Observational studyWomen's health (London, England)
A survey of women's experiences of using period tracker applications: Attitudes, ovulation prediction and how the accuracy of the app in predicting period start dates affects their feelings and behaviours.
Observational study in Women's health (London, England). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.
- Innovative Approaches to Menstruation and Fertility Tracking Using Wearable Reproductive Health Technology: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Use of symptom-reporting tools to support endometriosis identification and management in primary care: a realist synthesis.BMJ open · 2026Review
- Sexual Satisfaction and Orgasm Experiences During Partnered and Solo Sex Among 27,931 Users of the Flo App.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- The illusion of empowerment: commercializing women's health in the digital age.Health promotion international · 2026Article
- "Every Woman Has a Different Cycle and Feels Differently": A Qualitative Study of Athlete-Centred Perspectives on Menstrual Cycle Symptoms and Management in Female Endurance Sports.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The diagnostic accuracy of wearable digital technology in detecting fertility window and menstrual cycles: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Exploring engagement patterns in a reproductive health app using the Technology Acceptance Model.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Article
- Motivations for Use, User Experience and Quality of Reproductive Health Mobile Applications in a Pre-Menopausal User Base: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Exploration of Reproductive Health Apps' Data Privacy Policies and the Risks Posed to Users: Qualitative Content Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of menstruation and fertility tracking technology in childbearing women: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P · 2025Article
- Flowing data: women's views and experiences on privacy and data security when using menstrual cycle tracking apps.Oxford open digital health · 2025Article
- Envisioning a path from the Internet of Medical Things to improved fertility care access: a mini-review.F&S reports · 2024Article
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Internet of Things: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Missed period? The significance of period-tracking applications in a post-Sexual and reproductive health matters · 2023Article
- The Impact of Ovulation Calculators on the Stress Levels of Fertility-Seeking Couples: An Evaluation Study.Cureus · 2023Article
- Using Hormone Data and Age to Pinpoint Cycle Day within the Menstrual Cycle.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Article
- Use of Menstruation Tracking Apps Among Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Multi-Country Evidence.Nigerian medical journal : journal of the Nigeria Medical AssociationReview
- Periods and well-being: A focus group study to discuss how menstruation affects the well-being of women aged 18-40.Women's health (London, England)Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionUsing an online survey, the aim of this study was to ask women about their real-life experiences of using period tracker apps, their attitudes towards using their app, the information the app provided regarding ovulation and how the accuracy of the app in predicting period start dates affects their feelings and behaviours if their period comes earlier or later than predicted.
methodsThis mixed-methods observational study was conducted by an online survey of 50 multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The survey was generated with Qualtrics XM
resultsFrom 375 total responses, 330 complete responses were obtained, giving a completion rate of 88.0%. Respondents were aged between 14 and 54, with a mean age of 26.0 (±7.81). When asked what was the best thing about using the app, 29.7% (98/330) of respondents selected 'To know when I'm ovulating'. Respondents were asked if their period ever started earlier than the app predicted; 54.9% (189/330) said it had and 72.1% (238/330) said it had started later than predicted. When asked how they felt if their period arrived earlier or later than expected, thematic analysis of periods starting earlier revealed four themes: feeling unaffected, being frustrated/unprepared, feeling anxious/stressed and feeling confused/intrigued. Thematic analysis when their period arrived later revealed six themes: anxious/concerned about pregnancy, disappointed about pregnancy, seeking advice/informing healthcare professionals, thoughts about menopause, feeling unaffected and being better prepared.
conclusionPeriod trackers need to be clearer on their intended use and reliability, especially for period due date and ovulation. Qualitative analysis shows the impact of inaccurate predictions on aspects of the users' health. This study calls for period tracker app companies to update their apps to provide transparency to their users about their intended use and capabilities.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.