Imagine being on a fun vacation when a wave of pain suddenly washes over you, and you just know that your menses have started. Or a busy day at work when Aunt Flo visits and you don’t have your supplies handy. Instead of beating yourself up and trying to track your cycle better, why not use a period tracker application? Happiest Health spoke to experts about period tracker apps and how it helps women understand their menstrual cycle.
Why track your period
Keep tabs on your period with a menstrual tracker to be aware of the menstrual cycle, says Dr Sangeeta Rodeo, consultant gynecology and obstetrics, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai. “We’ve encountered multiple instances of women being unable to recall their most recent periods, making it difficult to understand their issue,’’ she explains. In addition to simply noting the day of their period, users of the app can also note the period flow — whether it is heavy, medium, or light — and any premenstrual syndrome symptoms. The period tracker apps also come with a feature where users can export the recorded data to their gynecologist. This can help them to understand all the symptoms, including period regularity, and spot any issues.
Another key feature Dr Rodeo points out is how these apps notify users of their fertility window (ovulation and the preceding five days). “Menstrual trackers help women plan their pregnancy better,” she says. “Some women may not be aware of their fertility window, making it difficult for them to conceive easily despite having regular intercourse.,” she explains.
Apps monitoring periods also help users to avoid pregnancy as they can note when they are on their safe period (part of the menstrual cycle when fertilisation is least likely to occur).
Period trackers and PCOS
Tara Maria Mathew, a 25-year-old partnerships manager working in Bengaluru, shares that period trackers have helped her keep her irregular periods in check. Having been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that causes infrequent and irregular or prolonged menstrual cycles, she started using a menstrual tracker to monitor her irregular cycles five years ago.
“Now I can afford to forget and don’t have to memorise when my next period is due. In case of any confusion, I can always look back and verify patterns and how long each cycle lasted,” says Mathew.
Similarly, Prateeksha Susan Jacob from Kottayam, Kerala, who is in her early twenties, explains that the period tracker had helped her identify her PCOS problems. “When the cycles get too irregular, the app gives me a heads-up to change my routine a bit to regularise my period,” she explains.
Dr Rodeo agrees to this as well. “It is critical for patients with irregular periods, PCOS and PCOD, or thyroid disorders to monitor their periods. If the cycles become significantly irregular, they must go see a doctor and get treated,” she stresses.
Steps to use period tracker
Recording your period is now handy as it is found in-built in some smartphones, although users can also install third-party apps to carry out the same task. The app installed in a smartphone can monitor the details of only one person. Here is how you can go about it.
- To track your period, select the date the period begins.
- Choose the type of blood flow from the options provided.
- You can even include common symptoms observed during the period, such as bloating, acne, breast pain, headache, hot flashes, fatigue and mood changes.
- Simply continue tracking your symptoms until the last day of the period. Some apps also let the users track whether their period ended early. This is beneficial for people with PCOS or those trying to monitor irregular periods.
- This will automatically provide the estimated date of the next period cycle. Tracking the dates regularly will alert users to their ovulation period and the next expected date of their cycle.
“If the user has been tracking their period for 8 months, it will provide information on the menstrual cycle, the average length of the cycle, as well as the average number of days their period lasts,” explained Dr Rodeo.
Are period trackers accurate?
Dr Shivani Jain, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Manipal Hospitals, Goa, emphasises that the information presented in these applications should not be regarded as 100% accurate, but as a close approximation. “It is normal for there to be discrepancies in the period date from time to time. Depending on hormone levels and other factors, your period date may be pushed,” she explains.
While some use it to plan a pregnancy or avoid it, Dr Jain cautions that these apps should not be the only source for family planning. “There may be times when the tracker indicates that the user is in her safe period, but she might be actually fertile. This is uncommon, though, and can be avoided if the day when the period cycle begins is properly recorded,” she adds.
When asked if the period tracker may detect problems such as ovarian cysts or endometriosis, Dr Jain disagrees. “The mobile app will not tell the user what diagnosis they require if they are experiencing menstrual problems, but it will alert them to the types of period flow they are experiencing,” she explains. Dr Jain advises that instead, users can visit the doctor where the extensive data recorded in the app might help make an accurate diagnosis.
She adds, “If the person is bleeding beyond their normal cycle or has extremely heavy flow, the app can help us assess details during the investigation.”
Takeaways
- Once your start tracking your period, you are also notified when you are on your safe period and fertile window.
- It can help to understand the user’s menstrual health and wellness, and plan or avoid pregnancy.
- Although period tracker apps may not notify users of any abnormalities, they can help provide doctors with the necessary information to determine treatment based on the flow and pattern of the period cycle.
