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37 Pregnancies Linked to Popular Birth Control App
16 Jun
Summary
- A hospital filed a complaint against the Natural Cycles app.
- The app is linked to 37 reported unwanted pregnancies.
- Natural Cycles states no contraception is 100% effective.
The Natural Cycles contraceptive app, certified in the EU, is facing scrutiny following a complaint lodged by a Stockholm hospital. The Södersjukhuset hospital reported 37 cases of unwanted pregnancies among women who used the app, prompting the complaint to Sweden's Medical Product Agency (MPA).
This app employs an algorithm that analyzes factors such as body temperature to identify a woman's fertile window. Natural Cycles stated it has initiated an internal investigation and is cooperating with the MPA. The company emphasized that all contraceptive methods carry a risk of unintended pregnancy, noting the app's typical use effectiveness rate of 93% (Pearl Index of 7).
With 700,000 users globally, Natural Cycles acknowledged that an increase in users naturally leads to a rise in reported unintended pregnancies. The app is recommended for users aged 18 and over, with younger individuals advised to consider alternative birth control methods.
