DCU students expressed mixed views on a new app which claims to be almost ‘as good as the pill’ at preventing pregnancy.
The “Natural Cycles” app is a fertility awareness-based contraceptive method of birth control which calculates when a woman has passed her fertile period of the menstrual cycle. It also accounts for a rise in a women’s temperature during ovulation with a thermometer as telling.
The European commission recently approved the app as a viable means of contraception. The app, however, received a sceptical response from DCU students.
“I would have to trust the girl first,” said first year journalist Hugh Farrell. He said ‘one night stands’ were not in question with the app.
Most of the discontent with the app and the idea behind it came from women. ‘The app wouldn’t stop you’ said Elayna Keller pointing to the fact that this method only works at certain stages of the month. However, she said it would be effective as a ‘menstrual cycle app.’
More people worried of the reliability of the app. ‘I don’t trust technology in general,’ said Gerard Grimes. While Amy Donohoe worried about the compatibility with the app and her menstrual cycle. This is backed up by the creators of the app Elina Berglund and Raoul Scherwizl who state that women with irregularities in their cycle or medical issue would be less successful with this app.
“In the end, what we want to do is add a new method of contraception that women can choose from without side effects,” Scherwizl said.
Though the app also does not protect against STI’s, its selling point is as an alternate to the pill and other hormonal forms of contraception as it produces ‘no side effects.’
Listed side-effects of hormonal contraception include mood changes, nausea, weight gain, headaches and other symptoms.
“I think its a nice option for girls who aren’t able to take the pill or bar,” said student Aoife Horan.
The app comes with one month’s free trial with subscriptions monthly subsequently.
John Morley
Image Credit: The Journal