Natural Cycles App vs Symptothermal method

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Natural Cycles App

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Symptothermal method

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Overview

Rated 4.2

95 reviews

Daily

Frequency

93% - 98%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 4.8

6 reviews

Daily

Frequency

98% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

What Lowdown reviewers say

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive

There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive

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Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Natural Cycles App reviews

95 reviews

Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  21st Aug 23

  •  Stopped using

Natural cycles seemed promising when I first came across it in 2017 and read the reviews. I got the NC app along with the most expensive (hence hopefully most accurate) thermometer I could find to enter my readings. My partner and I decided to try it in place of condoms. I entered my thermometer and period readings religiously and only ever had unprotected sex on the ‘green: not fertile’ days when it says it’s safe to have sex. The next month I was pregnant. We were devastated. To add insult to injury, Natural cycles deleted my reviews about their product, offered ZERO help or acknowledgment of my situation and rather suspiciously my iTunes review of their app (tried from 2 separate accounts) was never published, despite my trying several times. Which is odd as I hadn’t said anything untoward, I’d simply stated my experience of using it and getting pregnant.

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Top side effects not reported

7 helpful

1 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th Aug 23

  •  Still using

After feeling like I’d tried every hormonal contraception and not getting on with anything, Natural Cycles was such a breath of fresh air. I was nervous at first as it feels like there is more risk of pregnancy, but after taking the time to research I felt confident in this method. You have to be strict with yourself and use protection/ abstain on red days but it’s worth it. I feel so much more like myself without using hormones and I have also learnt a lot about my body. Highly recommend if you’re willing to spend some time getting used to the app, learning to take your temp correctly and being responsible throughout your cycle.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

2 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4th Aug 23

  •  Still using

Came off contraception methods due to all the side effects. I’ve been on 5 different pills and had the implant) so far this is the best for me. Been doing NC for over a year and it has worked for me and my partner. You will have to stick to no sex or protected sex on red days. Took me a little while to understand my body but after 6 months I feel I know my body a lot better in terms of when I ovulate and when my period is coming.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  21st Aug 23

  •  Stopped using

Natural cycles seemed promising when I first came across it in 2017 and read the reviews. I got the NC app along with the most expensive (hence hopefully most accurate) thermometer I could find to enter my readings. My partner and I decided to try it in place of condoms. I entered my thermometer and period readings religiously and only ever had unprotected sex on the ‘green: not fertile’ days when it says it’s safe to have sex. The next month I was pregnant. We were devastated. To add insult to injury, Natural cycles deleted my reviews about their product, offered ZERO help or acknowledgment of my situation and rather suspiciously my iTunes review of their app (tried from 2 separate accounts) was never published, despite my trying several times. Which is odd as I hadn’t said anything untoward, I’d simply stated my experience of using it and getting pregnant.


Top side effects not reported

7 helpful

1 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th Aug 23

  •  Still using

After feeling like I’d tried every hormonal contraception and not getting on with anything, Natural Cycles was such a breath of fresh air. I was nervous at first as it feels like there is more risk of pregnancy, but after taking the time to research I felt confident in this method. You have to be strict with yourself and use protection/ abstain on red days but it’s worth it. I feel so much more like myself without using hormones and I have also learnt a lot about my body. Highly recommend if you’re willing to spend some time getting used to the app, learning to take your temp correctly and being responsible throughout your cycle.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

2 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4th Aug 23

  •  Still using

Came off contraception methods due to all the side effects. I’ve been on 5 different pills and had the implant) so far this is the best for me. Been doing NC for over a year and it has worked for me and my partner. You will have to stick to no sex or protected sex on red days. Took me a little while to understand my body but after 6 months I feel I know my body a lot better in terms of when I ovulate and when my period is coming.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments


Symptothermal method reviews

6 reviews

Used for 6 - 12 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  18th Sep 23

  •  Still using

Literally no side effects, no fake hormones affecting my body or mental health. Use symptothermal - 11 months in and find temping and checking cervical mucus easy and not at all laborious. We use condoms during fertile window (for me that’s usually about 9 days) and unprotected the rest of the time. No scares and I feel confident and secure with this method. I’ll never go back to hormonal birth control!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

2 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  23rd Jun 23

  •  Still using

I developed a rare side effect on hormonal birth control (hormone mediated vestibulodynia) which I am finally feeling is mostly treated after almost 11 months off HBC. My libido is back and I feel so in touch with my body. Never going back!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 8+ yr
41 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 23

  •  Still using

You need to know what you are doing with this method (get a good educator to teach you) but once you’ve got a hang of it, it is such an awesome way to manage your fertility.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  18th Sep 23

  •  Still using

Literally no side effects, no fake hormones affecting my body or mental health. Use symptothermal - 11 months in and find temping and checking cervical mucus easy and not at all laborious. We use condoms during fertile window (for me that’s usually about 9 days) and unprotected the rest of the time. No scares and I feel confident and secure with this method. I’ll never go back to hormonal birth control!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

2 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  23rd Jun 23

  •  Still using

I developed a rare side effect on hormonal birth control (hormone mediated vestibulodynia) which I am finally feeling is mostly treated after almost 11 months off HBC. My libido is back and I feel so in touch with my body. Never going back!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 8+ yr
41 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 23

  •  Still using

You need to know what you are doing with this method (get a good educator to teach you) but once you’ve got a hang of it, it is such an awesome way to manage your fertility.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  29th Nov 22

  •  Still using

I follow taking charge of your fertility rules, track using Kindara app. I love no hormonal side effects, found it easy to detect ovulation and I’m enjoying learning about how my body works. We use condoms when I’m fertile which is around a week per cycle which has been totally fine and much better than I expected (having been on the pill for years!)


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th Nov 22

  •  Still using

A very empowering contraceptive method that allows women to learn about their own bodies and to work around what's natural to avoid pregnancy. Any symptoms that I have listed such as migraines occur during PMS. I would highly recommend the Sensiplan method as it has a typical failure rate of just 2%, and a perfect use of 99.6%.


Top side effects not reported

2 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Oct 21

  •  Still using

There are several methods under the symptothermal umbrella term, and efficacy rates are based on learning with an instructor. I learnt with an instructor from fertility UK, this was very affordable for a lifetime of cycle knowledge and a year of chart support. The method involves me taking my temperature upon waking and observing my cervical fluid throughout the day, recording this information on a chart which I use to work out my fertile and infertile days. This method is easy to use once you have learnt. The number of infertile days is very dependant on the individual users cycle, but I typically get ten days where I can go unprotected once I have confirmed ovulation and also four days at the beginning of my cycle available to use. The rest of my cycle would be considered my potentially fertile/fertile days, where barrier methods (reducing the efficacy to that of the barrier) or abstinence/non penis in vagina sex would be necessary. A consideration is that the altered sexual behaviour would have to have the sexual partners cooperation too, as they would also have to be willing to use a condom or have alternative sex on the fertile days. I personally have found this method very empowering, having real-time data of what my body is doing and fertility status, working with my cycle phases instead of fighting against them. Learning about my body and reproductive health in ways that are not talked about in society and it is knowledge that should no be hidden from menstruators.


Top side effects not reported

7 helpful

0 comments

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