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A new study suggests that fertility trackers may not be very accurate

ovulation-tracking-blogSo you are ready to get pregnant! When you start trying to conceive, our San Antonio fertility specialists recommend timed intercourse to boost natural conception. To find out when they’re ovulating, many women rely on fertility trackers—found in apps and on websites—to predict when they’re most likely to get pregnant. That’s why our San Antonio fertility center physicians want patients to be aware of a new study about the accuracy of fertility trackers.

Different fertility trackers provide varying fertility windows, some even days after ovulation

A new study* analyzed over 50 fertility trackers, and it found some interesting information.

  • Most fertility tracking apps and websites were able to accurately predict the day of ovulation and at least some of the days in a woman’s fertile window.
  • However, the fertile windows varied among fertility tracking apps and websites. Also, many of these timeframes included days well past ovulation, a time when a woman is very unlikely to get pregnant.

These findings are problematic because our San Antonio fertility specialists know that performing timed intercourse with inaccurate information about your fertile window will not increase your chances for getting pregnant.

Our fertility specialists believe there is still some value in using fertility trackers

According to Erika Munch, MD, of our San Antonio fertility center, “I find that fertility trackers help you keep track of when you’re getting your cycle, and that really helps at the appointment when we’re looking at the regularity of your cycles.”

However, Dr. Munch stresses that it’s important not to rely entirely on a website or an app. An OTC ovulation predictor kit and conversations with your physician can help pinpoint the best times to conceive.

“Because every couple is unique, the times for peak fertility may actually differ from what the app is predicting. Rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and potentially missing the best window, I find that a short personalized discussion helps answer a lot of questions, and helps you get the most out of your app.”

If you would like more information about fertility tracking or timed intercourse, please contact Texas Fertility Center San Antonio today.

*http://www.livescience.com/55023-fertility-tracking-apps-accuracy.html

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