5 Things You May Not Know About Your Fertility & The App To Know
Created in partnership with Natural Cycles
FACT: You Can Only Get Pregnant Six Days Every Cycle
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t get pregnant every day of your cycle. In fact, there’s only a small number of days when it’s possible to conceive. The female fertile window is around six days long, which includes the day of ovulation and the rate of sperm survival, as sperm can live in the female reproductive system for up to five days before an egg is even released. So, if a woman is able to confirm these six days each month, she can use that information to prevent or plan pregnancy. So, is there an easy way of doing that? That's where the Natural Cycles app comes in. The app is able to pinpoint when ovulation occurs and therefore, tell users each day if they can become pregnant or not.
FACT: Your Body Temperature Can Determine When You Can & Can’t Get Pregnant
Many are surprised to learn there's a link between the menstrual cycle and your body temperature. A change in hormones around ovulation causes slight, but significant, changes in body temperature. It’s actually this important link that helps power the Natural Cycles app. The app’s algorithm, which was developed by scientists, uses body temperature to confirm ovulation and determine fertility status. Many users use it for years to prevent pregnancy naturally. When used as a contraceptive, the app is 93% effective with typical use, and 98% effective with perfect use (meaning no unprotected sex on fertile days).
FACT: Only One In Eight Women Experience A 28-Day Cycle
While 28 days has often been considered the average cycle length, research by Natural Cycles revealed that the overwhelming majority of us don’t have a textbook 28-day cycle. It’s also worth keeping in mind that some women are very regular, while others may find their cycles change frequently. That’s why it’s important to not only use calendar dates if trying to accurately predict your period, and especially if you’re trying to avoid pregnancy. Since Natural Cycles is personalised to each user and uses biometric data (body temperature) it’s just as effective with preventing pregnancy for those with irregular cycles.
FACT: You Don’t Technically Have A Period When On The Pill
The bleeding you experience while on some types of hormonal birth control, such as the contraceptive pill, is in fact not a menstrual bleed – it’s a type of spotting known as withdrawal bleeding. Withdrawal bleeding is different to a period because hormonal birth control stops ovulation – in other words, we don’t technically experience a menstrual cycle when on the pill, so we don’t get a period. Bleeding on birth control is also often lighter than a regular period, since the contraceptive hormones have stopped the uterine lining from fully developing before it sheds.
FACT: Hormones Affect More Than Our Reproductive Health
Hormones are molecules produced by the endocrine system that send messages to various parts of the body. Our hormones have a huge part to play in how we optimise our productivity, reduce stress and improve happiness. They also affect sleep, metabolism and even sex drive, meaning there’s more to it than periods and fertility. For example, you may notice your skin changes throughout your cycle. Skin around your period typically tends to be oilier, whereas skin in the run-up to ovulation tends to be clearer and more radiant. At the same time, the menstrual cycle is more than just your period – it’s a complex ebb and flow of hormones, and on top of that, it varies from woman to woman. The Natural Cycles app allows you to track everything from your mood, sex drive and skin throughout your cycle, making it possible to find your unique patterns.
About Natural Cycles…
To date, over 2 million women around the world have registered to use the Natural Cycles app, each embarking on their own hormone-free journey.
If you're interested in learning more, or want to get started on your own hormone-free journey, head to NaturalCycles.com/SheerLuxe to get 20% OFF your annual subscription and a free thermometer.
DISCLAIMER: Features published by SheerLuxe are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programme.
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.