clot. This clot happened when a doctor incorrectly removed the birth control bar implant from her arm. Yikes.

I knew I wanted a natural means of birth control, but “condoms all the time” and “pull out and pray” seemed like the only two options and neither looked appealing. So, I did a little research and discovered an interesting method: an app. I was very skeptical at first. I watched a few YouTube video reviews and read through the entire Natural Cycles website. Could an app really be FDA cleared and 93% effective with typical use (98% effective with perfect use)? *Compare that to the pill that’s 91% effective with typical use and 99% effective with perfect use.

Turns out yes. It took trying it out for a few months to be fully convinced, but now that I’m on board, I couldn’t imagine any other means of birth control. It’s not just the ease of the process that I love, it’s the knowledge that comes with it. I feel vastly more aware of my body, my cycle, and my hormones and moods as a result.

How it works

Every morning when you wake up, you’ll take your temperature using a basal thermometer. This is a special thermometer that measures degrees to two decimals for heightened accuracy. Natural Cycles sells these thermometers on their website (but you can great a free one if you use code “Jenna20” at checkout).

After imputing the temperature into the app, the algorithm begins tracking your fertility from that data.

There are some days your temperature will be “deviating.” Sick days, oversleeping (or under sleeping), and hangovers will all affect the temperature reading and won’t be included in your fertility status. Marking a temperature as deviating in the app is super easy and in my experience, it’s better to be safe than sorry and mark cautiously.

After a month or two, the app will start giving you “Red days” or “Green days” based on your temperature data.

My app view….

Red days = abstinence or protection
Green days = ;)

If you choose to use them, LH tests can also confirm ovulation timing. I had no idea these were even a thing before signing up for Natural Cycles, but LH (Luteinising Hormone) levels rise right before ovulation. These tests are little strips similar to pregnancy tests that you can buy anywhere (I got mine on Amazon). By marking a “positive” or “negative” result, the app can more accurately predict the exact day of ovulation — giving you more green days in that cycle. Beware! All of these kits will look like baby-maker kits. Sadly, it’s the “norm” to become aware of ovulation only when they’re trying to become pregnant and not when they’re trying to avoid it.

After imputing your personalized data from temperatures, LH tests, periods, and even protected vs. unprotected sex days, the app will build a database of fertility information unique to you. In nearly a year of using the app, I’ve learned that my “coverline” temperature is 97.80 (anything below that is essentially the “fertile zone” and anything above that means I’m in the clear). I can also tell that I’m not pregnant without even taking a pregnancy test when I see my temperature falling again. I know that I have a follicular phase of 18 days and luteal phase of 11 days (both in the healthy range). I know that I have a regular cycle of 29 days (plus or minus 2) and I know that my average ovulation day is Cycle Day 19. I’m oversharing all this information to hopefully inspire you to learn more about your body and your cycle, too. It’s been such a liberating, empowering, and rewarding process.

Note: there are different settings for the app. You can select…

Prevent pregnancy
Plan pregnancy
Follow your pregnancy

The colors and data will change accordingly.

Did you know?

Here are a few incredible things many women (including myself) often gloss over about their fertility:

You’re only fertile for six days a month.

Yup. I honestly had no idea about this one. I thought I was fertile the entire month when I wasn’t menstruating. But that’s not the case! A woman is fertile on the day of ovulation and five days prior (because semen can survive in the body for up to five days). Anything before or after that will not result in a baby. The key to this little bit of information, though, is knowing the exact day that you ovulate. That’s why Natural Cycles predicts 14-10 ish of red days per cycle until that ovulation day is set in stone. They don’t want any oopsies.

Sex drive increases when you’re fertile.

This one might be a little more obvious… but if you’re having sex and unaware of “where you are” in your cycle, that “we’re-probably-okay…-day” will almost certainly come at a time when you’re at your peak fertility. Nature’s super great that way.

Rising and falling body temperature is linked to hormone activity.

After imputing my temperature for several months, I became amazed that one week I can walk around with temperatures in the 96.80-97.15 range and another I’ll be in the upper 98’s. This app has given me so much more sympathy for women who get cold or hot spontaneously — it’s not just that we’re more “sensitive,” we’re being put through a roller-coaster of hormone variations completely out of our control. Some days I’ll be burning up and others I’ll be freezing. Now I know I’m not crazy: my body is either prepping for a baby or prepping to shed the lining of my uterus. It’s an amazing process, really. I have a newfound appreciation for the reproductive system and how delicate it is.

Pregnancy “Day 1” begins before conception.

This is just a fact I came across in my own research: but the first day of pregnancy is counted from the first day of a lady’s last menstrual cycle, not ovulation day. Since ovulation occurs mid-cycle, women aren’t pregnant until “Week 2.” I’m sure Mama’s out there know all about this one, but it was definitely new information for me!

The Cost

Like other methods of birth control, there’s a cost for using Natural Cycles. But compared to other methods (like the pill, costing around $160-600 a year) Natural Cycles is very inexpensive. Here’s the break down:

9.99/monthly for the Natural Cycles App
7.99-12.99 for a basal thermometer
16.99-20.99 for an LH predictor kit (if you use 2-3 per cycle, this lasts about a year and a half)

And you’re set! It’s been such a simple and powerful thing. I’m absolutely in love with it.

If you’d like to sign up, you can click here and use the code “Jenna20” at checkout for 20% off your annual subscription PLUS a free basal thermometer.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please leave them in the comments or personally message me. And if you’d like to share your positive/negative experiences with various birth control methods — please do so! I love open discussion and can’t wait to hear from you.