Fertility apps do not really contain professional advice on the whole. As such, much of the information women are receiving from the convenience of their smartphone on the topic is by and large inaccurate. And because of this and other issues discovered by researchers who reviewed scientific studies regarding top fertility apps, large-scale improvement is being called for future fertility apps that are developed.
According to researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Western Sydney, fertility apps need a major overhaul after a review of nearly 300 scientific studies of over 70 fertility apps proved to be inaccurate, contain professional advice, or even contain fertility information.
The study, published in the journal, Human Fertility, found that any real science behind fertility apps is lacking. This was determined after researchers' findings revealed that only five percent of fertility apps contain professional advice or cite legitimate scientific publications, only 20 percent of the ovulation predictions made were accurate, and only 55 percent of fertility apps contained any information about the topic itself, according to Medical Xpress.
Fertility apps were developed so that women could track their fertility through their menstrual cycles to see how regular they were and see the window in which they were ovulating to either get pregnant or naturally prevent pregnancy from happening. The problem with tracking the cycles with the apps, according to Cedars Sinai, is their inaccuracy. The apps are only accurate with predicting ovulation 21 percent of the time, per the publication, which does not lend itself to feelings of confidence in using the apps for anyone.
According to researchers, many women use fertility apps to learn more about what fertility is and how they can improve it to increase their chances of becoming pregnant. Unfortunately, with a lack of healthcare professionals being consulted when the content is being compiled for the apps, according to the study, the opportunity to learn is diminished. And when more than half of the apps do not include pertinent information on the topic, it could be argued how those apps could be allowed to categorize themselves as fertility apps in the first place as well.
Further still, according to researchers, the apps lack credibility because they are not "adequately reported in peer-reviewed literature," according to Fitnessefficace. Because the creators of the apps are not self-reporting their accuracy within any medical journals, there is no opportunity for others in the medical field to reinforce the scientific research the apps claim to use to create their programs to track fertility. As such, the apps are deficient when it comes to providing accurate information to users regarding their fertility, which defeats the whole purpose of using the apps in the first place.
Until the creators of fertility apps begin to enlist the help of medical professionals to create the content being used, they will continue to provide inaccurate information at best. When these apps are being used to assist with becoming pregnant or to help ensure pregnancy does not happen until the user is ready for it to, the users deserve to be provided the information the apps promise to deliver. Anything short of that is unacceptable.
Source: Medical Xpress, Fittnessefficace, Human Fertility, Cedars Sinai