The contraceptive app known as Natural Cycles is being blamed for 37 unwanted pregnancies, Swedish publication SVT reports. In response to the incident, Södersjukhuset — a hospital in Stockholm — has officially filed a formal complaint against the app.
Among the selection of 668 women who came to Södersjukhuset for abortions, 37 of the unwanted pregnancies were a result of using the app. While the reasoning behind why Natural Cycles didn’t work is still unclear, the complaint has led to the launch of a study by the Swedish Medicines Agency.
As the first app to be certified as a contraceptive in the European Union, it’s allowed to be prescribed by doctors in the U.K. and Europe. But that doesn’t mean there is still no room for error.
Natural Cycles sets out to provide women with a different form of birth control. Rather than relying on contraceptives such as condoms, the pill, or an IUD, the app tracks body temperature using an algorithm to detect a woman’s ovulation and fertile days — also infamously known as the rhythm method.
Using a basal thermometer provided, you are required to take your temperature first thing each morning and enter it into the app. You are also able to add additional data such as if you have your period or if you’ve taken an ovulation test — which analyzes the levels of luteinizing hormones in your urine to let you know when you’re the most fertile.
By tracking all of your data, the app will show you green days to indicate you’re not fertile and red days to indicate you are. That way, you know the exact days you can’t get pregnant and when you should use protection.
In response to the complaint, Natural Cycles took to its blog in an attempt to clear the air. Within the post, the company explains the app is 93 percent effective under typical use and 99 percent effective under perfect use — where women use protection on each day they are fertile.
With 700,000 users all over the world, Natural Cycles also points out that an increase to its user base will also lead to an increase in unplanned pregnancies. In an effort to dive deeper into the issue, the company is also currently in touch with the Medical Product Agency and are working to respond to each of the individual reported cases.
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