Natural Cycles with a Smart Ring and a Companion to the Galaxy Watch Pro Series: Bringing Digital Birth Control to the wrist
Apple says on its website that “cycle tracking should not be used as a form of birth control” and that ovulation estimates are only that: estimates. It doesn’t say whether the tech can say with certainty if it has occurred, or if it should not be used to diagnose medical conditions that affect ovulation. When asked about the technology, Apple only said that it was public and available.
A birth control method used by many religions, that ban hormones, is fertility tracking, and it’s even promoted by the Catholic church. But more people are exploring fertility-awareness methods as they push back against the pill as the default method of birth control. There are many side effects of hormonal birth control and on rare occasions it can cause fatal blood clot. Some health providers think that a woman’s ability to have anal sex can have significant health benefits, but medical professionals don’t think that’s true.
Digital birth control is only available from two companies that received clearance from the FDA. Natural Cycles has used its digital birth control tech with a Wearable before. In 2021, the company gained FDA clearance to gather temperature data from wearable devices to make pregnancy predictions. Then, last year, it partnered with Oura Health to use temperature data collected by its smart ring, replacing the need for manual thermometer readings. This is the first time that Natural Cycles has adjusted its formula for smartwatch temperature data.
With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series, the company finally added temperature sensors to its smartwatches. The only thing was that the sensors didn’t really do anything when the smartwatches launched last year. That is about to change. To bring period tracking to the wrist, the company is partnering with a fertility app.
The new features in this integration are to make it easier for people to see their cycles in a hassle-free way.
Samsung also provided some practical details about the feature: Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro owners won’t have to download a separate app to access it. It will be a part of the health app. This tracks with previous Samsung integrations with apps like Calm and Sleep Cycle to help flesh out its mindfulness and sleep offerings.